Staying Fit When Traveling
By the end of the year, I will have traveled 10 times to Japan, 6 times to Singapore, 4 times to Europe, and 8 times within the United States, totaling over 300,000 miles and 50 hotel stays, all in one year… While I’ve learned how to cope with jet lag, maintaining a proper diet and workout regime has been a challenge. Here are some guidelines I am following in order to keep things under control:
In-flight Eating and Drinking
I now request low-calorie vegetarian meals on every flights that offer them. I also bring plenty of water and protein bars with me, as well as some dehydrated fruits. Sensible Foods’ 100% Organic Cherry Berry is both tasty and perfectly packaged for travel. During flights, I drink plenty of water, and never ever get any alcoholic beverages (they accelerate dehydration).
Dietary Supplements
I now pack a full supply of dietary supplements for the whole duration of my trips. I include vitamins, minerals, and oils (borage, flax, and fish), as well as protein powder (in individual packs) and protein bars. I also pack a tiny drink mixer powered by a couple of AA batteries in order to prepare protein shakes (Fit & Fresh Portable Drink Mixer).
Workout Plan
Working-out on the go is a challenge, for several reasons: First, not all hotels have a decent gym, especially in Europe. Second, even the best hotel gym will not necessarily have the same exercise machines as the ones I use back home. Third, getting out of bed for a morning workout following a heavy business dinner washed with plenty of alcoholic (customary in Japan) often feels like masochistic torture. In order to work around this problems, I now plan daily workout sessions in advance, based on available hotel facilities and scheduled dinners. Workouts usually include running, swimming, or free weight lifting, complementing the machine-assisted weight lifting sessions and spinning classes I have back home.
High Protein Low Calorie Diet
Counting calories is virtually impossible when eating out. On top of it, finding healthy foods in restaurants can be quite difficult in many parts of the World. As a result, watching your diet on the road isn’t easy. In order to stay on the healthy side while keeping things manageable, I now follow simple rules: eat a solid breakfast rich in proteins and keep dinner light, with as little carbohydrates as possible. If I manage to stick to this basic High Protein Low Calorie diet throughout the day, I check an HPLC box on my daily log, which keeps me motivated.
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