Staying Healthy on the Road
A Q&A with fitness expert Carole Carson
We all understand the importance of staying healthy in our day-to-day lives, but travel nurses can be faced with a barrage of noxious choices while on the road. From the lure of fast food while driving to and from assignments, to abandoning fitness routines when in a new city, mobile health care professionals must be careful to avoid unhealthy temptations and make smart choices when on assignment. Here, Travelnursing.com asks fitness expert and coach Carole Carson to offer her best tips for staying healthy on the road.
Q. What general tips do you have for nurses to stay healthy while traveling?
A. Rather than a problem, consider staying healthy while traveling to be a wonderful challenge. Your goal should be to use travel as an opportunity to improve your health and fitness. Think of the positives. You may have more opportunities to walk and move than when you are at home. You have a new city to explore and find farmer’s markets, parks and new activities. And when eating out, you can order exactly what you want and have it prepared how you want to minimize calories. Exercising will be convenient because most motels and hotels have on-site workout facilities, and many housing complexes also have a gym or walking trails. Travel is also stimulating and demanding, so you won’t find yourself bored and going to the refrigerator and snack dispenser for distraction. Create goals for yourself before heading out, and challenge yourself to return healthier, happier and more rested. That way, traveling will be a broadening experience—not at a physical level?but at the emotional, intellectual and spiritual levels.
Q. We know that exercise is an important part of staying healthy on a travel nurse assignment. What are some tips on getting enough exercise or ideas on ways to keep fit without joining a gym?
A. The key to sustaining a fitness program is to find one or more ways to exercise that you enjoy. Walking outdoors is great because it requires little gear and is readily available. Netflix offers videos of exercise routines that can be used at home or on the road, and dozens of workout routines are available on the Internet. When I travel for an extended period, I pack an inflatable exercise ball, two hand weights, a flexible band and a jump rope. With these exercise toys, I can maintain my daily floor routine wherever I travel. For travel nurses, this type of equipment is also light weight and easy to pack as you travel to each new assignment. Also, when you arrive at your destination, look for new and interesting ways to exercise—from a yoga class at the local community center to grabbing some of your new nursing colleagues to try that dance class you’ve always wanted to—there are plenty of opportunities for exercise all around you.
Q. Nurses are busy and sometimes have irregular schedules. What advice do you have for nurses to stay healthy and get motivated in between a hectic schedule?
A. Take every opportunity you have to move. If you are going to meet with someone, suggest a “walk and talk.” If you have a choice of stairs or an elevator, use the stairs. Park at a distance from your workplace. While waiting in lines, push up on your toes to flex your leg muscles. If your job requires a lot of sitting, use your chair for creative arm and leg exercises.
Q. Food and nutrition is an essential part of staying healthy while traveling. Do you have any tips on how to avoid fast food and other junk that may seem convenient but is very unhealthy?
A. Food on the road has become healthier. Many chains now offer healthier options and post caloric content, thereby helping us make conscious choices. Almost all eating sites offer items that can form an appropriate meal. Eating healthy while traveling, however, is more challenging on two counts.
First, portion sizes in fast-food establishments and restaurants are huge! A platter of food that could easily feed two to three people may be served as an individual portion. Sharing items with a travel mate, packing food to eat later or simply discarding surplus food may be necessary.
Second, traveling can easily trigger an indulgence mentality. Here’s the thought process: “Normally I don’t have a cheeseburger, fries and milkshake for lunch. But since I’m traveling and everyone else is eating like this, I will make an exception.” Our bodies don’t know that we are traveling or that we are making an exception, so surplus calories will be stored.
Q. Any other tips for nurses who are looking to stay healthy while traveling?
A. Check out the resources in the surrounding community. You may be able to swim at a local club or join a walking group. If your schedule does not permit extended stays in one location, consider joining an online community, such as the AARP Fat 2 Fit online community, and report your weekly goals and daily progress. Surrounding yourself with like-minded fitness friends will counter the tendency to abandon a commitment to staying healthy while traveling. That way, the only thing you’ll gain during your travel is enhanced self-esteem.
Carole Carson is the author of From Fat to Fit: Turn Yourself into a Weapon of Mass Reduction and the national coach for the AARP Fat 2 Fit online community. Visit www.fromfat2fit.com for more information.
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