17 Fitness Experts Share Tips for Staying Healthy on the Road

“I just made a new habit for myself: on airplanes, I read only for pleasure. No work, no work reading. I never did much work on planes, but I felt guilty about it. Now that I know that I’ll read for fun, I look forward to flying.” —Gretchen Rubin, author of Better Than Before

“I always pack fruit in my carry-on bag for snacking so I'm not skipping meals, and if there's a layover I look for a restaurant where I can grab a healthy meal with fresh vegetables and lean protein." —Gina Homolka, founder of Skinnytaste.com and author of The Skinnytaste Cookbook

“I wipe down the seats with cleansing cloths, drink at least three large water bottles throughout the trip to stay hydrated, and I meditate during take off. This is my absolute favorite time to meditate. There's something very relaxing about it.” —Gabrielle Bernstein, author of Miracles Now

“Bring a miniband—I like Perform Better or Hip Circle—and even if you don't have access to a gym, do some band exercises in your hotel room. All you need is 5-10 minutes a day. I like seated band hip abductions, lateral walks, and monster walks. Do 2-3 sets of 10-30 reps each to keep the glutes activated.” —Sohee Lee, C.S.C.S., founder of SoheeFit

“I recommend taking vitamins before your flight—ginger and garlic to ward off germs, valerian for sleep or ginseng to stay awake and get some work done! Take them with several glasses of water and do a short visual meditation before your flight for a more peaceful feeling.” —Tara Mackey, founder of The Organic Life Blog and author of Cured By Nature

“I try to drink 10 oz. of water with electrolytes—I love coconut water, but Smart Water works well too—for each hour on the plane. And I do Seated Twist and Seated Figure Four every hour on the plane. I heard from an engineer that plane seats are designed to concave your back so you are 2 inches smaller across, but that’s the worst position for a healthy spine! So these poses counterbalance that problem. I also carry an extra scarf and roll it up and put it at my back for lumbar support.” —Heather Peterson, Senior Vice President of Programming at Corepower Yoga

“I have an extremely sensitive immune system and when I travel between different drastically different climates it's important to flush and clear my internal organs with acidic lemon water and then fortify my immune system with Vitamin C tablets or powder. Everyone is different, but that little 'cocktail' is the best way for me to ward off illness.” —Jessamyn Stanley, yoga teacher and body positive advocate

“As a vegan, I don't have the option of just eating fast food for a few days when I travel, but Chipotle is always a safe bet for reasonably healthy food that can easily be made vegetarian or vegan. If I can find a Whole Foods, I stock up on simple fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, and by grazing on this stuff throughout the day, I often end up eating more healthily when I'm traveling than when I'm at home! I usually bring along an Aeropress and a small bag of coffee, which lets me make a delicious cup of joe in my hotel room or even on a plane.” —Matt Frazier, founder of No Meat Athlete

“When you're traveling, so many things are out of your control or different than what you're used to. Go into a trip knowing the top three things you need in order to feel good—your bare essentials—and do whatever it takes to protect those essentials. Mine are good sleep, a decent amount of vegetables, and some sort of movement every few days. I will go out of my way in order to make sure that these essentials are met, and then I can be flexible for everything else.” —Jamie Mendell, health coach

"One of our favorite ways to stay healthy when traveling is to mix our workouts with sightseeing! Most major cities offer active tours—everything from running to walking to biking to hiking. They can be a fun way to get out, get active and see new places and learn fun facts about where you are. If that's not an option, you can get ClassPass, which allows you to take different group exercise classes for a flat rate in cities all over the world.” —Jennipher Walters and Erin Whitehead, founders of Fit Bottomed Girls

“Most flights don’t offer anything in the way of healthy snacks (please note, cheese is not a health food item), so for the plane, pack fruit. The easiest is a banana, which also offers much-needed hydration. I don't ever forget my banana.” —Will Lanier, General Manager at Barry’s Bootcamp

“Double up on probiotics to build-up your immune system and support digestion. I like Proviotic (juice press’s exclusive, 100% vegan probiotic). You can’t take too much as it is solely healthy bacteria. When I’ve felt run down or like a flu was coming on, I’ve taken as many as 20 at one time and it works every time!” —Marcus Antebi, founder of Juice Press

“I have a slight obsession with quirky socks, and recently found out about compression socks while planning for a trip out of the country. They help with blood circulation and prevent blood clots, especially on flights longer than four hours. When I found out you could get them in cute patterns, I was sold!” —Shalisa Pouw, Senior Master Teacher Trainer at Pure Barre

“When looking to stay healthy on the road, it’s important to think about emotional health, too. The reality is, even in paradise, things can happen that can ruin your blissful mood. If you’re feeling anxious on a trip, practice chair pose for five deep breaths and focus on the mantra, ‘Don’t magnify success or failure.’ No matter where you are, this will challenge your concentration and coordination and keep you focused on anything other than your state of mind. The mantra will help you recognize that experiencing life through the lens of anxiety tends to magnify an issue to make it much bigger than it actually is. Tackling anxiety with this combo of physical and emotional workout will ultimately leave you feeling energized yet calmer and more centered - the perfect mindset to enjoy the rest of your trip!” —Rupa Mehta, author of The Nalini Method: 7 Workouts for 7 Moods

"I fly at least two times a week, and one is often a long haul. To keep healthy and feeling like ‘me,’ I do what I call The New Mile High Club. I drink a liter of water on the way to the airport, which usually means that the first thing I do after security is run to the restroom! In flight, I drink 2-3 more liters and just look at the walk to the restroom as a great way to stretch my legs. To prevent Alien Baby bloating in my stomach and feet—and curb digestive issues—I eat cooked veggies before I fly, stay vegan in flight, and go raw when I land.” —Lauren Imparato, founder of I.AM.YOU and author of RETOX: Healthy Solutions for Real Life

“My hotel workout is really simple, but very effective. I do what I call “prison pull-ups,” and this involves opening the bathroom door and draping a twice-folded towel over the top to protect your hands, and grinding out pull-ups. I run a circuit with these pull-ups, Bulgarian split squats (with one leg up on the couch, chair, bed) to failure, and push-ups (varied between flat push-ups and feet-elevated push-ups) to failure. Running a 3- to 5-set circuit with minimal rest between exercises is a simple, effective, gym-free, full-body workout.” —Alan Aragon, M.S., creator of Alan Aragon’s Research Review and author of The Lean Muscle Diet

“Have some fun! Don't obsess over finding a place to work out: take advantage of the opportunity of being in a different location and see what that area has to offer. State and national parks are a great place to look for fun, exciting adventures that get you moving.” —Nia Shanks, founder of Lift Like a Girl