The Business Traveler’s Guide to Keeping Healthy On the Go

Keeping Healthy On the Go

Business travel may seem luxurious and exciting from an outsider’s perspective — and oftentimes that’s the case. But traveling regularly or for extended periods of time usually involves hours of sitting, bad meals and a lot of undue stress. Of course, this can all take a toll on both your physical health and mental well-being.

Are you an on-the-go professional looking for new or better ways to make healthier choices? You may very well want to keep these five tips in mind.

5 Simple Ways to Keep Yourself Healthy On the Go

#1. Maintain a Healthy Diet

Eating healthy, balanced meals can seem almost impossible when traveling. Typically, your day involves getting off the plane and into a rental car in order to make a round of business meetings. Of course, that leaves very little time to pick up (let alone make) a nutritious meal.

To avoid consuming tons of fatty, carbohydrate-rich and sugary foods, come prepared with your own meals and snacks. According to one nutritional expert, make it a point to pack portion-size amounts of snacks, like whole-grain crackers or 100-calorie packs of nuts, into individual baggies. You can easily slip these snacks into your purse or briefcase to eat on planes, trains and automobiles.

Likewise, if your business meeting revolves around breakfast, lunch or dinner, do your best to order healthy items off the menu. You’ll also want to watch your portion sizes. For breakfast, opt for a side of scrambled eggs and fresh fruit. Meantime, for lunch or dinner, look for soup or salad (without heavy dressing), grilled chicken and vegetables. But make sure to skip starchy sides like fries and mashed potatoes to keep off those extra pounds.

#2. Move Around

It’s no secret that traveling and business meetings involve an inordinate amount of sitting. After sitting for long periods of time, you may notice your back is tight, joints are stiff and legs are restless. But even if you’re exhausted after a long day, make sure to do a bit of walking after a meal or hit the gym before bed.

You can also squeeze in a morning run to explore each new city you visit, or go for a power walk during breaks or lunchtime. Another good pro tip includes packing an exercise band to use when you get back to your hotel room at night. You can also download exercise apps that will provide you with some inspiration while on the go or when you’re on a plane.

#3. Boost Your Immune System

While walking through an airport or train station, you’re bound to encounter a lot of people — and you’ll no doubt be in a lot of enclosed spaces with other people’s germs. Of course, your immune system will need a bit of help to keep you healthy and performing at your best.

Knowing this, find the best vitamins and supplements to keep your immune system strong and body feeling great. Not sure where to turn while on the go? Amway distributors sell some of the best health products, so be sure to check out their social media pages in between meetings to determine which ones are right for you. As an extra layer of protection, you may also want to pack a travel-sized bottle of hand sanitizer and baby wipes to keep yourself, and the areas around you, clean.

#4. Find a Local Gym

Find a gym? Yes! I’m sure the last thing on your mind when traveling is finding a gym, however, if you are one of those folks who tend to find every excuse in the book to completely escape your health & fitness routine when you’re away, finding a gym might just be the ticket for you to stay in that groove. If you’re traveling state side, many gyms like 24 Hour Fitness seem to be just about everywhere, so if this is an option, there really is no excuse not to find a gym. If not, no worries, you can always opt for one of the other tips in this article! You will, right?!

#5. Wind Down

Your mental health is also just as important as your physical health while traveling, so make sure not to neglect it. Of course, traveling can be chaotic and stressful, which is why you need to find ways to clear your mind and carve out times to relax.

Yoga is great for your mental and physical well-being — and you can perform various routines from the comfort of your hotel room. Practicing meditation is another great way to relax. While your work commitments may get in the way, you should also make it a point to get a full eight hours of sleep every night. Ultimately, this will give your body time to recover from the rigors of a busy day and help you wake up feeling healthy, motivated and refreshed.

The Bottom Line

These four tips are a great place to start but there are many more ways you can easily maintain your health & fitness when on the move. Get creative and have fun!

Sometimes less is more and simpler is better though, and these five ideas prove that maintaining your health & fitness doesn’t have to be a complicated or frustrating endeavor when you’re on the road.

Keeping it simple is also often a surefire way to keep yourself motivated because your health & fitness won’t feel like a burden when you’re traveling.