8 Tips for Healthy Living on the Road

It’s hard enough maintaining a healthy lifestyle at home; staying fit on the road is exponentially more challenging. Irregular hours, limited dining options, stress, unfamiliar surroundings: It’s a recipe for undisciplined living.

I wouldn’t normally put much stock in healthy-travel advice sponsored by a hotel companies, which have an obvious incentive to provide recommendations that self-serve their own business interests. You know: Choose a hotel that features comfortable mattresses (like ours!).

In this case, however, the hotel company, Carlson Rezidor, sourced its information from a truly impeccable source, the Mayo Clinic. The recommendations focus heavily on two areas, staying active and keeping caloric intake under control.

• Bring workout gear (running shoes, swimsuit) with you.
• Walk. Explore the area by foot.
• Get up and move at least five minutes every hour.
• Opt for healthy snacks (fresh fruit, cut vegetables, trail mix, nuts).
• Drink plenty of water.
• Limit alcohol consumption.
• Skip the appetizer or dessert.
• Plan to take half your meal back to your room, to eat the next day.

Predictably, Carlson couldn’t resist slipping in one self-promotional suggestion:

• Take advantage of Carlson Rezidor’s hotels amenities (“onsite exercise rooms with treadmills and weight machines, and even pools!”).

Of course, exercise rooms are hardly exclusive to Carlson hotels; even some low-end motels now offer guests use of a treadmill or a Stairmaster.

For those who want a deeper dive into maintaining physical and mental health, Carlson has added a related book to the Club Carlson award catalog: “The Mayo Clinic Guide to Stress-Free Living.” To get it, program members will have to redeem 7,000 points.

Reader Reality Check

Any tips for staying fit on the road?

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After 20 years working in the travel industry, and 15 years writing about it, Tim Winship knows a thing or two about travel. Follow him on Twitter @twinship.