Traveling for business can often be unhealthy. Most of the time spent sitting down, waiting around and eating out. For a trip here and there, it can be nice change of pace, but if you're a frequent business traveler, or a digital nomad, it can be difficult staying fit. Here are 6 tips for staying healthy while traveling:
Walk the Airport.
You're going to be sitting for the entire flight anyways, so why prepare for it by sitting at the gate? Use your airport time to walk the terminal, and check out shops – even the act of perusing magazines or reading the labels on the backs of duty free scotches is better for your health than staying seated. Just make sure you don't leave your baggage unattended, turns out it's against the law.
Seek Out Healthier Meals
Depending on the nature of your business trip, this can either by tricky or pretty straightforward. If you’re eating off a per diem and on your own for dinner, check out the local city subreddit for advice on good, healthy food where you’re going; oftentimes the financial center or touristy parts of town won’t have the greatest food options, so you’re better off asking a local.
Explore Your Destination.
With maps open on your phone and our mens merino wool clothing on your back, you’re set to kill two birds with one stone: explore the city a bit and get some exercise. You can do this before your workday, for an invigorating start, or at the end of your workday, to blow off some steam. Just plan a route in advance, one that passes some points of interest in the city – a town hall or a garden – and stay comfortable. In fact, it doesn’t even have to be a jog; it could just be a leisurely saunter before or after your day. Anything that gets you up off the hotel bed briefly is going to make for a healthier business trip.
Book Hotels with Fitness Amenities
A lot of the time, you're the one choosing the specific hotel you'll be staying at. Double check the website and details to make sure it has a fitness room, or better yet, a pool. If possible, save space by wearing multifunctional shoes that will have you looking good on the go, but you can also exercise in.
Get on Class Pass
If you're visiting a city that is serviced by Class Pass, download the app! You'll be able see what fitness studios are in your area, and drop-in to classes between meetings.
Pack a TRX
A TRX fitness system will still fit into your carry-on, especially if you're minimizing your packing using our Merino Wool T-shirts. TRX training relies on strength, balance, flexibility and core stability. This very compact but super functional tool will let you target every muscle group and give you a full body workout – all from the comfort of your hotel room, or a nearby park.
Relieve Stress
It might come as no surprise that stress negatively affects your health. It’s unfortunate, then, that business travel compounds two popular stressors: work and travel. You have to find ways, while traveling for work, to relieve that stress, whether it’s by doing the aforementioned jog, or even something decidedly non-physical, like writing, grabbing a drink at the hotel bar, or unwinding in your room.
Business travel is a fact of life for many people, but it doesn’t need to be unhealthy – find small opportunities to move around, watch what you eat and try to mitigate stress wherever possible. It takes some small steps – literally and figuratively – to travel healthier.
