Staying fit and healthy while traveling takes planning, creativity, a dose of discipline and the belief that it’s better to choose well whether activity, food, drink or sleep. To top it off, one also needs the firm resolve to follow through in spite of inevitable game changers the traveler faces along the way.

When a client comes to tell me that he or she must cancel appointments for a few weeks because of travel, there is that unmistakable look of panic – the fear that all will be lost, the tenuous grasp on fitness will be loosened at best and broken at worst. Strict adherence to a training plan may be efficient and effective, but sometimes routine must step aside to allow for other priorities.

In today’s world of travel, there are gyms in hotels, classes in every locale, pools, treadmills/ellipticals/indoor cycles, climbing walls, and personal trainers around every corner. Or for the independently motivated, there are travel yoga mats, tubing, dyna bands, and a plethora of easily packed exercise equipment to tote along and then, hopefully, use in the comfort and privacy of one’s own lodging.

PLAY – integral to a healthy, balanced life!

But, frankly, I usually tell my clients to take some time off. Mix it up, move out of their training routines and schedules and live life healthfully, actively, playfully and differently. Perhaps they need some extra R&R and this is a good time to get it. Perhaps they need to transpose their workouts into recreational activities. What better way is there to see a city, explore parks and trails or reunite with friends than walking? Maybe there are seasonal sports to sample or hours of sheer leisure to enjoy and unwind the knots of a hectic lifestyle.

Let me share my personal story. I have just returned from a 9-day road trip that, on the surface, flashed caution lights. I planned carefully, packed my car, and headed out with my 21 month old chocolate Lab to drive a total of 2,000 miles, attend a wedding and a family reunion (typically mine fields of over- indulgence and inactivity) with the added stress of not knowing how my pup would behave for hours in the car (though I generally take her everywhere with me and she loves it, but …) and multiple nights in hotels, around strangers, and on leash.

The trip was fantastic and I returned with beautiful memories, renewed energy, and little if any loss of my personal fitness. Here’s what I did:

• Packed a cooler with foods and drinks for my pup and me that would save me $ and never leave me in the lurch facing a vending machine or unacceptable menu.
• Stored my running shoes under the driver’s seat so that I could stop frequently, change shoes and take my girl for a significant leg-stretch. I had researched dog parks, State parks, and hiking trails ahead of time and detoured to take advantage of those that looked like fun.
• Instead of eating out alone, I found a Whole Foods and chose what I like to eat, returning to my hotel room to share the time with my dog and thus enable more time to explore outdoors.
• When attending fabulous events with equally fabulous foods, I enjoyed it all reminding myself to truly taste and carefully choose what I genuinely wanted. Most often I found that my honest choice was to indulge in the company of friends or family whom I seldom see and honor that visit above other indulgences.
• Explore. Explore. Having a pup who needs a lot of exercise is a great benefit! With just a little effort – asking the hotel staff, searching the internet, checking out pamphlets, etc. – I found miles and miles of trail systems, places to take my Lab for a swim or to play with other dogs, even a county fair ground where I could walk her early and late each day and watch the sun and/or moon rise over the nearby lake.
•  Take advantage of others and do as much visiting as possible outdoors or on the move. Association is fickle and fun. Looking back I know I will remember a conversation with my brother on a trail at Deep Creek Lake State Park in Maryland, or driving around looking for the trailhead where I was to meet my son, his wife and buddies at one of the fantastic Cleveland Metroparks, but missed and then found it the next day only to get drenched in a cloud burst several miles from the car. You get the idea.

If you must, here are my basic recommendations:

1. Catch up on sleep that you can’t get at home.
2. Begin each day with a few basic exercises. I love Sage Rountree’s recommended 6-4-2: 6 positions of the spine, 4 movements of the hips, and 2 core exercises.
3. Never sit in one position for longer than an hour. If driving, stop the car and get out even if only to stretch but preferably to walk. If at a conference or seated dinner, you can always excuse yourself to go to the restroom!
4. If you are able to do so – walk, walk, walk. Wear appropriate shoes.
5. Drink LOTS of water and use your privilege of choice when selecting edibles. You already know what’s best for you and just simply say no to what is not. If eating out or even when served at an event, it is now easier than ever to specify dietary requests. If you are vegan or vegetarian, you can probably get what you want. If not, just take a good look at what is available, eat what works and leave the rest. Rarely does anyone else care or even notice what you eat or drink – or do. For your health’s sake, you just might want to pass on rich deserts or heavy foods since your digestive system may be a bit compromised by travel.
6. Did I mention drink lots of water?! Now is not the time to over-caffeinate either. I easily fall victim to ordering just one more coffee on long drives. There are options. (I need not address overconsumption of other beverages nor warn of the need for designated drivers in your party. You already know all there is to know about this one.)

 What is the bottom line? Play is oh so important to a happy and balanced lifestyle. When you have the chance, go play. Ditch your training for a designated period of time – then return to it with fresh enthusiasm and a clean slate – one on which you will write strength, endurance and flexibility gains. Trust me.