What if I told you that the quality of your life drops when you travel for work?

I was completely taken aback when I came across a study that people who travel often end up with symptoms of anxiety, depression, obesity and high blood pressure.

As a frequent traveller, I must admit that there is a tendency to slack on my healthy lifestyle when I travel. Just like many people who travel for work, it can be a challenge to do simple healthy activities like exercising and making better choices with your meals. Of course, the change of time zones destabilizes me leaving me sleep deprived.

What I observed is that when you make the decision to make healthier choices irrespective of which country you find yourself in, it’s extremely possible to keep a healthy lifestyle when you travel for work.

Here are some healthy and simple lifestyle choices you can make when you travel for work.

Switch your means of transportation

It’s so much more convenient to move around a new country or city in a car or taxi. However, convenience doesn’t always guarantee a healthy lifestyle.

Instead of hailing for a cab or renting a car, why not start walking to your destination? Walking is a healthy physical activity that will keep you fit while you’re in another country. The best part about taking a walk is that you get to soak in the scenery and explore the city you’re in.

Be conscious about what you eat

There is a tendency to be a little lax in your choice of food when you travel. And it’s understandable. You won’t be able to cook your own meals and since you’ll only be staying for a short time it won’t hurt eating poorly for a couple of days.

But those are just excuses. You should be as conscious about what you eat when you travel as you are when you’re home. Take time to carefully examine what’s available to eat. Choose food that is balanced and not too fatty.

Another tip is to practice intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting has a lot of health benefits and it’s perhaps one of the most ideal steps to take when you want to stay healthy.

Don’t stay stuck in a gym

Although it’s great to know that most hotels have gyms now, there’s nothing spectacular about working out in one. I’m not saying that gyms are bad. It’s just that all you’ll see are big equipment, weights and sweaty people.

However, you’ll get to enjoy the full benefit of your travel when you do your workout outside. Take a jog in the nearby park, cycle through the neighbourhood, or do some other outdoor sports. This way you not only give yourself a good workout, you also get to appreciate your new environment.

Get creative with your happy hours

There’s nothing like unwinding after a long day of work. You could go for a drink with some of your colleagues at a local bar or eat out at some restaurant.

But what if you think differently and add some culture to your hangouts? Instead of grabbing some drinks after work, why not go to the museum with your colleagues. This would not only help you get to know the culture of place you’re in, it also helps you relax and stimulate your mind as you learn new things.

How do you stay healthy when you travel for work?