Don’t Let a Work Trip Ruin Your Health

Back on the road again. Where this time? Salt Lake City, where the only thing weaker than the drinks is my tolerance to the extreme weather.

I come here twice a year for the Outdoor Retailer convention. If you don’t know what that is, imagine 20,000 people flocking to the city to buy, sell and trade any and all products related to the outdoor industry: camping gear, athletic wear, travel goods, convenient foods, water sports, even boots for dogs.

This year, I was invited by New Balance to help work their booth. Not a bad gig—in fact it’s pretty awesome! I am rooming with my good buddy Kim, who is their trade show coordinator from Boston. Don’t worry, she’s not a Mass-hole. Well, only when she drives.

The moment I stepped off the plane, I vowed to make this the healthiest week possible. As I have talked about before, being on the road kills your healthy mojo. Kim travels quite a bit for work and finds it frustrating to be away from her typical daily regimen. Healthy eating, gym workouts, a good night’s sleep—all out the window. You know what it’s like.

There’s always a dinner to go to, an unhealthy lunch to eat, a party to make an appearance at, and as far as workouts, forget it! What’s the point, right? Not only are you already exhausted from travel and dealing with annoying people (and you undoubtedly will), how can you possibly undo the egg and cheese biscuit, white bread sandwich, oversized steak followed by an even larger chocolate disaster?

At least that’s our frame of mind right? Keep piling it on! Sit down and don’t move for the next 40 years. What’s the point? Ugh!

Don’t worry, I have some tips for the healthy traveler. In fact, I will give you the exact same advice I gave my very good friend. I’ll even put in in a cool letter you can print out and post in your hotel mirror.

Dear Work Traveler,

You will be healthy while you’re here! Consider this work trip the same as being at home. Don’t pretend it’s a vacation, because it’s not. It’s a mere extension of your regular life, just happening here.

Consider unhealthy meals, snacks and drinks no longer a problem because those options do not apply to you!

When you go out to restaurants, stick to what you know: lean meat, salads, vegetables and raw fruit. Furthermore, arm yourself with healthy ammo, now (keep reading to see what we bought for our room).

Sleeping in and skipping workouts is also not a problem, for those options do not apply to you! Get up 30 minutes early and create a simple circuit in your hotel room. Don't even bother dragging yourself to the crappy on-site gym. Roll out of bed into a push up. If it’s more convenient, you’ll do it (again, keep reading for my morning routine).

Hey! You want the body? You want to maintain? You want to feel good and not guilty? This is what you have to do, so just freaking do it!

With love, Jaime J.

Jaime’s shopping list:

From Whole Foods (including salad bar area)

Canned Alaskan salmon, almond butter, apples, blueberries, salad mix, coconut, turkey, cashews, almond meal, a whole roasted chicken, hard-boiled eggs, almonds, sardines, canned tuna, coconut milk, cacao nibblers and Lara Bars.

There is plenty here to make breakfasts, lunches, snacks and even dinner. Just make sure you have a fridge in your room. We even asked for a second fridge.

Jaime’s Morning Routine aka 30 Minutes of Crazy

Simple warm-up: 20 burpees.

Then 20 reps of each of these exercises, repeat 2 times: push ups, sit ups, squats, plank, bed jumps (jump on the bed), burpees again, lunge down the hall.

Finish with stairwell pull ups and stair jumps, as many as you can. Or do your own 30 minutes of crazy.