Are you Keeping Fit On The Road?

From gooey cinnamon buns in the airport to bready breakfast buffets in the hotel to sitting all day in endless meetings, travel can be a minefield of diet and fitness don’ts. If you’re one of the millions of folks resolving to get fit in 2005, don’t let the pitfalls of the road deter your good intentions. Westin Hotels & Resorts has enlisted Reebok University Master Trainer Lisa Wheeler to devise tips to help travelers maintain their healthier lifestyles on the road.

“When we travel, we cede a lot of control over our schedule, our meals, our workout facilities and so forth, so it’s harder to stick to our diet and fitness routine,” says Wheeler. “I tell my traveling clients that when we’re on the road, our focus should be on maintenance – squeeze in workouts, eat right more often than not, and do our best to not totally erode all our good work.”

Eat Right on the Road – But Don’t Skip the Pasta in Italy!

According to Wheeler, too many folks skip breakfast, which is always a no-no, but particularly when you’re traveling and you really need energy to lug luggage, stand in endless lines and negotiate confusing airports. “Eat before you leave. Too rushed for a proper breakfast? Peanut butter on wheat toast is a great hit of carbs and protein. Hard boiled eggs, a banana, or an energy bar are other good choices for on the go travelers.”

The easiest thing to eat when you’re in a rush is typically the worst for you. Skip the bagels and the muffins that will ultimately slow you down.

Starving when you get to the airport? Wheeler says that you should disregard the first foods you see. “We’re assaulted in the airport with just about the worst of the worst of fast food. But if you look hard enough, you can eat healthy in the airports. Smoothy stands are becoming more common which can be a great choice, and fruit, hard boiled eggs, yogurt and salads are all available if you search a bit.”

Pack your own fuel. Wheeler always carries a stash of sports bars when she travels. But be sure to check out the calorie count and nutritional information because not all bars are created equal, and she cautions some are just candy bars in disguise.

Water, water, water. You can’t hydrate enough on the plane.

Call ahead to your airline and order veggie, lo cal or kosher meals that tend to be the healthiest in flight fare. If you do order your meal after takeoff, opt for protein heavy meals (chicken, seafood, beef) vs. carb heavy sandwiches or pasta.

Don’t go crazy on the plane. “For those travelers lucky enough to fly business or first class, beware the feeding frenzy,” says Wheeler. “Try to eat like you would at home. So if you don’t tend to polish off a three-course meal with a giant hot fudge sundae at home, don’t eat one on the plane. I guarantee it’s not going to be the best hot fudge sundae you’ve ever had, so why blow it on a mediocre treat?”

If you’re traveling abroad, don’t deny yourself local delicacies. Life is too short to skip pasta in Florence or cheese in Paris. Remember that portion sizes abroad are usually not supersized like in the States, so chances are you’ll still consume less calories even if you are indulging.

But don’t look at travel as a free reign to eat. If you’re going to pig out at dinner, back off a bit on your breakfast and lunch. Remember, the key to lifelong good eating habits is balance.

If you are going to splurge a little, make it count. “Don’t blow your diet on a Snickers bar or a bag of Doritos walking through the airport – hold out for really special treats in a fabulous environment,” says Wheeler.

We’ve all been faced with a bread and pastry laden buffet in hotels. Wheeler recommends you order room service breakfast where you can control you’re meal.

Attending a cocktail party or night out on the town with clients? Wheeler recommends sticking to red wine. “At least it’s good for your heart!” And her advice? “Have a few glasses of really good wine vs. a few too many mediocre drinks.”

Maintaining a Fitness Routine 10,000 Miles from Home – Aim to “Break Even”

“When we travel, we have to plan our schedule, meetings, transportation and clothes ahead of time, and we really have to do the same with our fitness regimen,” says Wheeler. “Call ahead and make sure your hotel has a good gym. Inquire about nearby fitness clubs that might offer classes you’d like, or research local running routes. And schedule exercise ahead of time, incorporating time into your itinerary so you’ll be much likely to actually do it when you arrive.

Packing running shoes is a big pet peeve. Stuff the shoes with underwear and socks – use the space wisely. Consider bringing old shoes that you can leave behind in the hotel room. Pack one pair of shorts or exercise pants and one t-shirt and wash them out in the room.

Exercise in the morning. Get it over with – at the end of the day there are too many variables that may get in the way. Besides, if you work out in the morning, you’ll perform better all day.

Squeeze in what you can. Even 20 minutes of exercise is better than 0 minutes. “I tell my clients that workouts on the road are about “breaking even.” Don’t expect the workout of your lifetime when you travel, it’s probably not a reality. Just try not to lose any ground on the good habits you’ve established at home.”

Schedule too packed to get to the gym? Take the stairs. Do some sit-ups and push-ups in your room. Go for a walk on your break. Remember, you’re just trying to “break even.”

Never underestimate the pros of recharging on the road with a nap, a bath or a silly movie – business travel is tough, don’t feel guilty if you find a little time to veg out.

WestinWORKOUT® Powered by Reebok Solves Many Hotel Fitness Woes

Just in time to cater to the 25% of Americans resolving to get fit in 2005, Westin Hotels & Resorts has spent $12 million to build new fitness centers. Thousands of brand new treadmills, cycles, elliptical trainers, medicine balls, yoga mats and core boards have been installed in 53 new WestinWORKOUT® Powered by Reebok fitness facilities recently opened in Westin hotels in North America, Mexico and the Caribbean. Another 40 new fitness centers will debut in 2005, primarily in Europe and Asia-Pacific. WestinWORKOUT® Powered by Reebok features new custom-designed fitness facilities with state-of-the art equipment from Life Fitness® and Precor®; Cardio Theater®; a Reebok®-designed fitness regimen for travelers; and an in-room yoga workout.

Westin partnered with worldwide fitness leader Reebok to develop the travel industry’s most extensive fitness and wellness program. The sleek new fitness rooms are inspired by upscale health clubs and feature treadmills, upright bikes, recumbent bikes, steppers, elliptical trainers as well as leg extension, leg curl, shoulder press, lat pulldown and chest machines, free weights and Cardio Theater – personal viewing screens and sound systems on all cardio equipment. Each fitness room also features a Reebok Core Training Zone, a unique center created to improve strength, flexibility, balance and aerobic conditioning and outfitted with special equipment by Reebok including Core Boards, medicine balls, stability balls and resistance tubing.

The fitness experts at Reebok University also developed 20, 40 and 60-minute workouts exclusively for Westin guests. These complete body workouts target each major muscle group and can fit into the busy schedule of any business traveler.

Westin Hotels & Resorts, with 120 hotels and resorts in 30 countries and territories, is owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 750 properties in more than 80 countries and 110,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. With internationally renowned brands, Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts including: St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, Sheraton, Westin, Four Points by Sheraton, W brands, as well as Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.westin.com.

Reebok International Ltd., headquartered in Canton, MA, is a leading worldwide designer, marketer and distributor of sports, fitness and casual footwear, apparel and equipment under the Reebok, Rockport, CCM, JOFA, KOHO and Greg Norman Brands and footwear under the Polo Ralph Lauren Brand. Sales for 2003 totalled approximately $3.5 billion.

Source: Westin Hotels & Resorts