Business trips can be educational, useful and lucrative. They can also present problems when it comes to gaining weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. There are steps the working traveler can do to stay in better shape and healthy.
Keeping Fit when Traveling by Air
Air travel consists of a large amount of time waiting in airports followed by sitting in cramped quarters on long flights. Actions air travelers can take to improve the situation:
- When waiting for the plane, do not just sit in the gate area. Before the flight and during long layovers, walk the terminal. Some airports, like Minneapolis-St. Paul, mark the mileage. You do not need a measured track. 45-50 minutes at an even walking pace will result in three miles of heart-pumping aerobics.
- Be sure to pass the many food stands without stopping. Most of the stands at the airport sell sugary confections, bagged carbohydrates or cream-laced beverages. Eat a healthy meal and find other ways to pass the time, rather than cure the boredom by snacking.
- Although airlines are reducing meals and snacks during the flight, bypassing them altogether will save many calories. Peanuts, pretzels and other goodies add up, especially without any exercise. If you need to get your money’s worth, carry something healthier on the plane and stash the snacks for later.
- On the flight, stand up or move around in the seat as much as possible, without incurring the wrath of your seatmate or the flight attendants. Sleep if you can, and use the time later for exercise.
Keeping Fit when Traveling by Car
Riding in an automobile skips the layovers, but adds a lot of time sitting behind the wheel:
- Stop for breaks every two to three hours. Instead of sitting in the car, or hopping back behind the wheel after a trip to the restroom, take a brisk walk, as long as the area is safe. If you do not want to stray too far from the car, walk in circles around it. It is unlikely you will be seen by anyone you know at a rest stop.
- When stopping, avoid fast food or donut shops. Calories are the same in every state, and the boredom of driving can be assuaged by the radio or books on tape as easily as French fries. Plan ahead by carrying healthier food in the car, such as fruit in a soft sided cooler.
Deep Vein Thrombosis
Aside from the health benefits of staying fit, keeping physically active during trips can help prevent deep vein thrombosis, a potentially life-threatening medical condition.
A healthy traveler is more likely to be alert and clear-headed, an edge that can be exploited by the savvy road warrior.
