Traveling always presents many challenges when it comes to staying consistent with your health and fitness. Being away from home means not having access to your usual workout routine, equipment, trainers or classes. In addition to taking you out of your workout comfort zone, being on the road requires many of your meals needing to be quick and convenient—aka unhealthy. Whether you are traveling for vacation or for work, the days always seem to be shorter making scheduling time to work out more challenging. Often times the easiest thing to do is take a break from your health and fitness routine then get back on the wagon when you return…that is of course, if you ever get back on the wagon.
I find that most people make their travel health and fitness routine more complicated than it needs to be. Keeping it simple is the best way to stay on track and not get discouraged or overwhelmed. When it comes to working out and eating healthy while you travel there are three words to remember: planning, maintenance and balance. By incorporating these three elements you can simplify your health and fitness routine so that it is more manageable and accomplishable.
PLANNING
From my experience, the main reason why people end up not working out when they travel is because they forget to pack workout clothes. Just as you would pack your toothbrush or your bathing suit, make sure you pack your workout gear. Don’t forget to include any accessories that you would normally such as headphones, gloves or a hat. To minimize luggage space, I stuff my sneakers with socks, headphones and a pair shorts. When I pack for traveling I usually only bring one or two workout outfits, even if I’m on the road for more than a few days. After each workout, I hand wash my clothes and hang them to air dry so that I have a clean, fresh workout outfit for the next day. It may sound a little cheezy but hey, if you want room in your suitcase for other things—an extra outfit, shoes, gifts or something you don’t want anybody to see—then you better get used to washing your clothes like they did in the olden days!
BALANCE
Traveling usually means many dining out (big) meals, most of which are way off your normal nutritional habits. Going home for Mom’s home cookin’ or having a business dinner are unavoidable so balance the bigger meals with smaller, healthier meals. I always pack a few protein bars when I travel so I have them available if I need a quick snack. When you do have a bigger meal, be selective about what you order without sacrificing what you enjoy eating. For example, if you are going to order a pasta dish, get something green and/or light for an appetizer. If you want to order dessert, don’t order an appetizer. If you know your Grandmother won’t let leave the table without having a seconds, make the first serving is smaller. Little adjustments such as these can keep your daily calorie intake lower and help keep the travel pounds off.
MAINTANINCE
When on the road, don’t focus on duplicating your usual routine or plan on spending the same amount of time in the gym as you normally would. More times than not, your time is limited and the equipment you have available—if you have any available at all—is considerable less than what you are used to. When it comes to squeezing in workouts when you are traveling, the main focus is maintenance; maintain your current level of fitness and not regress or take a step back. Make efficient use of your time so that you maximize the calories you burn and incorporate as many muscle groups as possible per workout. The workout videos that are available at our website are all great travel workouts. Most of the workouts are around 30 minutes, require little to no equipment and incorporate a combination of cardio, strength training and core. Try adding super sets (one exercise immediately followed by another with no break in between) and minimize breaks for more productive travel workouts.
I recently had a friend tell me that she used the workout videos on our website while traveling for the holidays. She went on to say that not only was she able to do several of the workouts despite the limited equipment she had available–she even did a few workouts in her hotel room–but she was also sore the next day! So it is possible to improve your health and fitness while on the road—just remember to pack your workout clothes!
Please visit www.shuichitakefitness.com for more information on health and fitness.
Shuichi Take, one of Miami’s most sought-after personal trainers, has worked with clients from all walks of life with a diverse range of goals throughout his 15+ years in the fitness industry. He has trained many of Miami’s celebrities, professional athletes and other elite clientele including Haute Living Publishers Kamal Hotchandani and Seth Semilof. Shuichi has combined all of his experience, knowledge and expertise to create a finely tuned approach and philosophy to fitness by shaping a healthy body and mind that builds sustainable, healthy lifestyles. Although eating healthy throughout the day and regular exercise is the foundation of his healthy lifestyle, Shuichi firmly believes that life, and everything it has to offer, is meant to be enjoyed—including food! Taking care of your health and body should be an essential component of one’s day that fits into your current lifestyle and daily schedule.
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