Prevent Travel from Becoming a Broadening Experience

Workers who are on the road year-round are now being joined by hundreds of summer vacation travelers. But whether you’re on the road for work or play, you still need to find ways to stay fit while traveling.

Here are five questions and answers that can help you return without unwanted souvenirs around your middle:

1.) What are some general tips on staying healthy while traveling?

Consider staying healthy while traveling to be a wonderful challenge rather than a problem. Your goal should be to use travel as an opportunity to improve your health and fitness. Think of the positives. You won’t be able to go into a restaurant kitchen for seconds. You may have more opportunities to walk and move than when you are at home. And when eating out, you can order exactly what you want and have your meal prepared how you want to minimize calories. Exercising will be convenient because most motels and hotels offer on-site workout facilities. Travel is also stimulating and demanding, so you won’t find yourself bored and going to the refrigerator or vending machine for distraction.

Create goals for yourself before heading out and challenge yourself to return healthier, happier and rested.

2.) How can travelers incorporate exercise during trips without joining a gym? 

The key to sustaining a fitness program is to find one or more ways to exercise that you enjoy. Walking outdoors is great because it requires little gear and is readily available; however, safety and weather are sometimes issues. Netflix offers videos of exercise routines that can be used at home or on the road, and dozens of workout routines are available on the Internet. When I travel for an extended period, I pack an inflatable exercise ball, two hand weights, a flexible band and a jump rope. With these exercise toys, I can maintain my daily floor routine wherever I travel.


3.) Travel frequently involves busy and irregular schedules. How can you counter the difficulties of hectic days?

Take every opportunity you have to move. If you are meeting with someone, suggest a “walk and talk.” If you have a choice of stairs or an elevator, use the stairs. Park at a distance from your workplace. While waiting in lines, push up on your toes to flex your leg muscles. If your job requires a lot of sitting, use your chair for creative arm and leg exercises.

4.) What’s the best way to eat on the road and what traps should travelers avoid?

Food on the road has become healthier. Many chains now offer healthier options and post caloric content, thereby helping us make conscious choices. Almost all eating sites offer items that can form an appropriate meal. Eating healthy while traveling, however, is more challenging on two counts.

First, portion sizes in fast-food establishments and restaurants are huge! A platter of food that could easily feed two to three people may be served as an individual portion. Sharing items with a travel mate, packing food to eat later or simply discarding surplus food may be necessary.

Second, traveling can easily trigger an indulgence mentality. Here’s the thought process: “Normally I don’t have a cheeseburger, fries and milk shake for lunch. But since I’m traveling and everyone else is eating fast food, I can make an exception.” Our bodies don’t know that we are traveling or that we are making an exception, so surplus calories will be stored.

5.) How can I team up with like-minded fitness friends while traveling?

Check out resources in the surrounding community. You may be able to swim at a local club or join a walking group. If your schedule does not permit extended stays in one location, consider joining an online community, such as the AARP Fat 2 Fit online community, and report your weekly goals and daily progress. Surrounding yourself with like-minded fitness friends will counter the tendency to abandon a commitment to staying healthy while traveling and ensure that the only thing you gain during your travel is enhanced self-esteem.

Creating goals for yourself before you head out and surrounding yourself with supportive travel mates will turn your journey into a broadening experience—not at the physical level, but at the emotional, intellectual and spiritual levels. Because of your healthful choices, you’ll return home with a spring in your step and a renewed zest for life.

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