Hectic schedules mean exercising on the road can be difficult, but with all the amenities available today, is there any excuse? Felicity Cousins reports
Look around you the next time you are waiting in the business class lounge. Do your fellow business travellers look like a healthy bunch? Jet lag, erratic meal times, client lunches, alcohol, hotel breakfasts, snacks in the lounge, sitting for hours on a plane, jumping in taxis to get to the next meeting… None of these things contributes towards a healthy lifestyle.
Today, in the UK, about a quarter of adults are classified as obese. This fact is not only the result of what we eat but also of our increasingly sedentary lifestyles. Imagine the human body as a giant furnace and the food you put in it as wood. You only need to create enough fire to burn it, but the problem is, most of us don’t.
The Chief Medical Officer’s Annual Report 2009 found that 61-71 per cent of adults did less than the minimum required amount of exercise (30 minutes, five days a week), and only 8-10 per cent of adults who claimed to exercise this often actually did so.
What’s more, if 70 per cent of the population exercised for 150 minutes or more a week, then the number of sick days taken would be reduced by just under three million a year, saving employers almost £500 million (Deloitte Health of the Nation report, 2006).
The Fitness Industry Association (FIA) quotes Deloitte’s findings, which say that almost 35 per cent of interviewees cited work commitments as a major deterrent to working out. With this in mind, a business traveller’s schedule, which involves being on the road and irregular routines, probably does not help matters.
But Dave Stalker, executive director of the FIA, doesn’t think there is any excuse. “The whole world has embraced wellness, particularly in the business community,” he says. “There is hardly anywhere that you can’t continue your routine.”
If anything, it is easier to keep fit these days as many hotels have state-of-the-art gyms that are often open around the clock, as well as swimming pools and spas. Yet some go further than others. Starwood’s Westin has the Westin Workout bedroom fitted with exercise equipment, and the chain also offers Run Westin, a service providing organised runs and jogging maps for guests.
Stalker says: “I travel continuously and I always book myself into a hotel with a health club and make sure beforehand that it’s not just a treadmill. More and more gyms are open 24 hours, which is useful for someone with jet lag.”
Being tired and having to adjust to the local time zone is probably one of the reasons many of us don’t venture down to the gym, but it’s good if you can. Personal trainer and fitness instructor Ruth Malone runs a health and fitness company, Achieve More. She says: “Business travellers tend to be jet-lagged but cardiovascular exercise, including running, swimming and cycling, is good at raising energy levels and gives you endurance throughout the day.”
Stalker agrees: “Jet lag is a very individual thing. One of the worst things about it is the frustration of being awake when everyone else is asleep, but exercise is good for you and it gets rid of that frustration. It doesn’t always make you more tired, it can make you more lively.”
So we have all the equipment in place and we know exercise is good for us, but still we find ourselves flicking through the news channels in the hotel room. Perhaps we are daunted by the task in hand? Malone says: “The first thing I say to my clients is they need to be realistic about what they can achieve, rather than setting ambitious goals and then failing. This way you are more likely to stay motivated.”
She adds: “We focus on what you want to do rather than what you think you should do. If you have had a long-haul flight or a meeting and then go to the gym and hate it, you won’t keep it up. So we say go swimming if you like it, and if you like running then make that a priority.”
Even if you are not into sport, you can still find ways to burn some calories. Stalker says: “If you do a bit of research and feel comfortable with where you are going, then instead of jumping in a cab you could leave enough time to walk.”
When is the best time to take exercise? Malone says: “Whatever feels right for you and whatever fits in. You should leave at least two hours after you have eaten, which can take a lot of organisation, so that is something to take into account – it can be hard if the gym opens at 7am and your meeting is at 9am.”
Stalker thinks our psychological relationship with food can also help with our choices. “You have to go to business dinners but once your mindset has moved to a healthy area then you do go for the healthy options. The trick is to stick to these and not get into binge situations, such as ordering room service because you happen to be away.”
The average man only needs to consume 2,500 calories a day, while women can take in 2,000. These calories should be made up of foods from the main nutritional groups. Worryingly, airline meals can be very disappointing in this respect – online health and fitness network efit.com analysed 15 top airlines’ dining menus and discovered that the average economy class meal contained 1,054 calories and 52g of fat. In which case, you may be better off grabbing something healthier at the airport.
Advances in 3G technology have also introduced fitness applications to the market, though you should be careful about how you use them. Stalker says: “I have looked at some of them and British Military Fitness has an app [£2.99] that is very good, but I think all exercise should be in a controlled environment where you have the knowledge – if an app is asking you to do something without showing you how to do it properly, then it’s not good. Yoga, for instance, is difficult and I can’t imagine having an app I’m going be able to use unless I already have a fair amount of yoga knowledge.”
Whatever method of keeping fit works for you, Malone believes the key to success is personal motivation. “It comes down to priorities – it is possible to eat out and eat healthily and not get drunk,” she says. “We help people to understand the costs and benefits of a healthy lifestyle.”
Visit fia.org.uk, achievemore.me.uk
Top tips
- Going for a run in a new city is a good way of orientating yourself, as well as keeping fit. Check with the concierge for good loop routes.
- Stretching is relaxing, helps with flexibility, protects against injury and can be done in your hotel room.
- Keep a clean gym or swimming kit in your suitcase so that it is always on hand.
Livestrong.com
Cyclist Lance Armstrong’s website, livestrong.com, is one worth checking out. It has 2.2 million registered users and is a portal for health and well-being related topics. You can monitor your calorie intake, exercise for free, save running routes and share ideas with other users. The website also has a “dare” section that compels users to take on a challenge, such as giving up smoking, losing weight or starting a new sport. Livestrong.com is also available as an iPhone and Blackberry application (US$2.99).
