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Travel time, exercise, and healthful eating--yeah, right. The three go together like concrete mixers, goldfish, and balloons. Actually, it's not so hard to incorporate exercise and good eating into your travels, and doing so dramatically increases your energy level and lets you shake off stress. But it takes some planning and self-discipline, especially when most of the food you find on the road is so full of fat and salt that you know you'll return home wearing extra pounds. Fortunately, you don't have to let that happen. You can take your good exercise and nutritional habits with you.

PHONE AHEAD

Phone your hotel. Ask about gym facilities on-site or nearby. Ask about parks, running tracks, hiking trails, tennis courts, or whatever interests you. Knowing your options will help you decide on the clothing, shoes, and equipment you might want to pack.

PREPARE YOUR MEAL

Dreading your high-fat, salty, overcooked airline meal? You don't have to settle for it. Call your airline and ask about special meals. All major airlines offer dietary alternatives, so long as these meals are ordered in advance. You can usually choose from low-fat, cold seafood, fruit, or vegetarian alternatives. If you want straight complex carbohydrates, ask if your airline offers a Hindu meal: baked potato and steamed veggies.

GET A TERMINAL WORKOUT

Airport delays are frustrating, boring, and stressful. Instead of reading the paper again or having a drink, de-stress and get your exercise by walking the airport. Change to your athletic shoes if you're not wearing them, store your carry-on in a locker, and take off. The longer you walk, the better, but even five minutes is enough to make a difference in your mood and energy level.

RAISE YOUR HEART RATE

It's hard enough to stick to an exercise program when you have a routine at home--how do you do it when you're traveling? Realize that a session of aerobic exercise will energize you mentally and physically all day long. Here are some tips for getting a workout away from home:

• Sightsee on foot at a brisk pace.
• Rent skates or a bicycle.
• Take stairs instead of elevators.
• Racewalk the hotel halls.
• Find a local hotspot to dance in the evening.
• Pay a single day fee at a nearby gym.

STAY STRONG

No, you don't have to pack your dumbbells, but these muscle strengtheners take less than half a minute each and can be done in your hotel room. Do these all together, or just do one when you have 30 seconds to spare.

Phantom chair.
This is a great thigh strengthener. Stand with your back against a wall, and slide down, walking your feet away from the wall so they stay right under your knees, until your thighs are taking your weight and you look like you're sitting on an invisible chair. Hold that pose, breathing normally, until your thighs scream, "Enough!"

Abdominal crunch.
Lie on your back, knees bent. Cross your arms over your chest or place your hands behind your neck, elbows out to the side. Do not pull on your head. Take a deep breath. As you exhale, pull your abdominal muscles in and let that muscle contraction lift your chest, then shoulders, then--if you're strong enough--shoulder blades. Hold at the top for 2 seconds before slowly releasing down. Keep your head and neck relaxed through the whole sequence.

Pushups.
This is the most effective all-purpose upper-body strengthener. Whether you do pushups with bent or straight legs, keep your head, neck, and spine in alignment and the abdominals contracted through the whole sequence. Lead with the chest--don't dip the chin or forehead. Go slowly: no faster than 2 seconds down and 2 seconds up, even slower if you're strong. Exhale on the way up.

Dyna-Band Workout.
Dyna-Bands are stretchy latex resistance bands that work your muscles as though they're lifting weights. In addition to offering an alternative to the usual exercises, the bands fit in a pocket for traveling. A free DynaBand exercise guide is included with any order of DynaBands.

For more travel fitness tips, including exercises you can do on the plane and in the car, check out Chapter 15 of Joan Price Says, Yes, You CAN Get in Shape!

NOTE: All of the content on this web site is copyrighted, original work by © Joan Price. Unauthorized reproduction of any content presented here through any medium is in violation of federal and international copyright laws. None of this content may be copied, distributed, or published through any medium without permission from Joan Price.

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