I travel a lot, but because of all my on-camera work, it’s important for me to stay on top of my fitness, beauty and fashion routines no matter what. It’s easy to fall off the bandwagon when it comes to fitness when you’re traveling, but luckily for me, I don’t rely on an official workout schedule to stay in shape. Instead, I rely on using and implementing daily activity for my exercise – this also saves a lot of time! My state of mind is to always be moving and exercising throughout my day, whether it’s taking stairs instead of elevators or parking in the space furthest away at the shopping center. When I walk around the office, I do so at a brisk pace; it burns calories, but it also helps me get more accomplished. I also try to switch out lunch meetings with loved ones or even business associates for walks or hikes with them. Lastly, I use a wristband to track all my steps in a day and strive to get in 10,000 a day. I don’t always get them in, but I try! This overall state of mind, and all these activities, really make a difference for when I can’t engage in official workouts. Music is also helpful. I love all kinds of music from hard rock to Mediterranean to pop. Recently, I’ve been getting into I Heart Radio and all their playlists to fill the need. For travel and for working out, playlists are a must.
That said, while I think it’s important to keep moving all day, if you have time to dedicate to a workout – even if you don’t have time to get to a gym – there are plenty of effective things you can do that don’t require much, if any, equipment. I outline several routines for bedside and desk workouts as well as urban, outdoor and park workouts in my book. My favorite routine uses nothing more than a park bench! If you invest in inexpensive, space-saving, yet effective, tools like resistance bands, mats, balls and light dumbbells, you can do even more. I also find that fashion choices help me have a better workout, so I make sure to always have some of my favorite fitness fashion brands on hand, which include Heidi Klum’s line for New Balance and Body Language.
Beauty-wise, my needs change with seasons and depending on where I’m going, but my must-haves are lip, face and body sunscreen. The sun can really age your skin and worse, unprotected exposure increases your chances of skin cancer. With my beauty products as well as my fashion pieces, however, I make sure to pack wisely. I always lay out my outfits on my bed and recycle pieces within outfits so I don’t overpack. It saves me so much time and stress. Also, since I travel a lot, I have to put makeup in plastic zippered pouches that I can just take out of my suitcase and hang in my bathroom. When you travel, you have enough stress without adding more with packing improperly. Also, you want to enjoy your time in the city. The more prepared you are, the more you’ll be able to do that. I fold clothes properly and utilize every crevice of the suitcase. The perimeter surrounding clothing offers useful space for flats, sneakers, underwear and clothing that you can roll up. I stuff socks inside sneakers and shoes.
My biggest tip for living out of a suitcase, however, is – hydrate! Drink lots of water when flying and during your days, too. When we travel, we are at motels and hotels, and access to bottled and filtered water is more limited. Plus, we probably drink and eat poorly which only dehydrates you further. When you land, hit a local grocery or convenience store and pick up bottled water and even fruits and vegetables too, if you can.
