Travel And Your Exercise Routine

I recently went on a trip to Las Vegas for a sales conference, and I got to thinking about this blog. When you travel, do you have trouble sticking with your exercise and nutrition regimen? How often do you make excuses that you'll get back into it when you return, but it's just too difficult when you are on a business trip? I wanted to share some of the steps I take when I travel so that I keep my exercise and nutrition momentum going. 

The first element is planning. I have the intention to keep my routine going. I look at the weather forecast and pack accordingly. I also take a look at the hotel website to see if they have a gym or fitness room, and look for what types of equipment they have. If I use the gym, I can pack light (only shorts and a shirt). If I need to be outside at least part of the time and the climate is colder, I will pack heavier outfits. It also helps to pack a few pairs of exercise socks and shoes that compress easily. I use either Vibram Five Fingers or a pair of lightweight Nikes. Once I arrive at the hotel I will ask about the fitness center location and hours, and scope out the facility so I know what they have inside.

The next piece is setting yourself up for success. If you are out late with the 4 am party crew the night before, chances are you will NOT make it to the gym the next day. Getting adequate rest is key. If there is a dinner and/or reception event have a drink or two, socialize and have fun, but know when to quit and say no to the late night activities.

If you are traveling internationally you may fall asleep easily, but you may wake up in the middle of the night. I keep 1mg chewable tablets of homeopathic melatonin at my bedside for just such an event. If I go to bed at 10:30 pm and my brain starts firing at 1:30 am, I chew up one of those and most often get the rest of the night's sleep in. I will set an alarm about 90 minutes before I need to be dressed and ready to go for the work event. So if I am needed at 7:30 a.m., the alarm goes off at 6 a.m., which is plenty of time to get a coffee on the way to the gym, exercise for 30 minutes, and back to the room to shower and get ready.

Then of course there is in the execution element. During my Vegas trip I planned enough changes of clothes to work out every day, and I was successful! I did a few of my workouts in the gym, but I found out on the second day that the space at the Mirage was way too small for the number of people using it, most of which were fellow employees from our sales meeting. So I spent the next couple of days outside. The picture on this blog post was taken one morning on a long walk. It was great watching the sunrise along the strip while sipping my almond milk latte. Another morning I picked the long straightaway in front of the Bellagio to do wind sprints from one side to the other. I repeated these 8x. A few cleaning people thought I was a bit nuts, but that was a small price to pay for keeping my exercise and fitness routine going.

Lastly I wanted to talk about nutrition. I was able to keep to my primal/paleo eating routine the entire time, mostly by being selective about what I ate and when I ate. I practiced a fair amount of intermittent fasting, skipping the breakfast meal and only drinking coffee. I came home from my trip feeling refreshed and I actually lost 1-2 pounds after being gone for a week.

So what are your thoughts about exercise, nutrition, and travel? Do you find it difficult to stick to your plans? Did you find this blog post helpful? Please share a comment, and thanks for reading.