If an evil genius had designed it on purpose, he or she could not have created a more harmful environment for your health than an airport.
The food is subpar; filled with grease, sugar, and salt. There’s a sinister tavern or two that beckons the unwary to drink themselves into a stupor while they wait impatiently for their connecting flight. The plastic seats in the waiting areas are molded in such a way as to give the strongest spine scoliosis. The bathroom is always half a mile away from your particular gate. And waiting in line has been refined to a fiendish art by airport security.
The only thing American comedians make more jokes about than airports are politicians — and they’re pretty unhealthy to hang around, too!
But if you go out of your way to make it happen there’s no reason why you can’t stay fit and healthy while travelling. Two-thirds of US companies now offer wellness programs, so you usually have a variety of different wellness options available at all times. Here are some ideas that can help keep you sane and healthy while you’re on the road:
Pack healthy
Throw in some energy bars, trail mix, vitamins, and whatever supplements you are used to taking. Don’t fall into the trap of guzzling Red Bull or some other energy booster prior to your flight. It stimulates your kidneys so you’ll be getting up and down on the plane as if you were on a pogo stick.
To boost your self-confidence and keep yourself focused on health, pack your workout clothes. (Men: Make sure they are CLEAN before you pack them.) You may not get much of a chance to work out, but packing them makes a statement to yourself that you want to work out and that you are not taking a vacation from your healthy lifestyle while traveling.
Pick a healthy hotel
These days hotels are in the fitness business because they are catering to entrepreneurs who want to stay fit on the roads by implementing gyms. And they should have more to offer you for breakfast than gooey waffles, Frosted Flakes, and coffee a truck driver wouldn’t drink. A fruit plate in the morning is always a good idea.
If this is unrealistic, then aim for a hotel near a local gym — you can run there and then run back to your hotel for a good cleansing workout. When you’re picking flights with JustFly, you should probably also choose a healthy hotel option if that’s one of the search criteria available. Kill 2 birds with one stone.
Think outside the gym
Sometimes on your travels you’ll be stuck in a place that just doesn’t offer any exercise facilities and far from any gym. Plus your time may not be your own — you’ve got to jump through hoops and be at the beck and call of others if you want to close the deal. So you improvise. Use the hotel stairs for a cardio workout. Pack some resistance bands you can use right in your own room.
And how about a walk?
Ask the desk clerk if there is a nice park or other public place around for a good brisk stroll. Or a jog.
It’s not quantity, it’s quality
Traveling is always disruptive and distracting. No matter how many times you’ve done it. Something that really suffers while you’re traveling is your sleep. It’s nearly impossible to get a full eight hours of sleep each night when you’re in a strange bed. So it’s more realistic to focus on the quality of your sleep, rather than the quantity.
Avoid using any chemical sleep aids. They’ll leave you drowsy and unfocused for most of the day. When it’s time to go to bed turn off the TV, turn off your cell phone, and hand up the DO NOT DISTURB sign. Make a sincere effort to go to bed at a reasonable hour, and your body will sense that sincerity and make up for some of that lack of sleep.
The bottom line is if you really want to stay active and healthy while on the road, you will. Physical fitness does not begin with the body, but in the mind; if you WANT to be healthy, you’ll plan ahead of time how to do while traveling.