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Fitness/ training while on the road

J

Jason Wells

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Full Member
Minuteman
Dec 31, 2010
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Staunton VA
Ok, new year, time to get in shape. I am on the road about 25 days a month, living in hotels and eating from restaurants. I typically don't have any way to store or prepare food, I often get off work too late to hit a gym and only about half of the hotels I live in have any type of fitness room. As for exercise I can do push ups and sit ups of varying types as a good start, diet is the hard part. I'm 5-7" 155lb. 35 years old. My main focus is better endurance and more agility, I'll never lift 400 lbs. or be ripped- don't wanna be, I want to be fast, agile, and have good endurance... as good as a 35 year old can have!

Any suggestions on food I can eat that is healthy, fast, and not crazy expensive. I am also looking into a meal supplement/ vitamins to help fill in the blanks left by a crappy diet.

Thanks for you help!
 
Re: Fitness/ training while on the road

You can order the DVD set "Insanity" from www.beachbody.com and can just pop the disc in your laptop computer and do the workout easily in your hotel room. As for food, check out the meditteranean diet. You can easily do this diet on the road. You just have to be a little choosy. Good luck. I did both of these and had very good results.
 
Re: Fitness/ training while on the road

P90X has modified techniques for use with bands and towels in hotel rooms. They also have a hotel room DVD.

P90X works. If you do the work.
 
Re: Fitness/ training while on the road

I just got the P90X videos and will be starting them soon. It's the same company as Insanity. Like you said, it works if you put in the work.
 
Re: Fitness/ training while on the road

Carried my TRX the last few years. Retired now, but is still one of my favorite workouts.
 
Re: Fitness/ training while on the road

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: _9H_Cracka</div><div class="ubbcode-body">P90X has modified techniques for use with bands and towels in hotel rooms. They also have a hotel room DVD.

P90X works. If you do the work. </div></div>

+1

I would add.... watch your diet. Try your best to eat clean and don't forget to stay hydrated. Pack quality snacks that you can eat between breakfast lunch and dinner. Get OCD about your eating. It pays off once you get into a groove.

My 2c
 
Re: Fitness/ training while on the road



I would add.... watch your diet. Try your best to eat clean and don't forget to stay hydrated. Pack quality snacks that you can eat between breakfast lunch and dinner. Get OCD about your eating. It pays off once you get into a groove.

My 2c [/quote]

+1..

Just cause you have to eat out all the time, doesn't mean it has to be bad. Have no shame in asking for a plain chicken breast with a side of veggies. I haven't found a place yet that won't compily. Then do some kind of physical activity for 30min if that's all you have time for.
 
Re: Fitness/ training while on the road

I chose Insanity over P90X simply because you don't need anything at all. No bands, no weights, no anything. I travel for a living, and you'll see results with in a month. And that was with out changing my diet. Which pretty much sucks.
 
Re: Fitness/ training while on the road

I will reccomend insanity as well.

I travel about 15-20 days a month and its a good program that doesn't require any extra equipment.

Diet of course is 75% of your results...thats the hard part.

I bring along some protien powder to use in place of meals.
Especially the hotel breakfasts...even the eggs are full of grease/crap.

Start walking to or getting rides to grocery stores for food. You can usually pick up a salad or some lean sandwich meat for pretty cheap.
 
Re: Fitness/ training while on the road

WATER INTAKE.

One of the biggest things when I travel is I realize I don't drink enough water. Watch your water intake, and that helps often so you don't overeat.
 
Re: Fitness/ training while on the road

Air squats, push-ups, sit-ups, running, burpees, tuck jumps and eating paleo is what I do when I am on the road. Mix it all up and make your own workouts. People look at me like I am crazy when I jump off the treadmill do some burpees do some air squats and get back on the treadmill . Lots of water especially if you are flying. Check out crossfit.com and they have a section for travel workouts.
 
