Recently I had the honor to be on Channel AZ 3TV with Miss Arizona USA Nicole Smith. We covered staying on track while traveling. Miss Arizona USA Nicole Smith will soon be traveling and staying in a hotel for 2 weeks prior to the biggest event of her pageant life!
Now I know not all of you are pageant queens, but with the summer coming up, or really any time of year, it is important to stay on your fitness track while traveling. Being consistent with your work outs and nutrition while you are out of town will help you meet your goals that much sooner.
Here are some tips to keep you on track while traveling:
- Recon! – Look into the area you are traveling to before you get there. Find the restaurants and check out their menus, scope out the hotels with gyms or pools to prepare you workouts ahead of time. Being prepared is a huge obstacle to staying on track. If the restaurants do not offer a wide variety of food within your nutrition plan, pack snacks. If there is no gym or pool pack your mini bands!
- Track your time – Set aside a time for your workouts, so you are sure to complete them each day. Use an alarm to ensure you are using your time wisely. If you are on vacation, you do not want to spend your entire time in the gym. Get in, do what you went to do, get out. If you only have 20 minutes, make it count with the exercise you select.
- Focus on more muscles at once – Working more muscles and the larger ones specifically (glutes, legs, back, chest, core) will burn more calories and you’ll get more done in less time. Save biceps and triceps for when you get home! Exercises such as: burpees, squat jumps, pull-ups, push-ups, and sit-ups, are great for an overall burn!
- Pack Snacks. If you’re traveling for work, lunches and dinners may be hard for you to control. Your conference may be catered or you might be taken out to dinner. This doesn’t allow you to control your caloric intake. I suggest you pack protein powder, protein bars, jerky and packs of tuna for some convenient healthy alternatives. If you need the carbs, bringing rice cakes, pretzels and dried unsweetened fruit is also a way to go.
- Go for the Greens! – When you do have a choice for food, select salads with dressing on the side. Also, a dry potato or rice allows for a healthy carb choice. Avoid the foods that are readily available, but not good for you like breads, pasta, fries, and chips. While they are convenient for on the go eating, you will also be bringing some extra weight home with you! Not what we want!
Traveling doesn’t mean you have to start from scratch when you come back and it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourself. Moderation and preparation are keys to success. Indulge when it is worth it, but quality over quantity. Look ahead to ensure you bring snacks or have a work out planned when you cannot control the food provided.
Exercising will release endorphins helping you to feel better and you’ll most likely want to make healthier choices knowing you are going to work out the next day and that you worked out that day. Endorphins will also help staying awake for some of those conference topics!
About the Author
Scott Keppel is the owner of Scott’s Training Systems, a world-class coaching facility in Chandler, Arizona. He is a nationally certified trainer through NASM and ISSA. His mission is to empower women of all ages and fitness levels. For more information head to scottstrainingsystems.com or check him out on Instagram at @stsnation.
