Traveling for business can be very glamorous. Jetsetting to new cities, flying business class staying in premium hotels and dining at trendy restaurants. But, it usually doesn’t do a lot of good for you. If you find yourself traveling a lot for work, it’s easy to get sidetracked from your health and fitness routine.
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Skipping workouts, eating what you shouldn’t, drinking too much alcohol, or not getting enough sleep. All of this tends to happen when you travel too much. You should stick to your health and fitness goals by making use of our tips for staying in shape while traveling for business.
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Pre-Trip Tips
If you don’t want to go home with extra weight, or feeling like you need to detox, then you should do several things before you head out.
Make a Plan
This is one of the most important tips in the whole guide. Basically, think about all the ways you can be healthy on your business trip. For example, you should think about what to order when you eat out, what exercises you should do, and when you do them.
It’s not super detailed, but spending some time to set these goals will help. If you don’t then you’re starting off on the wrong foot. This is like walking into a grocery store without a shopping list and buying something you don’t need.
Choose Accommodation Wisely
Accommodation plays a big role in helping you stay in shape. Look for a hotel room or AirBNB with superb on-site fitness facilities, an in-room fridge and microwave, and a comfortable bed.
Consider a different location if you can’t check all the boxes above. Being near a good gym or park and being within walking distance to a grocery store will be helpful.
Pack Fitness Essentials
There is limited space in your suitcase, so filling it with workout gear seems out of the way. However, the things we recommend will only take up a little bit of space, and keep you on track for your health.
- Workout attire (t-shirts, shorts, etc)
- Running shoes or shoes to exercise in
- Resistance band for mobility work
- Healthy snacks (muesli, oranges, carrots, protein bars)
- Tupperware to use as a bowl
Traveling Tips
The traveling part of a trip is the worst part for your body. Breathing recycled air on an airplane or sitting in a car for hours won’t do you any good. Keep up your health when you include our travel tips in your travels.
Air Travel
Get some exercise in while you wait in the terminal and save your work when you’re on the plane. Look for a quiet place to do a quick bodyweight workout. Or, if you packed the resistance band, you should use it. For this to happen, you have to travel in your workout gear, or have it in your carry-on.
If exercising at the airport isn’t something you can do, you can walk around or stretch instead.
Car Travel
Take lots of quick stops to stretch your legs and keep your blood flowing. This is crucial if you know you’re going to be sitting in meetings when you get to your destination.
Plus, you can leave 30 to 60 minutes early, so you can get a quick run in when you get to your location. This way, you can get some fresh air while stretching your legs and getting some cardio in before work.
Exercise Tips
Exercise is necessary when you want to stay in shape while on a business trip. It can be a little difficult to keep up your regular workout routine. However, it doesn’t mean you should give up just because it’s kind of hard to keep up with it. Just 15 minutes of effective exercise is enough to keep you in shape. Here are some workout ideas for business travelers to do below:
Use Your Body’s Weight
Bodyweight can look easy, but it’s pretty challenging. Start with the basics: burpees, squats, push-ups, one-leg deadlifts, sit-ups, and planks. If these are too easy for you, try one-legged pistol squats, jump squats, handstand push-ups, and hollow body holds. Or, you can use the resistance band to do some exercise as well. You can do anywhere from 3-5 sets of 8-15 reps.
Do Yoga
If you practice yoga, do a DIY session, or use an app to guide you through the steps in your hotel room.
Go Running
Put your running shoes on and go on a jog on one of the routes you picked out before your trip.
Visit the Hotel Gym
If your hotel offers a decent gym, you should use it. Even if it’s just for 15 minutes on the treadmill. If your hotel has a swimming pool, get some laps in (be sure to pack a swimsuit).
Walk Everywhere
Every small effort will count. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk to meetings, and explore the city on foot.
Food Tips
It’s hard to eat healthy when you travel. So, here are some tips on how you can stick to your diet and eat healthier.
Stock Up On Snacks
If you have healthy snacks, you’ll be less likely to eat something unhealthy. Having a fridge in your room will give you space to store snacks and leftover food from eating out. This is perfect for when you get hungry later. We recommend getting lots of fruits, vegetables, nuts, hard-boiled eggs, yogurt, and instant oatmeal.
Focus on Lean Proteins
Get dishes that come with lean protein like: grilled chicken breast or baked salmon. The carbs (rice, potatoes, etc) and fats (sauces, butter, etc), will naturally go with the meal as well. Stay away from food that comes with pasta or fried rice.
Order Meal Delivery
If you don’t have any healthy restaurant options, use a food delivery service like UberEats and GrubHub. Plus, you should find at least one place in the city with good healthy food.
Deconstruct Your Meal
Sometimes, on business trips, you’ll be presented with a catered meal. If there’s a buffet, there are several options to pick from. But, we suggest picking your meal and only eating what’s good for you. For example, take the top off a sandwich and eat it open faced to cut down on empty calories.
Skip the Alcohol
Turning down alcohol is easier said than done, especially if you’re out on a business dinner. To avoid alcohol, order a mocktail or just tell your companions that you’re not going to drink that night. Usually, the group will respect your decision to not drink that night.
Sleep Tips
Sleep will help your body in so many ways. It’s connected to your concentration, memory, appetite, metabolism, and more. Just one night of poor sleep will put you off for the whole day and maybe even the whole week. Here are some pointers on how to get the best sleep while you’re on a business trip.
Stick to Your Routine
Go to bed and wake up around the same time you usually would as best as you can.
Avoid Evening Drinks
Stay away from alcohol and caffeine, especially in the evening. They can seriously affect the quality of sleep you get that night.
Keep Your Room Cool
Cooler temperature is linked to a better night of sleep. If there’s no air conditioner, ask the reception for a fan.
Prioritize Sleep
If you don’t get a good night sleep, skip your morning workout or get ready fast so you can get a few more minutes of sleep.
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Conclusion
Overall, you can look and feel good after a business trip if you stick to the advice we have listed in this guide. In the end, it all depends on you putting these tips into practice on your business trip.
