TEAM!
If it’s 10AM central, then I just landed in Tel Aviv! Can I just say that I am so excited for the next 8 days in Israel!!!!
I have been traveling a lot over the past few months and it’s going to continue until the first of the year. Fitness while traveling isn’t easy, but I do it. I do it to stay sane and to give myself 30 minutes of me time while on the road. I am so excited to be handing over the reins to a Fit Foodie reader, friend, fitness professional, and blogger! Emily is a health coach, personal trainer, and all around bad ass. We’ve only bonded over facebook, but I know that if we lived in the same place we’d be workout buds for sure! Plus- I’m going to start photoshopping her biceps onto mine
When I approached Emily about collaborating for a travel workout post she was thrilled and so was I. I told myself that I would take 4 of the 9 days that I am gone completely off from exercise and the other 5, I would dedicate just 20-30 minutes to workin’ it out! Without further ado- EMILY!
Hi FitFoodie readers!
My name is Emily and I blog over at emilyminer.com where I teach that exercise can be efficient, nutrition sustainable, and that wellness extends far beyond the latter two realms. A former cardio queen turned weight-lifting junkie, I am a certified personal trainer, fat loss nutrition consultant and lifestyle coach. I consider myself a Northern-transplant having found my home away from home (Boston) here in North Carolina. I hold a BS in Health and Exercise Science from Wake Forest University, am pursuing a MS in Human Nutrition and have a passion for all thing fitness, nutrition and healthy living.
Blog: www.emilyminer.com | Facebook: https://web.archive.org/web/20150316150508/http://fitfoodiefinds.com/2014/11/a-week-of-travel-bodyweight-workouts/facebook.com/emilyminerfitness | Instagram: @emilynminer | Twitter: @emilynminer
Now, onto the fun stuff! When Lee found about her trip to Israel, where she knew gym access would limited, if at all, she reached out to me about doing a “Fitness Series: Travel Edition” because, well, we could all use a little ‘fit’ to our ‘foodie.’ Right?
With that, here are my Top 6 Tips for Healthy Travel:
- Move early. With work to do, flights to catch and an itinerary that is often beyond your control, your end time is unknown. Instead, set an alarm thirty minutes early and get moving! Take advantage of hotel amenities and get a heavy lift in at the gym or a leisure walk on the treadmill. Or complete a quick, no-equipment required bodyweight workout in the comfort of your own room (lucky for you, we’ve got 5 workouts coming at ‘cha!). If you cannot find twenty minutes for sprints or a bodyweight circuit, BE MINDFUL that you will need to adjust your nutrition accordingly i.e. exercise more eat more or exercise less eat less; not exercise more eat less. If you are expending less energy, your body will naturally down-regulate hunger. If you find yourself in a pedestrian-friendly city, walk to a local coffee shop for your morning cup. Consider it [walking] a necessity, not exercise, that you should be doing every day as much as possible.
- Efficient exercise. Work smarter not longer. Twenty to thirty minutes a day is all you need. Remember, INTENSITY notduration is what drives results. Think short-duration, high-intensity exercise and/or long-duration restorative exercise e.g. leisure walking, yoga, foam rolling. LIFT HEAVY. Intense exercise (i.e. weight training) primes your body to build muscle and leaves you more insulin sensitive post-workout. This means that additional calories and/or carbs consumed in the window following such a workout are less likely to go towards fat storage, but instead will aid in muscle repair and growth. It is not that there is anything inherently wrong with longer duration steady-state cardio (I LOVE it!) but when it comes to fat loss, it is not the most effective tool.
- Stay hydrated. Aim for 2-3L of water a day (up to 4L post-vaca if you’re trying to debloat). Not only does water keep our system running efficiently, but water helps balance our fluids and prevents feelings of hunger between meals. Sodium and alcohol cause water retention and dining out, our intake of both is likely to be higher than at home. But the more [water] we drink, the more we shed. BE INTENTIONAL. A workaround to airport security? Carry a reusable bottle with you and refill on the other side. Unsweetened tea and/or black coffee can be enjoyed in unlimited amounts, but only in addition to your water intake for the day.
- Prioritize protein. The most filling of the macronutrients, protein has little impact on fat storing hormones and can help speed the metabolism. Its slow digestion helps to control cravings and balance blood sugar, preventing insulin spikes that can lead to fat storage. Comprised of amino acids, protein spares lean muscle so that the body burns fat for energy. It, too, can be used by the body for energy. Muscle is a major determinant of basal metabolic rate, which accounts for over two-thirds of calories burned at rest, and so maintaining it results in less rebound weight gain. Aim for protein at every meal.
- Be prepared. Preparedness not willpower is the key to resisting temptation. On the road, I have snacks on me always so that I’m never “stuck.” A few of my favorites? Quest Nutrition protein bars, organic jerky, unsalted nuts and/or homemade protein scones/bread. #snacklife
- Stress less. CONSISTENCY not perfection, over time, is what get results. Though your situation may not be ideal, remember you can always make a better CHOICE. You are only ever one meal, one potential workout from being back on track. #TeamNoStress
It’s Lee again
Questions for Emily? Ask her on her facebook page HERE.