According to the U.S. Travel Association, approximately 33 percent of domestic business travel includes airfare. Unfortunately, as more and more employees are expected to travel for work, more people fall victim to the unhealthy lifestyle of on-the-road travel. Jayne McAllister, of Jayne McAllister Travel Wellness, suggests five tips for keeping business travelers well, whether they travel by car or by plane.
“Traveling is already stressful on your body because you are sitting for long periods of time, adjusting to altitude changes and changing your eating schedule,” says Jayne McAllister, of Jayne McAllister Travel Wellness. “It is even more so for business travelers, who are preparing for meetings or rushing from place to place.”
While it takes more time, it’s essential to make good choices on the road to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Jayne McAllister lists five tips to staying healthy while traveling for business:
· Restaurant Shop. Check out the restaurants in the airport or your destination to pick a healthy choice ahead of time. Waiting to choose until the last minute leads to a rushed decision for whatever is nearby, oftentimes an unhealthy fast food restaurant. By planning ahead, you’re making your health a priority and taking control, rather than leaving it to chance.
· Pack Healthy. Long road trips or flights can prompt you to pick up a variety of snacks, such as chips or candy. Munching throughout the trip provides a distraction from the tedium of driving or flying, but it often leads to overeating by as much as 30%. Instead, stock up water, fruit, and savory granola to snack on at your regularly scheduled mealtimes or when you feel hungry.
· Stay Hydrated. Most people know how important this is, but how do you follow through when you’re on a plane or in a car and don’t want to make stops? It’s crucial to put that attitude aside because with as low as 2% humidity in a plane, your body is screaming for water but you won’t necessarily know it. Similarly if you keeping yourself going with coffee and soda on a long car ride, you’re not doing yourself any favors. Consumption of these drinks can put strain on the kidneys and the pancreas, leading to all kinds of ailments. Instead, keep a water bottle full and constantly hydrate to keep your body functioning normally.
· If You Slip Up, Move On. If you find yourself in a situation where no healthy options are available or your client is trying to impress you with local specialties that you’re obliged to eat, do what you have to do and move on. If you beat yourself up because you fell off the wagon, you’re likely to throw in the towel and create stress around your efforts to eat right. Stay cool, calm and collected around it and move on because the last thing a business traveler needs is more stress.
· Seek food that will nourish and sustain you for better performance. Try to eat fat, fiber and protein at every meal. Good fats include avocados, nuts, and oily fish. Fiber is found in fruit, vegetables and beans. The latter are also a good source of protein along with meat, fish, poultry and eggs. Most airports have a Latin American eatery, so snack on guacamole, salsa and beans. At a diner, order a veggie omelet with just a little cheese for taste. These are the foods that will keep you full and operating at maximum potential.
“Traveling makes it easy to slip up on our normal healthy routine due to the change in environment,” affirms McAllister. “By making healthy choices, you are better preparing yourself to arrive at your destination healthy and ready to work.”
McAllister provides corporate wellness assistance to those companies with business travelers who spend 30 percent of their time, or more, on the road. She specializes in such training issues as weight loss for travelers, healthy eating while traveling, ergonomics for the traveler, functional exercise, jet lag recovery and avoidance, sleep quality, and nutritional cleanses. She has also created Dine Out Lose Weight, a 21-day guide for dropping weight without setting foot in the kitchen. For more information on her services, visit the site at: www.jaynemcallister.com.