Well I am in the same boat as you are when it comes to being gone a lot, I am at a motel myself at least 25 days a month,in the last 2 months I have probably been in a motel 56 of 60 days so we do have some things in common, What I do for diet is , in the mornings 2-3 cups of coffee and creamer but no sugar,then usually 1 pack of any oatmeal, then for lunch I usually go to chic fil a and get there south west wrap and only have half for lunch with water or tea, or subway and get a flat bread turkey sandwich 6" no chips and water then for dinner I go to chilis ,logans ect, and get there chicken salad or health nut meal which is 550 calories, I usually have tea for dinner or water , I try not to eat any sugar in any thingand if I go to any fast food places its salad only chicken nuggets or a small portion, and always stay away from fries, potatoes, rice ect,after work I usually do about 30 minutes on the treadmill every day and about 20 minutes or situps ,push ups, tricep dips ect in the room, I keep calories under 1500 per day and I am 5,10 and 170# 55 years old and feel great so if you look around the eating and diet arent a problem just doing its the hard part
 
mowrey1999 said:
Well I am in the same boat as you are when it comes to being gone a lot, I am at a motel myself at least 25 days a month,in the last 2 months I have probably been in a motel 56 of 60 days so we do have some things in common, What I do for diet is , in the mornings 2-3 cups of coffee and creamer but no sugar,then usually 1 pack of any oatmeal, then for lunch I usually go to chic fil a and get there south west wrap and only have half for lunch with water or tea, or subway and get a flat bread turkey sandwich 6" no chips and water then for dinner I go to chilis ,logans ect, and get there chicken salad or health nut meal which is 550 calories, I usually have tea for dinner or water , I try not to eat any sugar in any thingand if I go to any fast food places its salad only chicken nuggets or a small portion, and always stay away from fries, potatoes, rice ect,after work I usually do about 30 minutes on the treadmill every day and about 20 minutes or situps ,push ups, tricep dips ect in the room, I keep calories under 1500 per day and I am 5,10 and 170# 55 years old and feel great so if you look around the eating and diet arent a problem just doing its the hard part
Click to expand...

Something I have a hard time with is hunger, I work at least 12 hours a day and burn some calories. How do I learn how many calories I need to stay energetic but not contribute to the gut? I have nearly stopped sodas completely, down from 3-5 20ouncers a day to none- with the occasional diet soda. I drink nearly all water. Sometimes theres just not a quick healthy thing to eat during our 30 minute lunch, but I have started staying away from the fries and burgers.
 
well, I am not going to say I am not hungry at times, But they do say to drink a lot of water to help against the hunger, I know in my case i dont like water and have tried to drink a little but its hard for me since it would make me sick if I drank a full glass at once.I think the best thing to track calories and really get a handle on your intake and exercise is to get a program like myfitnesspal.com
You can download it on your phone and track your foods as you eat them, If you go to a restraunt you can just put in the name of a lot of popular places and it tells the calories of a lot of there meals, It also let you put in how much exercise you do a day and takes those calories off your total intake, it will tell your total carbs for the day, protein, fat ect, so you can figure out what you need to know to help lose weight,I mentioned above what helps me most is small meals or eating something every 2-3 hours.
to help with energy in my case any way I try to eat carbs that are slow burning or complex carbs ,like oatmeal in the morning,they help in keeping a full feeling and then trying to eat something every 2-3 hours will help to , so just wanted to throw out a suggestion, hope it helps but its definately hard since were raised on all the things that are bad for you and then you get used to eating all that good stuff and dont want to stop so if the govt, wants to get rid of people all they have to do is contaminate the food supply and people wont last long.
 
Forgot to ask are you driving or flying? If you are driving, toss in 1 or 2 Kettle Bells, you can do tons of workouts with them and keep/build your strength. Youtube has lots of Kettle Bell exercises that are fun as well as giving you strength and cardio training.
 
I travel extensively and here are the things. Weight is diet based, endurance/shape/definition is exercise based.

1. Start taking a lunch box with you. Pack things like protein bars/powder, blender bottle, ricecakes w peanut butter, almonds, veggies, etc for snacks every 2-3 hrs. <- This is key...
2. Find a grocery store and buy groceries, you can easily buy a $5 styrofoam cooler for your room if you cant get a fridge. another option is to pack your trash can/sink/tub with ice to use as a cooler. Its not hard to make microwave rice/peppers/canned chicken/avocado in your room.
3. Local gyms will usually negotiate on day/week passes. Typically this can be a reimbursable expense especially if you have a gym membership back home you cant use because of travel.
4. Try and get a room rate that includes breakfast. If not, pick something up on the way in to work or reference #2.
5. Try and get a room at a suite style of hotel and you will have your entire kitchenette where you can make your breakfast , lunch, dinner.
6. Be creative with keeping food cold. PAck your meals for the week, freeze them in vacum packed bags, and store on ice at hotel. Not that hard. Make meals that you can eat cold so you dont have to worry about warming up.
 
