by Lauren Muney
We've all traveled as adults. Whether we went by car, airplane, train, or bus, it is very hard to stay on our normal healthy routines. The most difficult parts have been both staying on proper eating habits and also remaining physically active, energized, and alert. Travel beats us up like a bad bully. The "bully" is trying to take our real lunch and substitute bad food, and keep us from playing our proper recess.
I myself was challenged by an 11,000 mile van tour across the country.
Already within my fitness regimen, I was at the top of my physique and eating properly - while still at home. I had my 5-6 meals per day doing well. I had all my supplements, easy access to food stores, and my gym schedule prioritized. My refrigerator was stocked with my own needs, and my oven, blender, microwave were at my beck and call. Once again, I was at home, where I could control all the factors.
When I went on the road, everything changed. Besides flying to my starting-tour destination, suddenly I was faced with the fact that I couldn't carry all my needs easily: my supplements, protein bars, training bands, speed rope, training log, lifting gloves, workout clothes, and sneakers. That didn't include daily bottled water, 5-6 healthy meals per day, and the resources to train. Within three days, I was confounded how to stay healthy in chaotic environments.
Before I tell you about how to SOLVE these dilemmas, let me tell you how I FAILED. Yes, I, who is trying to get you to trust me, I failed at eating, and sometimes exercising. Not only did the travel become a battle for my soul (anyone who has traveled extensively can tell you), but it became a battle for my body. Before everything ended, I was in physical agony from my food choices. I was crawling painfully through health-food stores, crying on the phone in pain to my nutritionist friend, trying every supplemental cure possible, de-toxing daily, and had to have TWO (not just one) colon hydrotherapy treatments in 10 days.
Simple. I gave in. I didn't know my choices, and didn't realize what 3 months of non-fresh, processed foods would do to me. I thought I was staying away from sugars, fried foods, and other 'normal' travel pitfalls. What I didn't realize was that all the 'healthy' bagels, cereals, salads, fruit was doing to my body. I was feeding my body PURE SUGAR sometimes, in the form of grains and simple carbohydrates, and my body rebelled. More on this in a minute.
Was I exercising? Yes... somewhat. I would locate gyms in the hotels, near hotels, do calisthenics in my room, or take walks - at 6am if need be. If you think I was being extremist, just remember: I was sitting 12-15 hrs per day sometimes, either in a van seat or while working.
Back to the food: my mistaken choices of 'healthy breads' for breakfast, for example, turned my intestines into glue. Seriously. Want to know how? Grab a bagel. Put it in your sink - and run water over it. What happens? It turns into a mushy mess, somewhat solid, somewhat liquid-y. But it is truly GLUE. That's right. Daily breads, sometimes several times a day, even with salads became glue (flour and water) into my system. The sugars inside the mixture were not fueling my body correctly. My insulin, the hormone which keeps the body from being too over-sugared, was working overtime. After the Midwest, I ran out of steam. By the time I got to Denver, I felt awful, I was dizzy, and I wasn't seeing well. I was toxic. However, by the time I arrived back to my starting point, I had learned what NOT to eat and how to keep myself exercised between meals.
Stay away from breads, breaded foods, fried foods, fast food restaurants, and all food which are on the bad list in my nutritional page.
Processed, prepared food is LOADED with sodium and preservatives. As an industry, food-preparation 'has to' have these additives to create a longer shelf-life for their products and to make the food "taste better" (ha). However, these ingredients cause BLOAT and toxicity in the body! What does toxicity feel like? Sluggishness, crabbiness, lethargy. Stick with the freshest food possible, opting for whole foods as much as possible. (Apples, bananas, salads, etc). These have the least chance of being salted and/or chemical'd.
Do not use the travel experience to overeat. Your body is already stressed out from the travel, so adding difficult, frustrating digestion is not wise!
Yes, this is all VERY challenging. I'm with you on this . . . but your body will thank you later.
It is very difficult to keep the blood circulating and your muscles humming on the road, but even more imperative.
From the Omni Hotels website:
"Get Fit Kit"
How can you turn your guest room into a private fitness center? Just ask for the "Get Fit Kit!" Guest services will supply you with a handy canvas bag, complete with a mini radio headset, a floor mat, two dumbbells, an elastic exercise band and an informative booklet of exercises.
You'll also receive a refreshing bottle of chilled water and a hand towel. It's a perfect stress reliever between meetings or if you want to work out in the privacy of your own guest room.
The most important factor is that you continue taking care of yourself even when you are not at home . . . don't allow the comforts (or discomforts) of traveling to affect your training, energy, lifestyle, and life. Keep breathing. Keep sleeping. Don't party too hard. And, while you are out there in the world, greet a few people you've never met before. They might have an interesting story to tell.