Health & Fitness Items for Your 2023 Travels

Have you ever found yourself in a situation like this?

You go on vacation or a business trip, and there’s so much to do in so little time that your exercise routine falls through the cracks.

Between the sightseeing and the visiting and maybe the client meetings, you just “don’t have time” to exercise. Then you return home and find it difficult to get back on track.

Well, it’s a common problem. And, luckily, there’s a simple solution: Keep up your exercise while traveling! It’s easier than it sounds, and you’ll be glad you did – while you’re away and after you’re back home.

Now, we’re not talking about 100% maintenance. That might not be a priority for you, and it’s OK to dial it back sometimes, like when we’re on vacation or focusing intensely on business for a short, defined time period. (Remember, the aim is long-term consistency, not slavish devotion.)

But you need to move that body every day. If you’re on a hiking tour, then you’ve probably got it covered. But if you’re visiting family in another state, it might take a little effort.

Here’s how to make it easier without letting it dominate your trip.

Don’t Leave Home Without Them

1. Versatile workout clothes. Gym shorts that double as swimming trunks. Yoga pants you can wear on tours. Workout shoes that also work for long days walking.
2. Resistance bands, TRX equipment, or a jump rope. These are lightweight, easy to pack, and versatile for in-room workouts if your hotel doesn’t have a decent fitness center or there isn’t one nearby.
3. A yoga mat for more in-room options.
4. A fitness tracker. It’s fun – and amazing – to see how many steps you get while on vacation! It’ll also keep your movement “top of mind” for those days when you’re not already walking a lot.
5. Massage devices like small foam rollers or portable massagers.
6. Swim goggles. Especially if you’re with kids, you might be getting wet!
7. Sunscreen, visor, bug dope, lip balm, hand sanitizer. Don’t let common frustrations like sunburn and mosquito bites keep you from enjoying your activities inside a gym and out of it.
8. Sleep mask and ear plugs. Different settings can bring different distractions from important rest.
9. Reusable water bottle that you can carry while sightseeing and while working out.
10. Your favorite healthy snacks. They might not be available where you’re going, and you don’t want to have to rely on vending machines.
11. Prescription medications and preferred over-the-counters so you stay on track.
12. First aid kit. Nothing major, but a basic set to keep you from running around a strange town looking for a drugstore in a minor emergency.
13. A journal. Record your physical activity, even if it’s just on your smart phone’s note-taking app. It might be hard to remember everything when you get home, and you don’t want to sell yourself short!

Are you in shape for travel? If not, then that’s just one more reason to come see us. We’ll help you get the strength, endurance, flexibility and balance we all need when enjoying time away from home.

 

New Book Highlights Exercise for Long ‘Healthspan’

What’s the most important thing you can do for long-term health and quality of life?

Nutrition?

Sleep?

Stress management?

Nope, although those are all important. It’s exercise, hands down. That’s one of the many powerful points in a new book, “Outlive: The Science & Art of Longevity,” by Peter Attia, MD, with Bill Gifford.

“Exercise is by far the most potent longevity ‘drug,’” says Attia, 50, a former surgeon who focuses on extending “healthspan,” or the length of time when we enjoy our lives as we age without becoming frail, weak or pain ridden.

“Exercise not only delays actual death but also prevents both cognitive and physical decline better than any other intervention,” Attia says. “It is the single most potent tool we have in the health-span-enhancing toolkit — and that includes nutrition, sleep and meds.”

The book is no exercise “how to” manual. Instead, Attia dives deep into the science of living longer and better, and what he calls “Medicine 3.0,” which looks more at prevention of disease than mere treatment of symptoms.

Among the fascinating morsels, Attia says most of us die because of one of the “four horsemen” or primary causes of slow death: heart disease or stroke; metabolic disfunction; neurogenerative disease; and cancer.

Staying fit – and STRONG – help us ward those off. Strong, fit people enjoy independence and living without disease or pain for longer periods of time, period.

Come see us to learn how to apply this philosophy to your own life and health.

 

Healthy Recipe, Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

This fresh take on chicken soup, adapted from one in the third volume of Joanna Gaines’ “Magnolia Table” cookbook series (Morrow, $40), is a riff on the Greek classic, avgolemono. A few egg yolks add body, nutrients, and a velvety texture — no heavy cream required! Along with lemon juice and orzo pasta, this version has aromatics and a garnish of herbs and feta. It’s easy to make, so long as you temper the yolks first with hot broth as directed. Serves 6-8. RECIPE HERE – Susan Puckett

Ingredients

• ¾ cup orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 cup chopped white or yellow onion
• ½ cup chopped carrots
• ½ cup chopped celery
• 6 cups chicken stock or broth
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken breast (or leftover rotisserie chicken)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ cup crumbled feta
• ¼ cup minced fresh parsley
• Lemon wedges for garnish, optional

Instructions

1. In a medium pot, cook the orzo in boiling, salted water according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 7 minutes.
3. Add the chicken stock and lemon juice, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until creamy and light in color. While whisking constantly, slowly ladle 2 cups of broth, about half a cup at a time, into the broth. (Take care not to pour the broth in too quickly or the eggs will curdle.)
5. Add the yolk mixture, chicken, and cooked orzo to the pot. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until heated through, about 5 minutes.
6. Ladle into soup bowls and top each portion with crumbled feta, parsley, and a lemon wedge, if desired.
7. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Orzo will continue to absorb broth, so you may need to add a little more broth while reheating.

 

Article Credit Jay Croft, creator and owner of Prime Fit Content.

Susan Puckett is a cookbook author and former food editor of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Follow her at susanpuckett.com.