Travel workout: Fitness tips for business travelers
When you're traveling for work, you can stick to your fitness routine. Use these simple travel workout tips to maintain your fitness program.
By Mayo Clinic Staff
If work keeps you frequently away from home, it can be challenging to maintain your fitness program. Travel time and meetings might leave little room in your schedule for exercise. But dedication and planning can help you stay in shape — and ease the stress that work travel can cause. Consider these travel workout tips.
Pack for fitness
Before your trip, research the hotel or nearby fitness facilities and pack accordingly. Your travel workout essentials might include:
- Athletic shoes
- Exercise clothing
- Swimsuit
- Jump-rope
- Resistance tubing
- Hand grips
- Headphones
- Yoga mat
Keep active as you go
Whether you're traveling by car, train or plane, work travel can force you to sit for long periods, which isn't good for your health. To fit some physical activity into your travel days, wear your walking or running shoes. If you're traveling by plane and time permits or you encounter a delay, stroll through the airport terminal rather than sitting at the gate. When traveling by train walk through the cars occasionally. If you're driving, take breaks to get out and stretch.
If you know you're going to have a long layover at an airport, check to see if the airport has a gym and pack your carry-on bag accordingly. Keep in mind that equipment varies and fees might apply.
May 04, 2016
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- 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/guidelines/. Accessed April 21, 2016.
- Richards CA, et al. Business travel and self-rated health, obesity, and cardiovascular disease risk factors. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2011;53:358.
- Get moving: Easy tips to get active. American Heart Association. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/PhysicalActivity/StartWalking/Get-Moving-Easy-Tips-to-Get-Active_UCM_307978_Article.jsp. Accessed April 21, 2016.
- Kaminsky LA. Current comment fact sheets: Exercise while traveling. American College of Sports Medicine. http://www.acsm.org/access-public-information/brochures-fact-sheets/fact-sheets. Accessed April 21, 2016.
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