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I've got my lunch box with me this trip. I split up my trips flying/ driving, never know when or how far I'll be going so I really can't take anything extra with me as far as kettle balls or the TRX system, I know it only weighs a few ounces, but so do some of my tools. I'm getting into a routine with daily exercise- have been for the last month or so. Soda's are out except when I need a push for a long 16+ hour day or a long drive. Still drink one 16 ounce monster in the morning- water after that. I'm going to force myself to eat a small breakfast- probabaly oatmeal, I hate eating in the morning. I'll hit the store again tomorrow night for some healthy snacks. What makes smaller meals at closer intervals so important? I'm still stuck in my 26 year old mindset or get up, eat a sugar breakfast (Mountain Dew and candy bar) then run like hell all day until I can't take it any more, then eat and repeat.

Old habits are dying and I'm feeling great!

Thanks all for your help, keep the suggestions coming!
 
Nike training club is an app you can download on the iphone (for free). They have 15-30 minute targeted area work outs. Most of the work outs do not need weights or a medicine ball. When we travel we usually pack a cooler and try to take almonds and vegetables.
A company called phoenix nutritional has some of the best protein shake as far as vitamins and nutrients go that I have been able to find.
 
Your biggest challenge is going to be the diet. Living in a rented box generally means you're eating out (processed shit). Relying on supplements (slightly better processed shit) is only going to go so far. Your diet is the key. Everything else can be accomplished with running and resistance training - using your own body weight (call yourself a stud when you can do planche push ups and run 10 miles - I cann't BTW).

May you one day get off the road.


Good luck
 
Diet is definately the tough part, The more water I drink and the better I eat the hungrier I get- but I'm getting there. Getting off the road, don't see that in the future, hard to make any money in town. When I get back in town I'm going to research diet and try to make a daily plan of things I can eat and meals that are nutritous, easy to prepare in a hotel room, and hopefully inexpensive- I do well with plans and programs, left to my own natural human ways I gorge myself on fattening delicous resturant prepared food!
 
When I'm on the road I try and hit a grocery store. I buy some fresh fruit/berries--I'll pay a little more for the precut stuff like melon since I'm in a hotel. I'll buy the foil packs of tuna and swing by the deli are to get a few plastic utensils. Eat the tuna or salmon right out of the pouch. DO NOT EVEN LOOK AT THE FRIED CHICKEN AT THE DELI! I try and stick with low or no carbs and lean protein. Sometimes I really want something hot and the deli will have baked chicken breasts. I also try and stay at hotels with microwaves in the rooms so I can expand my options just a bit--like some of the healther canned soups (progress black bean, progresso lentil, etc.). It takes a ton of effort and willpower and I have plenty of blown days where I can't resist tempation. But I get back on the wagon!

Good Luck! I'm just a fat kid waitin' to get out!
 
Jason you happen to be a pipeline/oil/gas field hand??? You just described my life in the last few posts other than the fact you do get a chance to go home every so often. I spend at least 200 nights a year in hotels or shitty apartments, last year was 318 though.
 
mrsleeve said:
Jason you happen to be a pipeline/oil/gas field hand??? You just described my life in the last few posts other than the fact you do get a chance to go home every so often. I spend at least 200 nights a year in hotels or shitty apartments, last year was 318 though.
Click to expand...

No, not a gas hand, I do Industrial Refrigeration service- mostly on cold storage/ food processing facilities. Thought about oil field work a few years ago and found myself doing refrigeration instead, pays well and been doing it for nearly 11 years now so why change! Oil field work is booming though from what I hear. I usually spend around 250-275 nights out a year.
 
honestly. if you have a internet connection just go to Bodyrock.tv and follow their work outs. you dont' need any special equipment and the workouts are different everyday and your body will never adapt to the routine. rest is following a good diet minimizing carbs. good luck..
 
No matter what you decide to do, it should be something you enjoy doing. You don't need to kill yourself either, at least, not daily. 3 days per week paired with better nutrition will take you quite a ways. I too travel a couple of weeks per month and have had to ditch the restaurants almost completely. There are times where it's unavoidable, and in those instances I usually seek out Subway or Jason's Deli. Pretty much all fast food / sit down style restaurants are not going to have anything truly healthy or that will allow you to be satisfied and within a reasonable calorie range.

Learn to use the grocery store to your advantage. If I'm going to be living in a hotel for a week or more, the first stop into the area is to buy some microwavable containers, plastic utensils and a gallon of water; I suppose if you're driving you can just bring this stuff with you. Boneless skinless chicken breast, canned chicken breast, tuna, fresh shrimp, eggs, sweet potato, plain flavored greek yogurt + berries and any fresh / raw vegetables. Ceviche, believe it or not is doable in your hotel room with nothing but the ingredients, a container and a fridge. I suppose if your hotel room has no microwave or mini-fridge, your SOL.

