- Pack comfortable walking shoes -- better yet, wear them. In the airport, try to take the steps instead of escalators -- walk instead of "people movers".
- Check with your hotel(s) ahead of time to inquire if they have a fitness center or pool and pack accordingly.
- According to The Fidget Factor -- Easy Ways to Burn Calories , a 150-pound person burns 2 calories per minute sitting down, 2.4 calories a minute standing up and 4.8 calories a minute walking at a moderate pace. If your plane is delayed, don't sit around waiting for it to land. Stand up and move - it all adds up.
- If you don't already have one, buy a pedometer. They're inexpensive and widely available. An average stride is about 2.5 feet which means about 2000 steps equals one mile. And 10,000 steps is about 5 miles. Put on your pedometer at the beginning of each day and count every step you take. It all adds up.
- When you arrive at your hotel, inquire about the location (and safety) of stairs (and be sure to ask if access doors are ever locked! Take the stairs instead of an elevator or escalator whenever you can.
- I often hear about room service menus or business breakfasts that offer few healthy choices. Though it's not always possible, there may be a convenience store near your hotel. If your room has a small fridge, you may be able to purchase fruit, milk and/or cereal to indulge in a healthy breakfast in your room before your day begins.
- Pack a few healthy snacks in case you're stuck somewhere and starving. Make a few packets of your own trail mix to take along with whole grain cereal or soy nuts and dried fruit. I don't generally recommend breakfast bars or protein bars over whole foods, but traveling is an exception to this. One of my favorites is JayBar because they're sweetened with agave nectar -- no sugar or artificial sweeteners. Fudge Brownie is my favorite!
5 Tips for Staying Healthy on the Road
There's nothing more frustrating than leaving on a business trip just after you've finally figured out an eating and exercise plan that works with your schedule at home.
Here are a few tips to help you navigate your next journey while sticking to your guns about your food and exercise choices.
Last modified on Monday, 26 July 2010 04:42
Published in
Spas & Travel
Cheryl Forberg
Cheryl Forberg, R.D., is one of the few professional chefs in the country who is also a registered dietitian. As nutritionist for NBC's "The Biggest Loser" for 12 seasons, she developed delicious, healthy recipes that help contestants make fundamental lifestyle changes.
A James Beard award-winning recipe developer, Cheryl has contributed to titles in the "Biggest Loser" book series, as well as authored Positively Ageless: A 28-Day Plan for a Younger, Slimmer, Sexier You (Rodale 2008), which showcases her expertise in weight loss and anti-aging nutrition. A graduate of UC Berkeley and a former research dietitian at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, Cheryl is in demand as a lecturer and teacher, and travels throughout the United States giving nutrition classes and demonstrations.
Her latest book is Flavor First.
