Greetings from Jonesboro, Arkansas!
Remember when I was here back in August? (See “Arkansas: Day 1” and “When I Get Hungry I Get Weird”). Well, here I am, back again for work. Yesterday was a travel day. In honor of that, I’d like to share five tips for making healthy decisions on the road:
1. Get to the airport early. Instead of rushing through security and grabbing not so great “to go” snacks, take the time to check out what food options your terminal has. There is no need to get bags of chips, order fried options, or snag sodas just because you are short on time. Yesterday I looked in three different stores before stocking up on snacks from a place called “Gourmet on the Fly.” I’m thankful that I had the time to make smart choices!
2. Stock up on extra healthy snacks. In my bag yesterday? 1 bottle water, 1 bottle Pomegranate seltzer water, 1 Clif bar, 1 banana, 1 red pear, 1 green apple, and raw almonds. Who cares if the cashier lady looks at you weird because she thinks you just bought a ton of food? I think it’s important to have some “extras” on hand in case the hotel market isn’t so great, if you get hungry while working, or if you feel like munching on something in your hotel room.
3. Stick with a healthy friend! If someone you are traveling with is health conscious, try to follow their lead and don’t be swayed by the peer pressure of everyone else. Traveling with Colleen makes my decision-making a lot easier!
4. Check out the restaurants in the area ahead of time. And read the menu too. I know some people think this takes the fun out of going out to eat, but if you go out to eat often on the road, it’s probably not that novel. Pick and suggest places that you know offer some healthy choices and stick to what you picked out ahead of time once you get there. Don’t order the chocolate sundae or the loaded nachos just cause everyone else is doing it.
On my menu yesterday?
- Lunch at T.G.I Friday’s in Memphis where I got their deconstructed version of the classic Cobb Salad with balsamic-marinated chicken breast fire-grilled and drizzled with balsamic glaze and served alongside sliced avocado, fresh grape tomatoes, hard-boiled egg,
bacon, crumbled Bleu cheese, and chopped romaine lettuce with fat-free balsamic vinaigrette. - Dinner at The Brickhouse Grill in downtown Jonesboro where I ordered an 8 oz. filet with steamed vegetables and a side salad. Oh! And I tried ALLIGATOR too. Tasted like chicken. Cool, huh?
And in case you were wondering, I ate a Chobani yogurt for breakfast at my apartment before I got to the airport, my Clif bar before I boarded the plane, my pear after the flight, and a banana before my workout as my other snacks throughout the day.
5. Familiarize yourself with what fitness options your hotel has. Some places don’t offer much as part of their hotel fitness rooms but several do offer guest passes to the nearby gym. Ask at the front desk! This is how Colleen and I discovered the Trim Gym.
If you are short on time, maximize the time you do have to workout by combining upper and lower body moves, or perhaps opting for some sprint intervals on a machine instead of running at a steady pace for an hour. Or maybe you just aren’t motivated to use machines but love classes. Get a guest pass and try a new class! If you feel excited about your workout and where you are working out, you’ll definitely get more out of it.
My workout yesterday?
- Elliptical: 2 minute warmup, 2 minute front jog, 2 minute back jog, 4 minutes of Tabata intervals, 2 minute front jog, 2 minute back jog, 4 minutes of Tabata intervals, one minute front jog, one minute cooldown.
- Legs: Forward lunge, side squat, back lunge combo all on the same leg. Repeat through that series 15 times. Finish with 10 pulses in the front lunge, 10 pulses in the squat, and 10 pulses in the back lunge.
- Cardio Interval: 30 seconds single hop, 30 seconds jacks
- Repeat legs on other side.
- Cardio Interval: 30 seconds single hop, 30 seconds jacks
- Legs + Obliques: Side leg lift combined with an oblique drop. 20 reps, followed by 10 leg pulses only.
- Obliques: CBC Ab Routine for one minute. Lean left, right, front, back.
- Repeat leg lift combo on other side.
- Obliques: Twist side to side for one minute, adding knees at 30 seconds.
- Abs: Lower & Lifts for 30 seconds, followed by 15 seconds of scissor kicks, and 15 seconds of a 6 inch hold.
- Cooldown/Stretch.
We weren’t at the gym for very long, but I snuck in a pretty decent (and sweaty) workout for only being there for about 40 minutes!
Question(s) of the Day:
- What are your biggest challenges/successes when it comes to healthy travel?!
- Any specific questions/topics relating to healthy living on the road you’d like me to address in future posts?
Don’t forget to enter my free giveaway – I’m extending the deadline until Friday to enter!
Fitness & Feta 