The Personal Trainer's Guide to Staying Healthy While Traveling
Introduction
Many of my personal training clients fear they will sacrifice their health and weight-loss goals while traveling. Fear not! Here is my quick guide to maintaining what you worked so hard for!
Don’t touch your face without washing your hands.
Whether traveling by plane, train, or automobile, you are most likely spending time in well-populated public places, which increases your exposure to bacteria and viruses. While I don’t think you should hole yourself in a closet for the rest of your life, I do advocate some boundaries. The first rule of staying healthy on the road is to resist the urge to touch your face without washing your hands first. You might be surprised to learn how often you touch your lips, nose, and eyes each day. Each swipe of your hand gives germs access to your system. Considering that you’re sharing doorknobs, railings, counters, and faucet handles, your hands are constantly in contact with the world. Do yourself a favor and resist the urge to touch your face until you wash your hands.
2. Use disinfecting wipes while flying.
Have you ever witnessed airline staff members wiping down tray tables and seat belts? Me neither. On average, each plane will see at least two flights each day (and we don’t know what special germs were left behind for us). Most likely, you will eat and/or drink from the tray table… which makes cross-contamination easy. Before you sit, quickly wipe the seatbelt and the top and bottom of the tray table for 20 seconds. The little things that we overlook are the ones that affect us the most.
3. Always carry a water bottle.
Too often, dehydration is a cause of our exhaustion and hunger. With the constant access to junk food on the road, it’s easy to convince yourself that you need an indulgence as a remedy (when all you need is a simple sip). Make yourself a rule: Any time you’re tired or hungry, drink 4-8 ounces of water and reassess. You might be surprised what you’ll find.
4. Walk.
Usually, your vacations are jam-packed with tourist activities… which rarely meet your minimum requirements for healthy physical movement. While I wouldn’t expect you (or my personal training clients) to exercise several hours per day during your break from reality, replacing your cab/Uber rides with walks will still help you maintain your health and possibly weight loss. Believe it or not, walkers do lose weight while eating their way through Italy. Walking is the easiest way to move on the road and a great way to immerse yourself in new neighborhoods while keeping your engine revved up. Keep your senses alive and rise beyond the seat!
5. Split food.
Enjoy the best of a dining experience while shrinking your portions: Split with a buddy! Instead of ordering two separate entrees (which are probably big enough for 3), share an entrée and an appetizer. This foodie approach is an easy way to enjoy more than one taste of the local culture while avoiding a belt-busting experience.
6. Finding a running group in the city that you’re visiting or signing up for a 5k.
Running is a global phenomenon that connects many cultures. Find another way to communicate with the community you’re visiting, and find a local runner meetup. What a neat way to participate in a social workout in a new environment! Google “running groups (insert location)” or “running clubs (insert location)” and extend yourself! You can also sign up for a random 5k to enhance your workout, too!
7. Make your food count with the ChefsFeed phone app.
I always say that if you’re going to do it, do it well. Since my wife, Sammy, is an event sales manager in the restaurant industry, you probably know I’m referring to restaurants. Exploring new dishes is a way of life—my life—and it tends to guide my travel choices. I can give you my usual personal trainer spiel on following a true vegan lifestyle to achieve optimal health (even though we all should). Instead, I’d rather try to persuade you to change your relationship with food. Stop eating to fill up and eat with intent instead. Use the ChefsFeed phone app to strategically celebrate the favorite dishes and restaurants chosen by local chefs. Enter your location and browse the many recommendations from host culinary experts. It is possible to meet your health goals while still enjoying the best of life. You need to be mindful and selective. Thanks for this suggestion, Carol!
About the Author: Michael Moody, Wedding Officiant
Michael Moody—author of the self-improvement book Redefine Yourself: The Simple Guide to Happiness and host of the “The Elements of Being” podcast—is an ordained minister serving Denver and other towns across Colorado. He is a 2023 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award winner in both Denver and Chicago (his eighth consecutive year), was named “Best Business of 2024 and 2025” by Three Best Rated, and earned “The Best Wedding Officiant in Commerce City, Colorado for 2024” from Quality Business Awards USA. Since 2012, he has officiated more than 300 weddings.
Specifically, Michael officiates wedding ceremonies in the Denver neighborhoods of LoDo, River North, Washington Park, Cherry Creek, City Park, Central Park, Capitol Hill, Cheesman Park, Park Hill, Highland, Platt Park, Lower Highlands, Sloan Lake as well as the zip codes 80215, 80214, 80204, 80203, 80205, 80207, 80218, 80219, 80222, 80223, 80224, 80246, 80238, 80221, 80022, 80230, 80231, 80202, 80209, 80247, and 80210. Michael also serves as an ordained minister in Golden, Boulder, Breckenridge, Frisco, Aspen, Vail, Estes Park, and more.
If your Denver neighborhood or Colorado town isn’t listed here, no worries! Please contact Michael to propose a wedding ceremony location in a different area!
