As y’all know, I was on a work trip to Columbus, Ohio last week and I was not prepared at all.  Yes, I loved meeting up with one of my favorite friends, Nathan, and the meetings helped me to feel more connected to our Sales team than I have in months.  But, personally, I had not collected my workouts for the days ahead, I hadn’t prepped myself to plan for our group meals, and let’s not even talk about my lack of blog posts!

Because I’ll be on the road frequently in the coming months ahead due to the holidays and ski season here in Colorado, I thought that I’d start by preparing a bit in advance this time around.  I’ve done some research and below are the tips that I’ve found related to staying healthy while on the road.  Some additional tips can be found here (also linked below.)

 

Travel with Snacks

This is something I typically do, but my recent trip completely snuck up on me!  I would suggest having protein powders, your favorite granola bars, or my DIY Trail Mix available for when the hunger pangs strike.  I was surrounded by candy non-stop last week and consistently let one Kit-Kat turn into one Kit-Kat + one Almond Joy.  Having healthy snacks at the ready would have definitely allowed me to feel healthier across the week so that I didn’t feel the need to munch on candy or over-indulge at meal times.

 

Plan Your Meals

While you may not be able to select the exact restaurants or meals your offered, there will ALWAYS be something healthy on the menu.  One day, we had only pasta available for lunch.  As I view pasta as somewhat of an indulgence at this point (pending the type), I included a small bit of noodles and a healthy portion of the chicken and vegetables provided as potential toppings.  Was is exactly what I would have picked?  Absolutely not.  But it did leave me feeling satisfied and proud of my selection.

 

Take the Stairs

This one almost sounds silly, because we’ve all heard it time and time again.  But in that case, why aren’t more people doing it?  Take the stairs at the airport, at your hotel, and to get where ever you need to go.  Heck, if you’re look for a great workout with no equipment, run up and down them for 20-30 minutes.  True story, you won’t be needing weights or additional equipment to be feeling the burn.

 

Request a Refrigerator for Your Hotel Room

If you’re going to be staying somewhere for an extended period of time, then I’d recommend calling your hotel in advance to ask about putting a fridge in your room.  Pending the hotel, they may do so with no extra charge.  This will allow you to check out the grocery store in your area so that you can make meals and snacks on your own to fulfill your nutritional needs.  It makes sense from both a nutritional and financial perspective!

 

Get Plenty of Sleep

I struggle, hard core, with this one.  Not only am I hugely impacted by time changes, but I am also the type of person that allows my mind to race all over the place until I can’t fall asleep at all.  If you have a similar issue, then check out this guest post I wrote for Say Yes to Happy about how to get better sleep.  It includes methods that have consistently helped me out to allow to relax and wake up feeling refreshed the next day.

 

Take Extra Vitamin C & Stay Hydrated

I’m keeping these together because I wrote a past post on these tips (please ignore grammatical errors from my first year of blogging.)  These both make such a difference that I had to include them again!  I always recommend bringing extra Emergen-C and a filter water bottle on the road with you.  Both will help to keep you healthy and hydrated so that you can fully enjoy your trip.

 

Keep a House/Room Key with You

Whether you’re sharing a hotel room or staying with a friend, I always ask for an extra key.  When I get tired, it’s like I hit a random wall and need to go to sleep NOW.  Having a key available means that my need to go to sleep won’t make me the downer of the group, making everyone head home early.  Your friends, coworkers, and family can stay up until the rooster crows, but you’ll have had enough rest to take the next day head on!

 

Enjoy at Least a Few Minutes Outside

Whether you’re on a plane for a full day of travel or you’re stuck in a conference room with no windows like I was, take at least 10 minutes to sneak outside during the day to take a few breaths of fresh air.  I found my time over lunch, but even if it’s before you head to the airport, those 10 minutes will allow your mind and body to settle back into their natural rhythm.

 

Focus on Gratitude

When you’re in the mode of “go-go-go,” it’s sometimes difficult to take a moment to relax and reflect.  But that rushed focus won’t help you out in the long haul.  Whether you have a personal gratitude journal or you take a few moments to focus on prayer, realizing and recognizing how amazing it is that we can even get to our destination while sitting on what is essentially a small couch should allow you to reflect on what really matters.  (Hint: It’s not that you don’t have your pillow from home.  Unless you’re allergic to most pillows, in which case you should forget that I said anything.)

 

Lastly, if you’re looking for some workouts to keep your fitness ready to go while on the road, then check out the below.  These won’t require additional equipment or much space, so they can pretty much be performed anywhere.

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What are your tried and true methods for staying healthy while you’re on the road?

Create a great life!