Let’s face it; it’s hard enough staying healthy in our own city with all the demands that are placed upon us. So add in additional travel for work and it can seem almost impossible to stay on track with any nutrition or exercise.
So, to help you stay at the top of your game in your career, here are 5 simple tips to stay healthy while travelling.
1. In airports, food choices are challenging as you try to navigate through a myriad of fast food and café type pastries that will leave you nutrient deficient and tired. You’re healthiest options here will be to choose a smoothie with protein powder if such a chain exists (preferably with some green veg) to keep the sugars down or a salad. Make sure you get a protein added on top (feta, tofu, salmon or chicken) and don’t hesitate asking for healthy fats like avocados and olives which might not be listed. Chefs can generally accommodate add-ons. Incorporating these healthy fats will help satiate you and turn off hunger.
2. On the plane, as tempting as those little bottles of wine or beer might seem (especially if free), it’s not worth the dehydration they’ll cause. Opt for the water, and don’t hesitate asking for 2 glasses at once. Dehydration is very common when travelling which often precedes constipation as we’re off our regular routine, so drink up! Besides, it’s not like their wine is even good. Treat yourself to an actual glass of ‘good quality’ red when at a restaurant in your destined city.
3. When possible, choose hotels that have gyms. Even if it’s just 20 minutes of walking or light jogging on a treadmill, you’ll feel so proud of yourself for keeping up with a healthy routine. Don’t forget to pack your gym shoes. If a gym isn’t possible, you can always do callisthenic exercises on a hotel towel on the floor (if not packing a yoga mat). A few sit-ups here, a few planks there and a couple push-ups will keep you toned and feeling proud. Additionally, you could also consider purchasing some exercise bands that pack really easily for even more resistance type work-outs in the hotel room.
4. If you have a lot of phone meetings, consider doing them outside while walking if there is a nice park, street or beach nearby. You’d be surprised how much a little extra walking can benefit you, not to mention breathing in the oxygen. It’ll also help keep your stress levels down.
5. Lastly, when organizing meetings, schedule them in cafés over pubs or restaurants. This way, you’ll be able to get in some antioxidants in tea form to support your immune system from those dirty planes. May I suggest a Matcha green tea latté or a simple herbal green tea mint blend? And did you know green tea contains L’Theanine, which naturally helps calm us from anxiety and stress? Working in cafés will help you avoid the temptation of fried foods at pubs and restaurants which we almost always succumb to if another person chooses them.
Voilà, a few healthy tips. Hopefully you’ll be able to incorporate in a few.
What about YOU, do you have any other tips you’d like to share with us?
Good tips. As a Certified Nutritonist and coach, I agree with all the tips! A couple I’d add are; on a plane, if you can, pack some good protein powder in your suitcase and if it’s possible in your carry-on. Also I always bring good nuts ( good fat source for energy) and some dried fruit (mostly nuts) in my carry-on to ease the “pretzel packs” nibbling (if they are still serving those) on a long flight or in a car trip. Either unsalted or mostly unsalted as they won’t stimulate your thirst…and of course lots of filtered water if you can. Today, most of the servers use bottled water so that’s a good thing. Ask for at least 2 glasses and if you have a thermos-type or shaker bottle fill it on the plane and sip often. Add the protein powder or a healthful energy powder and shake and enjoy along in the water.