While in Transit & What To Do on Arrival in Destination
If you visited my blog last week, I devised some tips for a vacation pre-departure, so I’ve decided to write about health and fitness tips while in transit and what to do on arrival in destination for the active traveler.
With all the trips I have taken and all the vacations I have booked for my clients, there is one portion of the trip that most of us dread, the flight! Whether it’s a short or long haul flight, these tips will help you improve your experience while flying.
H20 – This little miracle fluid actually does work wonders. I can’t express enough the importance of water, especially for maintaining body hydration. Make sure that you fill up that water bottle before you board your flight. Even though most airlines are fully stocked with water, it’s nice to have your own supply on hand for unforeseen turbulence. My suggestion is to consume an extra 6-8 ounces for every hour in the air.
Keep the Body Moving – To keep the blood circulating, try to get out of your seat every 1-2 hours and walk the length of the plane. I also suggest to book an aisle seat so you’re not bothering the person beside every hour for you to get up and stretch your legs. If you don’t travel in business or first class, book a seat in the emergency
exit to allow for more leg room especially for longer-haul flights.
If you have a layover, stay off the plane as long as possible and go outside the terminal to take in some of the fresh air. It’s important to keep the body moving for circulation, blood supply and think about the calories you’re expending at the same time.
Food – Remember those pre-packaged snacks? They will come in handy for a long flight and will help you keep your blood sugar level elevated so as you don’t purchase any unhealthy or salty food while on the flight. Need a special meal for your dietary needs? The majority of airlines accommodate consumers and their diets. Check with your travel advisor to help you with any dietary needs.
Overhead Storage Injuries – You’ve just reached your destination, you’re tired from a long flight, and you’re anxious to get off the plane to start your holiday. Are you one of those people whose reaching to get their luggage in the overhead compartment from the aisle? This is where an injury can occur to your back, shoulders or wrists unexpectedly. Waiting an extra 2 or 3 minutes to stand up fully in the aisle to collect your luggage won’t hurt you, in fact, it will help you.
So you’ve reached your destination and know what do you?
Baggage Collection – If you are travelling solo and have an extra heavy bag, ask for help from someone to lift it off the carousel for you. Again, you can sustain back injuries if you are lifting a heavy bag improperly.
Hotel/Resort Arrival – If you’re not taking an ‘active’ holiday, then make sure you know about fitness facilities at your place of stay. Your travel advisor can suggest hotels/resorts that can accommodate your fitness needs and provide you with details on the type of equipment used. For my clients, I provide them with detailed information on the trainers and services offered by the hotels and schedule appointments in advance to save them time upon arrival.
Being Active on a Non-Active Vacation – So many people like to break away from routine while traveling but don’t want to give up being active altogether. Depending on how many times per week you participate in cardiovascular activity, you can lose your cardio capacity if not maintained. I’m a big fan of active living and there are so many activities you can do while traveling that involve keeping the body moving. Here are some tips:
- Hop on/hop off tours – try walking for part of the route as you might discover some ‘off the beaten path’ place. Most big cities offer bike rentals at a very reasonable price.
- Elevators – they are so easy to use but we were given two feet to walk on so why not take the stairs to your hotel room; especially if you’re on the lower floors.
- Taxi’s – If you’re tourist attraction is only a few blocks away, walk instead. Take in the fresh air and expend some calories while doing it.
- Sightseeing – if you’re like myself, the best way to see the city and get some exercise at the same time, it to run. For some of more active clients, I will actually map out a route of the city where they can run safely that will allow them to take in tourist attractions that they might find interesting. The routes are all specifically tailored to fit my client’s needs.
Eating Out – One of the most difficult tasks for travelers in foreign countries is to find dining establishments to accommodate their dietary requirements. The key is research, research, research! One of the many requests I receive from clients are which dining establishments would I recommend for them and their families.
Providing several options for my clients based on their budget and taste can be very time consuming but this is when I pull out my little black book of contacts (thousands of them!) from just about every country worldwide for suggestions. If all else fails, always keep a healthy meal in mind that is low in fat with a combination of carbohydrates and proteins. This will allow you to keep up your energy level to do the things you’ve planned on your getaway.
Stay tuned next week for Travel Workouts on a Budget. Art McDonald, Certified Exercise Physiologist (CSEP), will guest blog along with myself to provide expert knowledge and advice for simple but challenging workouts on abudget while traveling.
Until next week, keep fit & happy travels……………..
