5 Ways to Stay Fit While Traveling

Working long hours and traveling between assignments can make finding time to exercise difficult, but you don't have to put your physical health on the back burner. As a busy locum tenens provider, you can manage to stay fit while traveling by using these five tips. ‍

Incorporate exercise in your day to day life The easiest way to exercise is to add it to your everyday life. For example, take the stairs instead of an elevator. Or, when you arrive at work, park further away from the main entrance to get more steps (experts recommend getting at least 10,000 steps a day). To get the most out of your steps, walk at a brisk pace like you are late to a meeting. Walking faster helps you maintain weight and manage other conditions like heart disease and high blood pressure.

‍Workout at home Just 30 minutes a day of exercise is all you need to maintain physical health. If you do not have enough time to go to the gym, you can find classes online for any type of workout you want to do whether that is a full-body, cardio, or another workout. There are subscription apps to choose from, or if you prefer a free option, simply go to Youtube and search what type of workout you want to do. If you are short on time, there are online workouts that are less than 30 minutes. These workouts may not be as long as experts recommend, but every little bit helps.

‍Meal prep One of the easiest ways to get off track with fitness is eating unhealthy meals. Unfortunately, when you work long hours and travel, it is hard to find time to eat well and cook nutritious food. Vending machines and meal delivery services make it easy to eat unhealthy foods out of convenience. To prevent snacking on unhealthy (yet convenient) food, try meal prepping. It may sound intimidating and time-consuming, but making your meals ahead of time can be simple using these tips. If you designate one night a week for preparing all of your meals you will save time in the long run.

‍Check-in on your mental health  Taking care of your mental health helps your physical health. It is not uncommon for locum tenens providers to suffer from burnout. Burnout can make you feel exhausted and increase cravings for junk food. Thankfully there are free tools you can use that help with meditation and mindful thinking, which can help you cope when you feel burnt out.

‍Just get moving The easiest way to stay fit while on assignment is to move whenever you can. Go for a walk around the office if you have a break during your shift. Take 30 minutes or less to complete an online workout class at home. Walk around the airport while you wait to board your flight. If you need extra motivation, invest in a device like an Apple Watch or Fitbit. Both of these smartwatches alert you when you've been sitting for too long and actively track your calories and exercise minutes throughout the day. No matter which method you use to stay fit while traveling, make sure to stick with it, and keep your health and well-being as a top priority.

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