Whether you’re cruising the seas, flying around the globe or driving cross-country, working out while traveling comes with its fair share of challenges. Some hotels aren’t equipped with a gym, others have minimal equipment, and if you are traveling to colder climates, it can be difficult to find a place outside to get your fitness in. So how do you do it? Jaime Mass of Jaime Mass Nutritionals in Fort Lauderdale says to “call housekeeping, ask for a few extra towels, get on the floor and get to work.” An on-demand digital dietitian, Mass helps cross-country clientele stay in shape when on the go. Here, she provides a workout ideal for a hotel room.
The Full-Body Routine
Stretch: Be preventative about injuries and mindful of the fact that you’re not getting in your regular steps while traveling. This will help blood flow, support your posture and help reduce the risk of injury during day-to-day activities.
Planks: These are your travel BFFs and can be done pretty much anywhere. They work the abs, back and even glutes. Planks are also beneficial while on the road because they help to realign the body when sleeping in a different bed is the norm. Start slowly with a 15- or 30-second plank, and work your way up to a minute at a time.
Fire Hydrants: These are for your hips and glutes. Position yourself so hands and knees are in tabletop form on the floor. Lift your leg to your hip with your knee bent at 90 degrees. One set equals 30 reps on each side. (Tip: Perform three sets of fire hydrants with 15 crunches in between to rest leg muscles.)
Arms: Paying tribute to the ’90s phenomenon of Tae Bo, its methods are great for working your arms, abs and legs. Execute speed bag punches like a boxer by bringing bent elbows up and moving hands in a circular motion for 30 seconds. For best results, perform three reps, or six if you switch the direction of your arms.
To work the triceps, use a sturdy chair or bench (without wheels or arms) and perform as many dips as your body can handle. The trick is to position your hands shoulder-width apart and legs out in front so that your arms are the only support on the chair or bench. Release stiffness from your straight arm hold until your elbows reach 90 degrees and then straighten them to the original position for best results.
Legs: Work your abs and legs by incorporating front and side kicks—just make sure to not break any delicate décor in your hotel room. You can always add in push-ups and sit-ups as an extra calorie burn in between sets. Be sure to end by stretching for
muscle recovery.
Think Smart!
3 tips from Mass on eating smart while traveling:
1. Find The Healthy
Seek it out! If you think there will be no good food choices while away, then you will, in fact, be correct. Our minds are powerful—while it sounds easy to choose the healthier option, it can be overwhelming once a menu is placed in front of you.
2. Be Prepared
Bring healthy options with you to airports. Snack options that are a breeze to get through security include individual packs of peanut or almond butter, fruit, nuts and nutrition bars. Protein powder can also be packed to mix with water.
3. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
As we age, the risk for dehydration becomes greater. Our desire to drink fluids naturally declines, so we need to make a conscious effort to keep the water intake up. In addition, many of us retain fluid when we limit mobility (especially during travel). Try to drink more water the day before you travel to prevent dehydration, and skip the in-flight soda.
For more advice, contact Mass at 754.223.1103 and jaimemass.com.
Facebook Comments