The second installment of this 4-part series on Finding the Energy to Lead focuses on the first of 3 modern barriers to achieving a healthy lifestyle, travel. For all you road warriors out there, I feel your pain. Traveling 5 days out of 7, home for 2 days, repeat. Maybe your trips are less frequent, but each one of them will throw you out of your routine. Or worse yet, the travel makes you feel as though you can never establish a healthy routine, let alone keep one going.
The aim today is to provide you with 3 success factors as they relate to travel, as well as simple action steps that you can integrate into your travel routine.
A healthy travel experience, whether it is for work or play, depends upon 3 things:
Preparation – Intention – Self-Discipline
First, preparation: Travel in itself seldom allows for a routine. Your days can be long and unpredictable. Planning ahead of time for your fuel and fitness is the only way to get through each day and maintain your energy to lead.
If you want to eat healthy on the road, you need to bring some of those nutritious fuel sources with you. Never get stuck in a long day of travel without some healthier back-up snacks. Depending on airplane or airport food is a recipe for disaster.
Snacks that travel well:
- Nuts of all kinds
- Packets of Justin’s Almond Butter (don’t bring the whole jar on the plane, they will make you throw it away – I learned this the hard way)
- Fruit – bananas and sliced apples travel well
- Beef Jerky
- Protein bars
- Hummus packets and veggies
- Dried fruit
- Tuna packets (not for on the plane use)
Once you arrive at your destination, if your hotel room has a refrigerator you can stock up on hardboiled eggs, fruit and veggies.
Air travel especially severely dehydrates the body. Bring an empty water bottle through security and fill it up before you board at an airport water fountain. Drinking lots of water (1/2 your body weight in fluid ounces) and limiting alcohol alone will increase your energy.
In addition to preparing for your trip with healthy snacks, prepare for your exercise. Bring a single set of workout clothes and shoes. Check out the hotel where you will be staying to see if they offer an exercise room. If not, or if you prefer to work out alone CLICK HERE for a downloadable hotel room workout! You can get it done in 30 minutes.
Next up, intention: “Our intention creates our reality” – Wayne Dyer
Before your next trip, put specific workouts in your calendar. 30 minutes is all you need to set aside. Schedule not only when you will move your body but what you will do. A treadmill walk or run, stretching or yoga, weightlifting. What you do is up to you, this extra movement for your body will start your day off wonderfully or help you wind down from a long day.
Lastly, self-discipline: Everything that is being suggested in this article is simple yes, but not easy. If it were easy, we would all have the energy we need for success.
Finding the energy to lead requires will power. It often asks that you make hard decisions:
- Stay away from alcohol
- Drink lots of water (1/2 your body weight in fluid ounces)
- Order a healthy dish at each meal (it can be tasty!)
- Get up early to workout – or do it at the days end
- Prepare for travel by bringing healthy snacks
- Schedule a massage after a long flight
- Locate a grocery store near your hotel to stock up on healthy essentials for a long trip
- Go to bed as early as possible
- Turn off the TV and read a good book
- Spend 10 minutes per day journaling or just quiet time to center your mind
The next time you travel, select one new behavior from this list and see how it affects your energy. Continue to implement these suggestions one at a time until you your energy where you need it to be.
If you are want more information on Finding the Energy to Lead, CLICK HERE.
The next installment of this series will cover how “The Office” tears every one of us down, every day!
For more information on how to improve your Fuel and Fitness for your Leader’s Lifestyle, please feel free to contact me, Natalie Peterson, at ‘natalie@donbrown.org’.
-Natalie Peterson MS, CSCS, RYT
Natalie is a naturally positive and energetic coach, speaker and transformational leadership development expert. She believes in a few simple truths when it comes to making things happen in your life. It starts with owning, knowing and developing who you are and continues with making sure that you are as healthy as possible in mind, body & soul. Natalie has a natural ability to see the best in people and to help bring that out in them. She would love to do the same for you.
web: www.nataliepeterson.net
email: natalie@donbrown.org
Facebook: Facebook.com/NataliePetey