I've also packed 4 days worth of homemade sausage, pureed squash and vegetables and carried it on the plane with me.

There are ways around it, they're just not socially normal (your life, not theirs) or things you're used too.
 
Ill 2nd the TRX. I have the TRX Force Kit Tactical T3. It is and amazing tool. The 12 week program is outstanding. And everything weighs probably about a pound and fits in a very small running pack. I am a TRX Force L1 Instructor now got my certification to help teach my troops. It's a wonder on the road, TDYs, Deployments, you name it. If you say you can't carry anything. I call bullshit. Take a pair of pants and a shirt out and put this in. Done.
 
A couple of my personal favorites for on the road workouts.

1. IM Rings from body by jake, especially useful with something like P90X, which you can run from your laptop
2. Rip60: Soft Kettle Bell
3. X-factor by Weider

The IM rings are simply the lightest and most portable option you can do for adding strength training. They take up nearly no room, will easily fit in a carry-on, and can generate a brutally effective workout almost anywhere. The Rip60: soft kettle bell, is a little bulky and heavy at 20 lbs, but breaks down nicely, is easy to transport and gives you lots of options for a dynamic workout that will allow you to build speed, agility, dexterity, and endurance. Don't sell it short as an option, it travels far better than you might think. Finally, the x-factor, it gives you an essential gym that takes up remarkably little space with up to 200 lbs of resistance. It is a good alternative to the other two options above, but a little more of a PiTA to travel with. However you can do just about any cable exercise you can imagine and then some, elastics mean that you can work speed and agility as well.

Diet, that's the hardest part by far. I like to rely on hard boiled eggs, they are cheap, readily available sources of protein. You'll also want to get basic fruits and veggies like bananas, carrots, and other "snackable" stuff. I am not sure if you are going anywhere remote, but you should consider packing a reasonably nice quality veggie peeler and paring knife so that you can take advantage of fresh produce when possible. Traveling by plane vs car makes a difference, if you travel primarily by car, the answer is super easy, get an Oster model 5711 food steamer. You can make damn near anything in this.

A steamer like the oster might seem a little ridiculous at first until you really consider what and how you can cook with it.

examples: Pasta, chicken, beans, broccoli, carrots, potatoes, eggs, rice, couscous, etc. It's super flexible, super healthy, requires just water and a 120v outlet.

Pasta (Tortellini) 6 mins
Potstickers 6 mins
Chicken Breast 25 mins
Hard Boiled eggs 20 mins
Edemame 3-5 mins
Rice 30 mins
Fish 20 mins
Corn 20 mins

No temps to set, no burning food, fast cooking, stupid simple, and finally it's super healthy to steam vs any other method of cooking! You certainly could pack this in a regular suitcase.
 
Yea, diet is definitely the hard part. I tend of over-eat/binge when I'm tired and/or stressed and that happens quite a bit while I'm traveling.

I tried to do some light jogging and swimming whenever I'm on the road now and it's gotten better.
 
Eating every 2-3 hrs help keep metabolism going. I drive a truck 6 days a week and it is hard to eat right out here I have electric cooler in my truck yet it is still pain to eat healthy and exercises well work in progress. You can find a bunch of body weight routines on line that are easy and advanced that do wonders. Good luck
 
Jason,

I'm on the road about 250 days a year. I use resistance bands, I fly and they fit in my bag along with Perfect PushUp bars that break down flat. I follow the workouts on http://www.bodylastics.com/, for a few dollars a month, you get a choice of many workout programs that are stored from live workouts. I follow the Chiseled band workouts, they change the routine every month so you will not get bored doing the same thing over and over. I haven't touched a free weight in several years and I am stronger than I ever was from free weight workouts. Resistance bands are excellent core builders.
 
My job requires me to travel so I can relate. At the very least I can resort to simple calisthenics. Hopefully, the hotel has a small gym. My regular routine is to use the treadmill on incline carry 3-5 pounds dumbbells until I reach 500 feet between 1 mile and 1.25 miles. But this biggest problem about work related travel is just feeling tired all the time. Jack LaLanne got it right a long time ago. He also mentions the supplements you need in a nutshell. He also adds that small workouts each day are sufficient as well as using small exercise devices, which I notice several travelers above talking about the same thing. I never thought about that but will start it. Traveling is a bitch. There seems to never be a convenient way to excerise and eat right.

Jack Lalanne - Stop being so Tired - YouTube
 
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