Staying fit while on the road

Staying healthy while on the road is always an issue in a modeling career, whether you’re traveling to an international shoot or just going 50 miles up the road for a two day job. Any time that you’re taking a flight or staying overnight in a hotel, it’s a struggle to stay on track.

It’s not just the airline food or the room service that make things difficult either - your exercise routine is normally the first casualty of a long trip. This is as true for a holiday or business trip as it is for a long distance modeling shoot. Read on for our exercise and diet tips on the road.

Exercise tips on the road

• Leave time for your workouts
  When you’re traveling, you really have to plan when, where and how you’re going to work out if you’re really going to make it happen. You schedule your travel, accommodations, rental car and all the rest, so you might as well schedule your exercise too. Put it on your calendar and email yourself so that you don’t forget.
• Stay in a place with exercise equipment
  See if you can find a hotel with exercise equipment available to guests. Most hotels have a gym of some sort or another. Alternatively, take an exercise DVD with you and do a quick workout in your room.
• Bring the stuff you need
  Do you need to bring any special equipment with you? If the hotel has a pool, take your swimsuit so you can get a quick cardio workout in before breakfast. Exercise bands are one of the handiest tools to bring – they’re easy to pack and they let you work out tough areas like biceps and shoulders without leaving your room. Also the obvious stuff - your sneakers and your workout gear. It’s hard to get started if you don’t have the right equipment.
• Work out in the mornings
  The best time to exercise while traveling is usually in the mornings. Photo shoots can drag on and on, well beyond the allotted time, so get your workout in early when you know you have time. This also gives you a chance to do a little networking after the event.
• Get your exercise in unconventional places
  Instead of just watching the hours tick by waiting for a connection in the airport, use the time to get your body moving. Walk around the shops, or even set yourself the goal of walking from one end of the airport to the other (just don’t miss your connection!). Even better, skip the moving walkways when you land and take the chance walk from your gate. All of these short spurts of exercise will add up.

Diet tips on the road

It’s tough to eat healthily while you’re traveling because most of the food that’s available is simply not very good for you. Make sure to pack some healthy snacks and steer clear of pastry carts and vending machines. It’s easy to throw a few apples, nut bars or trail mix into your carry-on luggage and it will give you something satisfying to eat in your hotel room or while waiting for your planes.

Avoid the airline food too. It’s often packed full of preservatives that can cause bloating and was almost certainly prepared many hours before. Try to pick up a healthy snack in the airport before you board, then when you hear ‘chicken or the beef sir?’, just say no!

Don’t forget to carry water or get some once you arrive at your destination. Water will help keep you hydrated after a long trip on a very dry airplane, plus it will help to satisfy your cravings and keep you away from the airport junk food.

When eating out in restaurants there are a few simple tricks to follow to keep the calorie count down.

• Before dinner, drink a cup of green tea or some Perrier with a slice of lemon. Both will help to reduce your appetite. Going to a restaurant when you're really hungry is tempting fate.
• Order an appetizer instead of a main course - portions have grown in recent years and you really don't need more.
• Don't order anything with sauce. That grilled chicken may sound light, but not if its drowning in a creamy sauce! In an Italian restaurant, order the tomato-based sauces rather than the cream-based ones.
• Order your food steamed, baked, grilled or poached, rather than fried or deep fried.

See more tips on eating out here.

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