While traveling to different cities during my first year with Langevin, I gained 15 pounds! In each new city I wanted to taste the cuisine for which they were famous. A whole loaf of sourdough in San Francisco, poutine (fries with gravy and cheese curds) in Toronto, BBQ in Dallas, and so many other foods in so many more places. Then toward the end of that year I finally realized very few of my clothes fit! When working at home, I ate healthy. But on the road, I was treating each trip as if I were on vacation. Something had to change.
Do you travel often for work? Do you find it hard to keep healthy habits like I did? Here are seven tips I have found to help me maintain a healthy lifestyle while on the road:
1. Buy a water bottle. I was not drinking sufficient amounts of water during the day. Purchase a 32-ounce water bottle and fill it at least three times throughout the day.
2. Request a room with a fridge and find a grocery store near your hotel. Eating out can quickly lead to an unhealthy meal so try to have healthy foods in your hotel room. I bring plain instant oatmeal to eat for breakfast (use the coffee machine for hot water!) and purchase fresh fruit from the local grocery store to add to it.
3. When eating out, opt for grilled, steamed, and baked entrees. Before your trip, plan ahead and scout out the local area to find healthier restaurants.
4. Download a 30-minute workout video to your computer. Make sure you download it in case your hotel doesn’t offer WiFi. This way you will still be able to access the video.
5. Take a walk. Instead of eating in the hotel restaurant or getting room service, walk to a restaurant a few blocks away.
6. Travel with a resistance band. They are lightweight and easy to use just about anywhere.
7. Get seven to nine hours of sleep each night. Sleep is key to a healthy lifestyle. In the beginning, I had a hard time falling asleep. I downloaded a sleep app with different white noises and now use that to help me fall into a restful slumber. Some hotels even have these sounds preset on the alarm clocks.
Staying healthy while traveling can be challenging but is possible. Find what works best for you and stick to it!
What tips would you like to share in the comments sections below to help all of us road warriors stay healthy while traveling?
