How to Make Healthy Lifestyle Choices while Traveling for Work
The modern professional's work schedule usually involves travel in some capacity. Some of us travel once a year for a big conference, quarterly for several conferences, monthly for trainings or sales calls, in some instances we're traveling every single week for work.
It sounds fun on the surface. Seeing new cities, revisiting old favorites and seeing different parts of the country (or world).
Traveling presents one challenge despite how pleasant it is...
Making healthy lifestyle choices.
The benefits is deciding to live a healthy lifestyle for most of us is that we have routine & structure.
We know what local restaurants have to offer, we have our regular grocery stores, and we're able to overall control our healthy eating decisions & exercise habits because we have more control & predictability at home.
The challenge comes when you're getting in workouts & making eating choices in the face of:
airport travel
uncertainty of where you are & where to go
the cost of gym day passes,
very limited equipment options in hotel gyms
and the inconvenience of having to worry about where/how to keep yourself hydrated in the absence of the company water cooler that's 10 steps from your desk.
Here are some tips to help you out (disclaimer: all of this is easier said than done)
H20
Although you won't be able to bring your daily water bottle on a plane while it is full.. you can bring an empty one and fill it when you arrive at your destination. You may have to bite the bullet and buy that $6 bottle of Fiji Water until you arrive.
Hotel lobbies often have filtered water sources, or worst case scenario you can buy gallon jugs from a grocery store for as little as $1-2 per gallon.
Gyms
Traveling is an opportunity to explore new gyms Use this as an opportunity to explore new gyms that you've never been to, Day passes can be as little as $5-10, but can be high depending on what city you're in...
Although it seems like a waste to pay to workout, you're investing in your state of mind energy levels and mental health while on your trip.
Plus the money you spend on a day pass is probably minimal compared to your overall travel expenses especially if you're traveling for pleasure.
However, hotel gyms are perfectly fine. Just put your program aside because the equipment will be very limited
However a workout with dumbbells that are 20lbs and a treadmill is better than no workout.
And lastly, don't forget the nature is a gym as well. Just be sure to do your research and make sure you are in a safe environment, or are companied by other colleagues that may be familiar with the area.
Calories
Who travels to go to Chili's?
The answer is no one...or very few of us do.
You're going to want to try new foods at local spots you can't try back home and in case you didn't notice, local restaurants don't list calories (for the most part)...
If you're concerned with calorie intake, just make smart choices. Every eating establishment has options that are aligned with your macronutrient & calorie goals, it may just require us making some sacrifices or getting creative.
We tend to overeat and drink more alcohol on vacation because we're excited and overstimulated.
Unless you're competing for a bodybuilding show, or you're staying somewhere for an extended period of time...don't stress too much about calories.
Just enjoy yourself.