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Dr. Jo's Traveling Workout

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By Dr. Jo, AKA Joanne V. Lichten, PhD, RD

Posted August 6th, 2007

Traveling can make it difficult to fit in your daily workout. Joanne V. Lichten, PhD, RD knows. Dr Jo began traveling about 100 days a year back in 1994. Blaming everything from fast food, stress, and ill-equipped workout rooms, she found herself slipping from her normal routine and putting on unwanted pounds. As a professional speaker on health and wellness topics, she knew she had to make some changes. That's when she began to research solutions in the literature and from hardy travelers. The suggestions were put together in her book, How to Stay Healthy & Fit on the Road.

What's your excuse for not working out on the road? Dr Jo offers these solutions:

No time?
New research supports that your "workout" can be just as effective if you split it into 10-minute chunks. So skip the airport tram and take a brisk walk to the next terminal. You do have your luggage on wheels, right? Keep in mind, that although exercise "takes" time, it also "gives back" time through better health, improved sleep, and increased energy.
Too much to do?
Next time you're "stuck" on how to handle a situation or respond to that email, take a walk with a mini notepad and pen. Many people find that exercise has a way of stimulating creative and useful thoughts and solutions. Walking is a great forum for practicing your upcoming speech or your script to ask for a raise.
Bad weather outside?
Book a hotel that's close to a mall; they're often open longer hours to accommodate mall walkers. Or walk the halls of the hotel in the evening to decrease stress and walk off dinner. Fit in a "stair stepper" routine by walking up and down a safe stair well.
Exhausted?
Most of us aren't tired due to strenuous physical work. Chances are it's mental stress that's zapping our energy - and exercise is just what we need to recharge our body and mind. Find some movement that you really like and get going. You'll be happy you did.
No motivation?
Call 800-YOUR-BODY for three free minutes of fitness counseling (8am-5pm PST) from The Aerobic and Fitness Association of America (www.afaa.com). Or log onto www.fitnesslink.com for self-help quizzes, exercises, and tips for getting in shape.
No weights?
Pack your workout tubing (stretchy rubber tubes with handles). They provide a great weightlifting workout.
Too stressful?
If you find exercise stressful, you're probably working out at too high of an intensity or your workout is too long. Beginners should start slowly with just ten minutes of aerobic exercise and increase the length by no more than 10% a week (11 minutes for week two, 12 minutes for week three, etc). Working out will often feel stressful if you don't like the activity - keep looking for an option you enjoy.
Bored?
Don't just exercise. Pair your workout with a book, newspaper, or magazine. Motivate yourself by allowing yourself to read your leisure book only when you're exercising. Listen to TV, books-on-tape, or music. You can buy audiotapes at bookstores and second hand stores, borrow them from the local library, or rent them from grocery stores. When you're traveling, rent tapes at Cracker Barhref® restaurants. They will charge full sales price for the audio tape and refund all but $3 per week when you return the tape to any of their locations.
Don't know what to do?
Get a trainer. Larger facilities and health resorts can often help you schedule a personal fitness trainer or call AFAA at 800-YOUR-BODY for a referral in your area. Exercise videos can also teach you what to do. The hotel fitness facility may have some exercise videos or bring your own. Once you become familiar with your routine, connect your VCR at home to any stereo system with a tape deck. This allows you to transform your exercise video into a portable audio workout for travel.
No workout room in the hotel or bad equipment?
Check with the concierge. There's probably a workout facility in town that will give you a discount just by showing your hotel room key. Or try Dr Jo's Hotel Room Workout.

Dr Jo's Hotel Room Workout

For a complete body workout routine (cardiovascular, strength building, and stretching), try Dr Jo's Hotel Room Workout. Complete details are included her book, How to Stay Healthy & Fit on the Road. As with any workout, check with your doctor first. And use common sense - a proper workout should not leave you feeling totally exhausted. If you experience symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, or chest pains, stop the exercise session immediately and consult your physician.

Warm-Up (3 minutes)
Prepare your body for exercise by moving slowly for 3 minutes. Turn on your favorite music station and start marching, pacing the room, jogging in place, or just dancing to the music.

Circuit Training
Now it's time to pick up the pace. For a 30 minute routine, design eight sets consisting of just one minute of aerobic exercise alternating with 8-15 slow repetitions of a strengthening exercise using an exercise tube available at your local sporting goods store.

Aerobic exercise - Adjusting the intensity according to your fitness level, choose from any of the following: jump rope, march in place, do the twist, run in place, or just dance!
Strengthening exercises - After each minute of aerobic exercise, do one of the strengthening exercises included with the exercise tube including squats, lunges, hamstring curls, seated row, push-ups, bicep curls, tricep extensions, and side lateral raises.

Cooldown, Abs, & Flexibility Moves

Slow moves -- walk the room for 1-2 minutes.
Stomach crunches.
Stretches - finish up with a few minutes of some of your favorite stretches, holding each movement for 10-20 seconds and do not bounce.