Keeping it going on the road...

I get a lot of questions about my fitness routine and my diet and I thought I'd address a recent conversation I had with a friend of mine who travels extensively about both those things! I also travel for work from time to time and everyone likes to take a vacation. When you aren't at home there are temptations everywhere!  Food is easily accessible in airports and on the run and while healthier options are out there, it's not always easy or convenient to try to stay focused on being healthy.  So, how do you keep up with your routine when you aren't at home, near your gym, your kitchen and surrounded by excuses and unhealthy options??

First of all, I enjoy myself while on vacation but NOT when I am traveling for work. I have to stay disciplined and it sometimes isn't convenient but it's worth it to stay on track.  When I do lighten my restrictions on vacation, I eat foods I like but in moderation.  I also don't abandon my workouts, even on vacation or let the traveling interrupt what I want to accomplish for the day. You don't need a gym to lift weights.  Crunches, sit-ups, body weight squats, lunges, and other body weight exercises are easy to do, even in a hotel room and a little planning ahead can make runs an easy option even in an unfamiliar city.  If you belong to a chain gym, oftentimes you can even go to that gym in the city you are traveling too.  Do some research!



The Hilton gym in Crystal City

When I travel for work, I deliberately find places that are workout friendly or located near running trails for my training.  I recently stayed at Hilton which is known as a franchise for having gyms and catering to people who work out.  They have a great gym and I was able to do my strength training and hit up a treadmill for a few miles.  Food wise, there are always healthy options!  As co-workers and friends have seen, I don't often order directly off a menu.  I ask for specific items that they can make for me that accommodate the gluten-free AND healthy requirements I have.  My food tastes are pretty easy and I don't mind keeping it simple when I am out to eat.  I generally order a plain chicken breast (about any restaurant has that) a vegetable (broccoli is my favorite) and a fruit for a side.  It's easy and delicious and HEALTHY! 



Chicken breast, veggies, & fruit dinner

Breakfasts I do egg white scrambles with as many veggies they have, fresh fruits, or even oatmeal with berries or bananas!  It keeps me both gluten free and low in fat and calories but very filling! 

I also am lucky to travel to DC quite frequently for work and there is always a place to run in DC!  DC is a very fit city so there are always a lot of bikers and runners out and plenty of routes can be found using online resources like http://www.mapmyrun.com/. Bringing my Garming (my favorite accessory) makes it easy to run to a distance or for time even when I'm not 100% familiar of a route.   

The Mall

Washington Monument

In DC, I love running along the Potomac and also running around the monuments.  It's a gorgeous place to run.  There is nothing like watching the sunset over the mall on a clear evening or seeing the Washington Monument all lit up at night.

My girls and I go to Florida every year on vacation with our family and running on the beach is my absolute favorite thing to do!  It's a great workout running on the sand and the view is gorgeous.  Last February when I was there, I would run once a day and walk the beach at night or in the morning.  The sound of the water and the smell of the salty air made it an incredible experience!  I even spotted dolphins a couple times out!

Siesta Key, Florida

The point is, traveling - either for business or pleasure can easily accommodate your training schedule and also spice up your routine with new locations, routes, and even cross-training opportunities.