Staying healthy during frequent travels

Part of staying mentally and physically healthy during frequent travels is finding the time to exercise. Here are our suggestions for keeping fit.

How to stay in shape with a heavy travel schedule

We all know how hard it can be to stick to a workout routine when at home. It becomes even more challenging when you’re on the road frequently and for multiple days. Even if you have activities that you love to do like cycling in your home region, it is seldom possible to get a couple of hours in the saddle in the middle of a business trip. Nevertheless, there are ways to combat the inevitable loss of fitness and even weight gain that all too often can accompany extensive business travel.

It’s a life choice

Not to sound too severe, but if staying healthy during frequent travels is a priority, you need to have a regimen already established in your home life. That means generally eating the right things, getting enough sleep, and having a few hobbies that help you burn calories and keep your mind clear. All these are pieces of the puzzle that will be essential for overall health and fitness. Eating right and drinking enough water will help you fuel your body to function properly so that you can put in eight hours at the office and still fit in a 30-minute jog before or after work.

Plan your travels to accommodate a workout

As with just about everything, planning ahead will make it much easier to achieve your goal of staying healthy during frequent travels. So before you leave, find out whether your hotel will have a workout center. If it doesn’t, search your area for alternatives. Of course, many of us are not natural gym rats, so perhaps if there is a park nearby or a river with a walking path, you can make happy use of the outdoors. Are you staying near an airport where green grass and fresh air are limited? Then it is very likely that most business hotels will have a reasonably nice workout facility. Taking a pair of trainers or jogging shoes with you as well as a light pair of shorts or tights and an exercise top will mean that you can fit in a quick session on the elliptical cycle, treadmill or stationary bike before or after work. It might not sound overwhelmingly exciting, but you will be amazed how well that sort of activity will help clear your mind and refresh your limbs.

Packing for fitness

We at VOCIER understand that in business travel, space in the luggage is at a premium. All our products like the new Avant modular luggage collection is designed to maximize your packing options. If you feel that packing for your business meetings limits the amount of exercise clothing you can take, then perhaps you can wear it on the plane. Particularly wearing something like your gym or running shoes would be a great way to save space in your luggage, while ensuring that if you can find the time for a jog or a session in the gym, you will have the essential shoes. No one wants to run into an important business associate in the airport if you are wearing sweatpants, but tech materials and workout clothes can look quite fashionable these days. And if you will be consigned to the hotel workout room, you won’t need much more than an easily packable pair of light shorts and a moisture-wicking tee-shirt.

Take every opportunity to move a little more

When on a business trip, instead of relying on taxis or public transport, try to walk more to your destinations. You might not want to risk getting sweaty before the meeting, but once your business for the day is done, use your Google Maps to find the best way to walk back to the hotel. You’ll learn the city much better that way, and burn some calories too. A great way to keep track of your progress is by investing in a reliable smartwatch. An Apple watch with their metallic armbands or even a Garmin Fenix Sapphire both look elegant enough to wear in a business context. And it will help give you that feeling of fulfillment when you see just how much benefit adding those extra steps to the office will bring. Of course, walking to and from the office won’t typically work if your hotel is a long ways from your meetings, but if that’s the case, you or your travel department aren’t planning your trips properly in the first place. Minimizing the amount of time you need to spend in a car will maximize your efficiency at work in any case. And if you are able to use your travel time to and from the hotel to get in a little mind-clearing exercise, all the better.

A clear head for the road

Whether you are stretching in your room or walking back to the hotel from the office, remember that keeping your head clear for your meetings will make it all the more likely that you will be successful. So don’t look at these activities as essential only for your health, but also as beneficial for the success of your work tasks.