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It is always hard adjusting to your surroundings while traveling. Eating right is always a hard thing to do. It might seem appealing to dine out day and night, but that isn’t the best thing to do. It leads to poor eating habits—meaning bad food and over-indulgence in it. When I do go out, I share my portions so that I’m not stuffing myself until I burst.
Of course, it’s still important to get our daily nourishment. So the first thing to do is scope out a local grocery store. Cooking on the road can seem daunting at times, but it can be made very simple.
Breakfast can simply be some oatmeal with bananas or yogurt. You can have a healthy lunch or dinner by choosing a salad or a whole wheat chicken wrap (or most other non-fatty sandwiches without barrels of mayonaisse).
For snacks, try almonds, fruit or carrots. Pack your own meals whenever you can, and always bring a reusable water bottle.
Exercise
I find that all the walking and other activities during any trip do the deed for me. However, if I still feel like I need a REAL workout, there are plenty of ways to get one without actually finding a gym nearby.
Simple but Calories-Burning Indoor Exercises
Planks – strengthen the core, the muscles that stabilizes your torso and help maintain correct posture to prevent the common lower-back pains.
- Get in the pushup position, only put your forearms on the ground instead of your hands. Your elbows should line up directly underneath your shoulders. Toes on the ground.
- Squeeze your glutes and tighten your abdominals.
- Keep a neutral neck and spine.
- Create a straight, strong line from head to toes – a plank, if you will.
- Hold that position.
Jumping Jacks – a full body exercise that works out your hip, calves, core, deltoids and most importantly your heart for stamina.
- Assume an erect position, with feet together and arms at your side.
- Slightly bend your knees, and propel yourself a few inches into the air.
- While in air, bring your legs out to the side about shoulder width or slightly wider.
- As you are moving your legs outward, you should raise your arms up over your head; arms should be slightly bent throughout the entire in-air movement.
- Your feet should land shoulder width or wider as your hands meet above your head with arms slightly bent
- Quickly jump back to Step 2 and repeat Steps 3-6. Recommended 10-100 repetitions, depending on your physical health.
Push-ups – a bodyweight exercise that can be performed anywhere, from a park hotel room to a laws living room. This exercise helps strengthen and tone up the triceps, deltoids, pectoralis major (chest) and core muscles.
- Get on the floor and position your hands slightly wider than your shoulders.
- Raise up onto your toes so you are balanced on your hands and toes.
- Keep your body in a straight line from head to toe without sagging in the middle or arching your back.
- Your feet can be close together or a bit wider depending upon what is most comfortable for you.
- Before you begin any movement, contract your abs and tighten your core by pulling your belly button toward your spine.
- Keep a tight core throughout the entire push up.
- Inhale as you slowly bend your elbows and lower yourself until your elbows are at a 90 degree angle.
- Exhale as you begin pushing back up to the start position
- Don’t lock out the elbows; keep them slightly bent.
- Repeat for as many repetitions as your workout routine requires.
Jump Squats – this lower body exercise can also be performed when space is limited and yet gives your thighs and glutes a good ‘burn’.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Start by doing a regular squat, then engage your core and jump up explosively.
- When you land, lower your body back into the squat position to complete one rep. Land as quietly as possible, which requires control.
High Knees & Jogging on the Spot – when you aren’t familiar with the area, terrible weather conditions or just simply want to stay in door, you can still perform your cardio without having to go far. Jogging on spot may sound easy, but not when it comes to high knees where you actually have to bring your knees high, close to the sternum (chest bone) which requires a lot more energy and flexibility.
- Jog in place
- Bring one knee up at a time, as high as possible, at least have the thigh parallel to the ground
- Land on your toes to reduce pressure to knees and prevent the shocks to your calcaneus (heel bone).
DOWNTOWN’S Health and Fitness Editor Kirk Myers, struggled with childhood obesity and hit bottom when he ballooned to 300 pounds and suffered congestive heart failure when he was still a college student of 21. Through hard work, diet and determination, Myers dropped 125 pounds and has become one of most sought-after trainers of celebrities, athletes and other Downtowners at the Gotham Gym NYC. Kirk always finds a way to work out whether on the road…or in the gym. Otherwise it would be really weird for him to be our Health and Fitness Editor.