Taking Good Fitness Habits on the Road

Summer is finally here, and you’re ready for a long overdue vacation. You’ve been eating well and exercising consistently to look your best in your new swimsuit and shorts, and you want to make sure you don’t sabotage your healthy habits as soon as you hit the road.

But staying fit when you’re away from home takes some planning. According to a 1999 survey by Healthy Choice foods, 61% of American travelers find that maintaining normal eating habits is one of the hardest parts of being on the road. Fifty-nine percent say keeping their normal exercise routine is also difficult.

The key is being active and enjoying your food without overindulging. Go into this vacation with a mental strategy that you are going to savor your new surroundings with your eyes and not just your stomach.

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Here are some tips to help you stay the course.

If you’ve already lost weight and want to maintain it or continue to lose another pound or two, make sure you pack the clothes that fit the new, thinner you. This will act as a constant reminder of the hard work you already put in, helping you resist the high-calorie meals and spurring you outside for a scenic walk.

Getting to your final destination can pose some immediate problems. Whether it’s by car, bus, train or air, food on the road tends to be unhealthy and high in fat and calories. Plus, you are sitting more than usual and if you get bored you are apt to feel hunger kick in much sooner than later. In-flight meals that would otherwise be unappealing seem to become tasty little treats. Let’s be honest; who doesn’t tear into those tiny snack bags and finish every last peanut or pretzel?

Then, upon arriving in an unfamiliar town, it takes some effort to seek out restaurants that serve healthy, delicious food. But finding a fast-food outlet is usually no problem. It’s easy to rationalize eating more junk food with a “this food doesn’t matter” attitude. Somehow we convince ourselves that it’s OK to eat ice cream, pizza and chips even though we’ve just been sitting for five or six hours. But a calorie is a calorie and inactivity adds on the pounds no matter where you are.

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If you plan to fly, call the airline ahead of time to order a special meal. You can get low-calorie, low-cholesterol, low-sodium or vegetarian meals at no extra charge, an option that less than 5% of travelers take advantage of.

When you get to the airport, make a point to walk briskly to your gate--even if you’re not late. If you try to stay on your feet while you’re waiting to board, it will make the long hours of sitting more tolerable. Use a backpack for your carry-on and have your luggage on wheels so you can easily haul it through the terminal without it slowing you down. Wear comfortable walking shoes and stretchable clothing so you will have no excuse not to keep moving.

Pack a bottle of water and bring some healthy snacks like raisins or individually wrapped string cheese as an alternative to what’s available on the plane. Limit alcohol and caffeine and instead have sparkling water with a wedge of lemon. Be sure to drink at least one glass of water for every hour you spend on the plane. This way you’ll prevent dehydration and that sluggish, headachey feeling that comes with it.

As soon as you arrive at your hotel, ask for a local map so can get the lay of the land. At home, your busy workday schedule may interfere with your exercise time, but now that you’re on vacation, you have all the time you need to go for long walks in the park, hike the best trails and paths you can find and jump into the nearest pool or ocean. It’s a good idea to pack your workout wear last, so it’s the first thing you see when you open your suitcase--an instant reminder to start the trip on a healthy note. After long hours of traveling, remember to stretch your legs, back, neck and shoulders to relieve tension caused by prolonged sitting.

Travel yoga mats fit conveniently into your luggage and keep you off the hotel floor--otherwise just use a hotel towel. Other exercise tools that won’t weigh you down include a jump rope and resistance bands.

The best tip of all is that once the sun goes down and parties start up, don’t just sit around having a drink after dinner, get up, find a dance floor and dance the night away. A big payoff is you’ll have the energy to enjoy every aspect of your vacation and when you get home you’ll be rejuvenated and refreshed.

Isn’t that what a vacation is all about? Bon voyage!

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Karen Voight is a Los Angeles-based fitness expert. Her latest video is “Core Essentials.” She can be reached at kvoightla@aol.com. Her column runs the first and third Mondays of every month. New York-based freelance writer Michele Bender contributed to this column.