Move when you are on the go!
Keep active while you are in transit. When you are traveling, anything you do that is physically active is a good for you, so take every opportunity to keep up with your commitment to exercising. Walk briskly through airport terminals and train stations. Take stairs instead of escalators. Carry or pull your own luggage. If possible, wear comfortable clothing when you travel – not only for the sake of comfort, but because it can double as workout attire.
Waiting for your flight? Filling up the gas tank? Taking a restroom break? Believe it or not, airports and highway service areas are great places to squeeze in some time to move your body. Take 10 minutes to do some lunges, jump up and down (alternate 30 seconds fast with 30 seconds slow), or perform some light jumping jacks. I’ve even been known to read a magazine at the airport while performing a stationary wall squat. (See pages 93-94) in The 10 Minute Total Body Breakthrough book) Hold the position for as long as you can, tightening your leg and butt muscles. You get a great flow of blood to your lower body, plus you get to catch up on your reading!
Whether you are flying or driving, you’ll have plenty of time sitting on your rump. You can do a variety of exercises while seated – for example, leg lifts, arm circles, and shoulder shrugs. To help your circulation, periodically tighten your arms and legs, then release. Another good exercise is to “sit and squeeze.” Make good use of the passing hours by tightening the muscles of your buttocks or your abdominal muscles and squeezing for 10 seconds. Relax and repeat. This simple movement helps increase your circulation and helps keep your muscles toned. Be warned that your body will go up and down when you squeeze your butt muscles, so the passenger next to you might be surprised.
If you are on a train or airplane, stand up and stretch every hour. Walk up and down the cabin to avoid stiffening and swelling of the legs. If you are in a car, pull over regularly for a walk. Remember to keep up the good habits you’ve acquired from your this program.
• Keep drinking your water. Whether you are driving or flying, it is important to keep your body hydrated to minimize fatigue, swelling and cramping. Security regulations forbid bringing bottled beverages onto an airplane, but try to drink at least eight ounces of fluid per hour while you are on board.
• Be aware of how many caffeinated beverages (coffee, tea, soda) and how much alcohol you are consuming when traveling. Both act as diuretics, which will add to your risk of dehydration.
• Practice your relaxation techniques while you are en route. Be sure to do one or two minutes of deep breathing and stretching every hour. This will keep your mind and body at ease, help prevent headaches, and keep you from wasting energy with tense, knotted muscles.
If you are an experienced traveler, you know that the air quality in airplane cabins can be very poor. Once you have landed, do some deep breathing and stretching to help re-oxygenate your cells.
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