Travel Fit

Are you someone who travels frequently?  Living life out of your suitcase as you hop one flight to the next for that urgent sales meeting, conference or client presentation?  And most seasoned frequent flyers understand that maximizing this lifestyle can be tough and if they're not careful can lead to poor eating and fitness habits.  We're looking out for our road warrior customers have rounded up a few healthful eating tips and simple exercises that can keep you on the road to "wellville!"

While plentiful food choices may not always abound in small and medium hub airports, we think you'll find these tips universally applicable when traveling.  When ordering off the menu, visiting the grab and go kiosk, or even packing your own snacks; we recommend considering the following:

• Ordering a slice of veggie pizza instead of the pepperoni.
• Selecting a baked potato as your side in lieu of the french fries.
• Pack raisins to nosh on instead of a candy bar.
• Purchase a bottle of water, not the bottle of soda.
• Ration yourself some carrots instead of cheese puffs.
• Need some cereal?  Choose the whole-grain, no sugar option instead of the sugary variety.
• An apple will be better for you in the long run instead of the fruit pie.
• Want dairy?  How about low-fat yogurt instead of ice cream.
• Opt for the turkey sandwich instead of the fried chicken.
• Have a plain bagel with your morning cup of coffee instead of the donut.
• Pretzels can provide a salty fix instead of the potato chips.
• 1% milk has less calories per glass than whole milk.
• Have a sweet tooth?  Try graham crackers as opposed to the chocolate chip cookies.

Couple these healthy food selections with these on-the-road exercises and you may just have a bit more energy than you planned on when returning home from that week away.  The best part about these exercises?  You don't need equipment to do them!

• Take the steps instead of the elevator.  Get that blood flowing.  If you're up to it, take two steps up at a a time!
• Lunges, if you do these in the hotel room after taking the stairs, you're sure to get a great leg workout!
• Sit-ups and push-ups are a great floor exercise.  Any reasonable hotel room will have enough floor space for you to throw down a bath towel as an exercise mat after you get back from meetings, dinner or the like.
• Hold up the wall!  Lean against an empty wall in your hotel room as though your sitting in a chair with your legs bent at a ninety-degree angle.  Hold this position as long as you're able without falling.  The more you practice, the longer you should be able to hold this position. 
• If you have time to visit your hotel's fitness facilities, add it to your trip agenda!  If you schedule the time and make a point to consider it a "to do," you may be more likely to stick with the healthy routine while on the road.

Bear in mind that these fitness tips are suggestions and may not be applicable for everyone.  We hope you're able to find something useful and apply it toward your healthy travel pursuits!

What tips do you have to share?  Do you have favorite healthy food choices that you've discovered in airports and hotels during your travels?  Do tell!