Help! - how does one stay on track whilst travelling for wor

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tee75
tee75 Posts: 5 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I started MFP after putting on 6 kg / 13.2 lb after one month of travelling - granted most of it was holidays and being indulgent (oops). Sine then I have been very dilligent and over the past month and a half logging food, cooking smart and excercising with yoga or pilates 3 x a week and spin or swimming 3 x a week. I have been seeing results (lost more then half of the holiday weight) and happy and motivated by MFP. BUT, I am about to take off on 3 weeks worth of travel for work. One week in NYC (but my schedule is rather crazy when i go to head office, with long work hours during the day and ' work dinners at night). After this i am off to back to back travel, mostly in developing countries. All the places have no gyms that would be super accesible and some of them i will be in places where jogging or someting on the road would not be an option - because there are no good or safe jogging areas. Can anyone share tips on how they keep it up when they travel? Both on how to squeeze in quick easy excercise and how to stay on track with food - especially if you are eating in restauraunts all the time.

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  • ProTFitness
    ProTFitness Posts: 1,379 Member
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    When you travel, driving, flying ect. You retain more water. So make sure your drinking lots and lotsof it. Making smart food choice will help as well
  • horchler
    horchler Posts: 10
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    I have found it's quite easy making sensible choices when traveling. I try to stick with salad without fatty dressings or fried toppings. Or, I go with a sandwich without mayo and cheese and without a ridiculous amount of bread. the choices are there, you just have to stop using the travel as a crutch.
  • jimswife
    jimswife Posts: 4
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    I travel a lot, but not sense I have been on MFP, but I am about to take a trip in a few weeks, So, I have planned ahead, going to restaurants, I have looked those up and checked their menu's and check to see what I would order and most of them are posted here in the food data base, so you can plan your meals accordingly with out having to eat like a rabbit. I also carry a little note pad with me, with the info, even for eating out around here.
    Also, for the exercise, at the hotel, try to take the stairs, and at any office you are working, (providing there are some) also, you could just focus on small things that can be done in your hotel room, crunches pushups, the basics, maybe that will do.
  • lt3ag4s
    lt3ag4s Posts: 835 Member
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    Most hotels have gyms or passes to get into a gym so exercising shouldnt be an issue.
    Track your calories just like you are now. Stay away from fast foods and snack sensibly.
  • turbojanem
    turbojanem Posts: 285
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    just because you are at a dinner for work does not mean you have to eat all the courses or make poor choices. chose grilled, small portions. eat very little of the rice or pasta (empty cheep calories with little nutritional value.) order the steamed veggies without butter. skip the alcohol. water/soda water is best and will help you keep in work mode. avoid the bread basket.
    Be the example for them to follow. explain that you want to be make healthy choices so that you will feel your best while traveling for your job.
    find DVD's that you can use in your room with your laptop. (love my Turbo Jam...20, 40 or 50 minutes...even just 20 min helps! no tools/weights needed.)
    find a meal replacement that is packed with lots of foods, low calorie that you can use for breakfast and or lunch.
    make your choices for your health. your boss should respect your choosing health so that you can do your job better.
  • AlexaRae12
    AlexaRae12 Posts: 10
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    I think traveling makes working out more fun. Grab your ipod and start walking..site seeing while walking makes it so much fun and the time flys ! ! ! Thats what I have been doing here in Edmondton !
  • SLMiddleton
    SLMiddleton Posts: 27
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    I also travel for work and am heading out on my first trip next week since starting with MFP. I am very nervous about my choices while I am on the road but I am sure that I will be able to make it work with all of the knowledge I have gained from using this site. The options for exercise are usually there when staying in hotels, its just finding the time to do it when you are involved with all of the work functions. There are some good ideas here that I may use as well. Thanks for sharing and good luck with your trip!
  • RunRideRay
    RunRideRay Posts: 1,536 Member
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    WOW, I could write a book about this. Which has chapters including what to do, and what not to do... HA.

    So, I am a seasoned traveler, domestic, global, local..... well, everywhere.

    For me...

    Where to STAY..and select places you can run, walk, workout, etc... Some "non-traditional" things that work well are to run or climb the stairwell in the hotel. I'll also do laps around the hotel parking lot and adjacent properties. Ya, they'll look at you but usually with envy that you are getting it done.

    How to EAT... yes, you need a plan and stick to the plan. If it's group dinners, say I'll go out once during a visit and the other nights are mine to workout and work. I plan meals or snacks accordingly. They'll understand, really. EAT good, and don't snitch on the conf room food, breakfast trays, and avoid the heavy lunch.

    PACK some SNACKS... granola bars and oatmeal are easy to pack and enough to keep me alive.

    START of right... and don't cave the first day and slide the whole trip. Set the tempo up front, and win the first day and then conquer the trip. You have to fight for the first day.

    Avoid the CRUTCH.... and don't use jetlag, travel, weariness, or airport food beckon you to poor choices.

    I actually LOVE to travel and often plan long runs to see sights and enjoy new scenery wherever I am going, looking over google finding the best trail to hit.

    Hope it helps....
    Ray
  • adrienc
    adrienc Posts: 57
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    As for exercising, here's my 2 cent's : if your hotel doesn't feature gym facilities, then bring a couple of home workout dvds with you, a laptop or dvd player and a travel yoga mat (Gaiam's travel mat for instance is quite good).

    Depending what you fancy most, you can do 1hour of power yoga (Rodney Yee or Bryan Kest videos are excellent) and/or use a quick but energetic 30mn home workout (Jillian's 30 day shred / Insanity for instance - you can use water bottles instead of weights).
    You can also cycle through videos for bringing a bit of variety.

    Try to do your workout first thing of the morning after you wake up, that way you won't skip it out when you get back tired to the hotel.

    This has been working great for me so far.
  • amietest
    amietest Posts: 57 Member
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    I'm going to assume the extreme - that the area and food aren't that safe.

    Working out in the hotel room, you can do crunches or situps, pushups, shot in the arm presses, dips using the bed, mountain climbers, lunges, prisoner squats...jumping jacks, running in place...stairs are a good option if the hotel is safe inside.

    Foods - if you aren't comfortable eating the uncooked veggies/salad, stick to grilled or roasted lean meats and vegetables. Cooked beans, peeled fruit.

    If you don't want to talk about the diet at dessert time and coworkers are crude enough to push, just say you feel a touch of the flu coming on.
  • tee75
    tee75 Posts: 5 Member
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    Fabulous thanks everyone! It all is great advice and wonderful to know you are all doing it. Does anyone know good workouts or videos that can be downloaded from i tunes? I am ready to start getting organised so this trip can't beat me!

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