1) Look for Hotels with Refrigerators and Microwaves – I personally check this every time there is a hotel reservation. Most of the time if these items are not standard, you can request them. Even if there is a fee, this is vital for me. I know if I can control the majority of my meals, any meals out with clients or co-workers, will be for networking only, and won’t do much damage to my wallet or waistline. Keeping fresh foods is key, and being able to reheat leftovers means I won’t feel a need to clean my plate when we do go out.
2) Use Online Workouts – We’ve all been there, thinking there is a gym at our hotel, and it’s really like two broken pieces of equipment in a dark basement LOL. In our world now, having to pay for wifi is SO rare, and many business travelers have hotspots on their phones or computers. I personally use the Beachbody On Demand workouts. For less than the cost of an airport meal, I can access over 100 workouts anywhere. No wifi? No worries, if you have an iPhone or iPad you can download them in advance. You can check it out for free HERE. No equipment is needed for most, and the rest you can just use a resistance band. Super light and easy to travel with.
3) Know the Area In Advance – As soon as you get your hotel reservation, search for health food and grocery stores. Check out the restaurant selection and see what you are working with. I usually look up the local grocery delivery services, find a healthy smoothie place that is willing to make my Shakeology for me, and take a peek at food menus in advance. This way when everyone is standing around going “I don’t know where do you want to eat” etc., I can lead the group and get my healthier choices.
4) Know Your Agenda – Most conferences and meetings have an agenda in advance. I’ve traveled to hundreds of places throughout my years as a marketing consultant, and as a fitness coach. Every single time I have had at least an outline of times, events, and locations. With that info I can plan which food to order in advance and pack, when I get my workout in each day, and what going out choices I’ll be making. If you plan it, it’s way more likely to happen!
5) Skip the Late Nights – I know that work events can quickly become all night drinking events. Often times it feels like your career depends on being part of the fun club. I promise I get that. You CAN go to those events, but you can also cut out before you do too much damage to your calories, your liver and your next day. Have a few drinks with the boss, or the clients, but you don’t need to crawl into bed at 2am when you have an early workout planned the next day, you will NOT make healthy choices if you’re feeling the effects of the late night.
I hope you find this helpful and I am here if you need anything at all for your health, fitness, or nutrition!
Thanks for the tip on looking for hotels with refrigerators and microwaves! Sometimes when I deviate from AirBnBs, I miss having the ability to cook my own meal or even just to prepare simple meals that don’t require a stove. So this is a great tip! I would also recommend checking out the MISO app, which is a discovery app that shows you all the healthy food and fitness places around you. You can also search by city. Great for quickly seeing what’s healthy around you or if you need to plan in advance of a trip. Here’s the link to the app: http://www.givememiso.com
Awesome Chrys, thank you!