How To Stay on Track While Traveling for Work

Work travel has a deep, dark side no one likes to show on social media: early mornings, time zone changes, hours and hours between meals, eating out, dehydration and massive amounts of caffeine. While I do enjoy getting out of the office, these trips can derail my diet, drain my energy for days after and prevent me from my usual workout routine. 

Over the last year or so, I've gotten better at sticking to my goals by re-framing the way I think of work travel. There are certain things I just don't do, even though the travel industry is set up to make you think it's just, "what you do on a business trip." Here are my tips for staying on track no matter where your "office" is this month. 

1. BYO Breakfast: When I travel I try to bring my own protein powder or protein oatmeal. Or, stop by a Target on the way to the hotel to pick some up. Room service breakfast is the death of any healthy diet. Even the egg white omelets are 3x the serving you need and served with buttered potatoes and 4 pieces of toast. It's a slippery slope I try to avoid. If I'm too lazy to bring my own, Starbucks is my go-to. Its turkey bacon breakfast sandwich is 270 calories and fills me up until lunch. Luckily, I can almost always find a Starbucks around the corner no matter where I'm at.

2. Work Out In Your Room: Most hotels I stay at have a great gym. But I've noticed that working out in my hotel room vs. the gym increases my chances of working out. I've found that rolling out of bed just 30-40 minutes early, barely re-arranging the messy bun on my head, throwing on workout clothes and finding a "hotel room workout" on Pinterest is pure gold. Any habit book will tell you, creating a situation with the lowest friction is the best way to build and keep a habit. So by making getting a workout in as easy as rolling out of bed and onto the floor to start some crunches I'm increasing the chances of staying on track when I'm not exactly running on high, energy-wise. 

I also like to use the Kayla Itsines app. It's a KILLER 28 minute workout. You have to modify in your hotel room (using a luggage rack as a bench, or $8 water bottles as weights), but it gets the job done. You can either pay about $20/mo. to use the app, or search for her workouts on Pinterest. I pay for the app and think it's totally worth it because it takes the brainpower out of timing your reps, but Pinterest works too.

“For some reason, when we get on a plane we find it totally normally to eat a Delta cookie and a glass of ginger ale at 9 am. ”

3. Eat Like You Would at Home: For some reason, when we get on a plane we find it totally normally to eat a Delta cookie and a glass of ginger ale at 9 am. We think it's normal to order an appetizer and the handmade pasta for an entree, and then share a dessert because you are at an adorable restaurant on the company's dime. I don't know about you, but this is not how I eat on a regular basis at home. So when you're on a work trip, try to avoid the trap of trying everything that sounds good on the menu for every meal. Instead pick one night out where you truly pick the entree that's catching your eye, even if it's not healthy. But the rest of the meals, order food that you might eat a home. There's nothing worse than coming home from a trip and feeling 10 pounds heavier, dehydrated and exhausted. Try and remind yourself of this feeling throughout the trip, and choose foods that give you energy! 

4. Drink Water Whenever You Can: When on work trips be a water freak. On the plane, ask for water, not soda or coffee. At your hotel room, chug a bottle when you check in, then take one with you to meetings. Dehydration is such a huge factor in your energy levels, your skin, your overall glow. Think of it as your fuel. When you have an opportunity to grab water do it. It's way too easy to forget and go an entire day running from meeting to meeting running on the black coffee from 8 am. 

I hope these little tips help you turn your work trip comas around. I know I have felt so much better before and after trips since I've changed my work travel from a free for all to an effort in maintaining where I'm at. 

Happy traveling!

- Ronnie