Steve is a busy sales professional who could be called a “road warrior.” He is constantly traveling to meet with clients. Because of his hectic travel schedule, he has a hard time maintaining a healthy lifestyle. His meals mostly consist of unhealthy dinner meetings with clients and fast food on the go. He rarely has time to exercise. However, before an upcoming convention, Steve came up with a plan for this trip that supported his intentions of getting healthy: to make at least one healthy meal choice each day, to get some exercise daily, and to take care of himself.
Whether traveling for business or pleasure, travel can be challenging for your health. With a bit of planning and consciously making healthy choices over unhealthy ones, you can easily make a difference in how you feel when you return home: guilty or healthy. It is wonderful to come home from a trip feeling good, instead of feeling guilty about an extra three or five pounds.
Many of us travel on a regular basis but don’t consider what actions we might take towards a healthier return home. There are many other ideas out there, but these tips make it easy, and sometimes even fun, to stay healthy on your next trip:
- Change your mindset. By creating a mindset of making healthy choices, you will begin to feel like a winner. You will not only feel better about yourself, but you will want to continue making healthy choices. While traveling, choose to eat at least one healthy meal each day, and when eating your other meals, do not let yourself feel guilty about your choices. Instead, enjoy every morsel. Steve allowed himself to enjoy what he was eating at the business dinners, but knew that he would need to be active during his trip. His plan made him feel like he was in control and winning. As a result, Steve felt great while he was traveling, and it showed in his demeanor and his rapport with clients.
- Be prepared. When you feel hungry, being prepared will give you the option to decide what you really want, instead of going straight to the junk food because you don’t have a choice. Be sure to always have some healthy snacks with you while traveling and in meetings. Steve had plenty of almonds and protein bars in his briefcase so that he could always have a healthy snack within his reach. He went to a local grocery store to buy fresh fruit. It is easy to be prepared if you consciously decide to do so before you leave town.
- Drink plenty of water. It is true that at least eight eight-ounce glasses of water a day are necessary for a healthy body to function; in fact, it is best to have one half ounce of water for each pound you weigh. For example, a person who weighs 150 pounds needs 75 ounces of water each day. Sometimes meetings provide bottled water, but if that is not your situation, buy a small case of water or bring along a container to fill as you walk out the door each day. This way you are staying hydrated and not drinking sodas.
- Sleep. Try not to overschedule your days. If your business trip takes you into a different time zone, try to plan your flight so that you have a little extra time to adjust. Retire early some nights so that you can refresh your body. Sleeping in a hotel may be challenging for some people, so take a break from the TV; you will sleep better and feel more rested if the TV stays off. There are several great ways to induce sleep if noise or different surroundings prevent you from a good night’s rest: stop all caffeine by late afternoon, limit alcohol consumption, use earplugs or create quiet noise in your hotel room with mobile phone apps or a portable sound machine.
- Make good restaurant choices. There are many simple, healthy choices you can make while eating in restaurants anywhere in the world. Grilled or baked foods are always healthier than fried. Choosing to eat a green salad each day will help you feel better. Request sauces on the side, so you can decide if it tastes good and how much you want. Making healthy choices can be fun: by choosing a glass of wine instead of a margarita, you are making a healthier choice. It can be challenging to make healthy choices while traveling, so intend to make some good choices each day, and intend to splurge as well. Never feel guilty about any of your choices. If it is not as good as you hoped or expected, choose not to finish it. If your meal is better than you expected, enjoy it!
- Exercise when possible. Steve came up with a plan to exercise while he was at the convention. He tried to walk as much as possible from the hotel to the convention hall, instead of taking a taxi. One day, when he had the morning off, he walked around the city he had visited often but never really seen. On busier days, Steve got up early to swim in the hotel pool. He realized that he was able to get his body moving despite his hectic schedule.
Business trips can be challenging. With a little planning for healthier choices, you can support your health and return home feeling great instead of sluggish or exhausted. You will be grateful for your healthier decisions and feel radiantly healthy from the inside out.
Adele Good is the founder of The Skinny on The Skinny, a company specializing in personal health improvements and empowerment, and author of The Skinny Diary, Your Guide to Radiant Health. Visit TheSkinnyOnTheSkinny.com or call 214-526-7770 for more information.
