I travel a lot for my job.
I sometimes feel like I spend more time in hotels than in my own home.
The constant traveling is stressful and hard on my health. I need to be proactive about taking good care of myself. The actual travel by airplane, sitting in terminals, riding in taxis and driver rental cars is extremely tiring and boring. Not all of the hotel accommodations are overly luxurious. Too many meals in restaurants can lead to weight gain. I’ve learned that proper nutrition and hydration and regular exercise are the keys to managing my lifestyle. Before and after long flights, I take the time to carefully and thoroughly stretch. I also am conscientious about drinking plenty of water. I try to choose hotels that include fitness centers. Most of the time, the hotel provides little more than a single treadmill and stationary bike. I’m fine with that. I can spend a half an hour running and a half an hour cycling and get a great workout. Sometimes, I get lucky and the hotel will provide a fully equipped gym. I am thrilled when there are free weights, a weight bench, elliptical and yoga mats to work with. Every now and then, there is a pool where I can swim laps. Because I spend long hours in conference rooms, I tend to exercise at very odd times of the day or night. I usually have the fitness rooms to myself. I always pack a resistance band and jump rope in my bag. If I don’t have access to any other equipment, I can find sufficient space to jump rope and exercise with the resistance band.