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It's that time of year again -- the time when many of us ignore the urge to hibernate, and instead pack our bags and hit the road. Whether it's visiting relatives or taking advantage of airline travel bargains -- this is travel season.
It's hard enough to maintain a healthy lifestyle during the course of your familiar, daily routine -- but what happens when you disrupt your normal schedule and habits? Here are a few tips to keep you healthy and sane on your next excursion.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
When you're on your "home turf" it's easy to find healthy places to eat, but traveling to a new locale makes it more difficult. Call a concierge at a local hotel for a healthy recommendation, even if you're not staying there. Or better yet, ask some of the "locals" for some of their favorite healthy eateries. Be prepared to be specific -- there are varying degrees of what one might consider "healthy."
Once you have a few possibilities, phone the restaurants and find out what they offer in terms of healthy selections (e.g., menu items that are baked, grilled, steamed, or broiled) -- don't be shy. Even fast food restaurants have healthy choices these days. Take a look at their websites for the nutrition information of their products.
Get a room that comes with a kitchen if you can. "This way, if you can't find any restaurants that suit your tastes or your healthy lifestyle, you can actually make meals for yourself," says New York City Nutritionist Shira Isenberg, RD. In fact, there are many hotels such as Marriott's Residence Inn, Extended Stay America, and Homestead Studio Suite Hotels where rooms with kitchens are standard, and they're reasonably priced.
KEEP COOL
If I'm staying in a hotel, one of the first things I ask for is a mini refrigerator. It's a great way to save on expensive hotel meals, and even better, you can purchase healthy foods (cooked chicken breast, fruit, vegetables, yogurt, milk, etc.) at the local supermarket and keep them fresh in your room. While some hotels charge $5-10 per day, many are willing to give it to you at no cost, especially if you tell them you have strict dietary needs. Call ahead, ask if they charge, and make sure they reserve it for you. Also, some places will even put a microwave in your room -- it doesn't hurt to ask.
THINK AHEAD
Prepare sandwiches for the plane (or car) the night before you travel. Most airlines have cut back on food service, so you don't want to end up eating five bags of pretzels or even worse (in terms of calories), peanuts. Also, pack plenty of healthy snacks -- apples are great --after two hours of not having anything in your system, an apple can taste like a Krispy Kreme doughnut. Other good ideas include yogurt (in an insulated pack to stay cold), individual boxes of healthy cereal, and cut up vegetables.
And for goodness sake, eat BEFORE you go to the airport, even if it's early in the morning. Put something in your system - you don't want to be stuck eating "garbage" while sitting and waiting at the gate. Not only are the foods at the airport costly, but they're also very high in calories and fat.
Wherever you're going, be sure to pack a water bottle. Traveling can be notoriously dehydrating, leading to a false feeling of hunger, dizziness, headaches, or fatigue.
VIRTUAL FITNESS
Keeping fit on the road is not easy, but today most hotels (and homes, if you're staying with relatives/friends) have DVD or VHS players. There are plenty of great exercise videos on the market that you can choose from. Some of them even come with exercise bands to make for a better workout. A video or DVD is small enough to slip right into your carry-on luggage.
For a large selection of exercise videos and DVDs, try www.amazon.com or www.collagevideo.com. To avoid boredom and cut costs, join Netflix.com, an online DVD movie rental service that has a selection of approximately 100 exercise and fitness DVDs. Or you can join PUSH.net, and get a new personalized DVD or video workout program every month -- each one comes with its own easy-to-pack exercise equipment.
PACK YOUR GYM CLOTHES
Go online and find a gym in the area you'll be visiting. Try the website of the International Health, Racquet, and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA): http://healthclubs.com/find.html. They have over 6,000 clubs in their search engine. Once you have a gym in mind, always call first and find out if the gym accepts "walk-in" guests, and ask if there's a fee. Keep in mind, a club might offer you a free trial period that you can take advantage of while on vacation (although it could be restricted to local residents only).
TAKE A HIKE
Going for a walk and exploring are great ways to take a break from your relatives/friends (if you're visiting), see a new area, and fit in some exercise. There's a visitor's bureau almost everywhere that's just filled with information about hiking trails, walking tours, even shopping malls -- any place where you can stretch your legs and get some exercise. For a bit of a twist, rent a bicycle for your adventure.
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CHARLES STUART PLATKIN JD MPH is a nutrition and public health advocate, author of the best seller Breaking the Pattern (Plume, 2005), Breaking the FAT Pattern (Plume, 2006) and Lighten Up (Penguin USA/Razorbill, 2006) and founder of Integrated Wellness Solutions. Copyright 2006 by Charles Stuart Platkin. Sign up for the free The Diet Detective newsletter at www.thedietdetective.com
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