Monday Makeovers — Healthy Choices While Traveling

Week 11: Traveling is hard on a makeover resolve. Healthy food options aren’t as convenient as their high fat, high sugar, highly processed counterparts.

As I write this, I’m in Albuquerque, speaking to the New Mexico Staff Services Medical Association. By the time you read it, four days later, I’ll be on my way to North Carolina to speak to the Gaston County Teacher’s Conference. Thinking ahead is my only saving grace. Here’s how I prepared to eat healthier for this harried round of cross country speaking engagements.

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  Packed quick-grab foods in my book bag so I don’t go too long without eating, and open myself to make a poor choice. My personal faves are apples, nectarines, protein bars, and Fiber One Lemon Bars. 

• Researched local restaurants in the areas I’m visiting, so I could choose best ordering options before I arrived.
• Committed myself NOT to cheat my Weight Watchers points on my app. In the past, I’ve been prone to disregard counting, using the excuse, “I’ll catch up when I get home, a few days won’t hurt.” However, it’s always hurt very much. It takes days, weeks, and months to make up for a volume of extra calories consumed when I fool myself that I’m not eating as much as I really am.
• Drink lots of water, and forego as much caffeine as possible. Even though I’m drawn to the opposite drinking choice.

Another traveling challenge is how to exercise. Sometimes I stay in hotels with fitness centers, and that helps a lot. But on this particular round, I’m staying in the homes of individuals. So I determined to excuse myself to walk/run in each city at least thirty minutes per day. But I had one little problem. I live in a gorgeous rural community, flowing with crystal waterways, lush greenery, rolling hills, and peace-filled valleys. Natural inspiration.

I asked myself, “How do you inspire yourself to keep moving surrounded by concrete and gleaming metal?” Here’s the way I’ve done it.

• Resolved to do it — period. (Yes, I use words like determine, commit, resolve often. Mindset is the first, and most important step to making good decisions of any kind.)
• I created my music playlist with a mix of music that naturally energizes me. Mine included Jackson 5 — The Ultimate Collection, Casting Crowns albums Life Song, and The Altar to the Door, Hillsong Extravagent Worship, The Songs of Darlene Zschech, and my most inspiring, MercyMe The Generous Mr. Lovewell album. For me, Move is the ultimate exercise song.

  

• I set a timer on my phone, to ensure I met my goal to exercise for my specific and allotted time.
• I used my One Minute Interval program, (sometime in the next few months I’ll release an eBook on this transformational process), so my body didn’t get used to a routine, and pumped my metabolism up to a higher burning point.
• I challenged myself, looking for landmarks far into the distance, and competed to make it to that finish line.
• When it felt like I couldn’t make it to a finish line, I repeated the verse, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” only I would emphasize a different word each time. Try it. It’s amazing how the words don’t change, but your perspective can when you intentionally shift attention to something new. I ran through the scripture until I had exhausted each focus word in the series.
• For at least a half mile, I stepped onto the skinny curb, and walked like I was on a balance beam. It forced me to place each foot squarely in front of the other, causing me to use different muscle groups to maintain balance and move forward.
• For another half mile, I walked backwards. (Obviously, you must do this very cautiously, making sure you check over your shoulder often.) Again, this forces your body to use entirely different muscles.

The difference between a dream and a goal lies in the details. Creating a digestible, and doable plan that sets you up to succeed, versus setting you up to fail. Not only do I use this philosophy with exercise, but with every area of my life I want to improve. I will forever believe, “In business as in life and love, it’s never too late for a fresh start with fresh faith.” And a simple, yet solid plan.

I hope my healthy traveling tips help you plan well for your next trip.

What doable plans do you create to set yourself up to succeed?

Anita Fresh Faith

Anita Agers-Brooks is a Business and Inspirational Coach, Certified Personality Trainer, Productivity Expert, Certified Training Facilitator, Communications Specialist, national speaker. She’s the author of, First Hired, Last Fired — How to Become Irreplaceable in Any Job Market. Now available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books a Million, and Christianbook.com, plus many fine stores, Christian and otherwise.

She’s a partner in The Zenith Zone, a business coaching firm. Member of the Christian Writer’s Guild, Toastmasters, a client of WordServe Literary Group, and the Simply Sue Speaks booking agency. A graduate of CLASSeminars for Leaders, Speakers, and Authors, a co-founder of The StoryWriting Studio, and speaker on circuit for Stonecroft International Ministries.

Anita’s passionate about business with integrity, healthy relationships, and issues of identity. She travels the country teaching others from her personal experiences and research. She believes it’s never too late for a fresh start with fresh faith.

Anita likes to lounge by a river or lake in Missouri, laughing with with her husband of thirty years, Ricky.

Follow her FreshFaith blog anitabrooks.com. You may contact her via website anitabrooks.com/contact/ or email anita@anitabrooks.com.