Fit Business Trip

Most Embarrassing Business Trip Stories

2010-07-06T09:54:00.001+01:00

I was reading through the CNBC website recently when an article caught my eye about 'Most embarassing business trip stories'.

Well of course I just had to take a look didn't I?

It was a contest run by Embassy Suites to find the funniest business trip story that brought shame or embarassment to the poor traveller involved. The funny thing is, I thought that some of the runners-up had far better tales to tell than the winning entry. Here are some of my favourites for you to read.

I hope they bring a smile to your face, but DON'T remind you of something you've experienced yourself!:

"My husband had constantly complained about his boss from hell. He would talk about how Dick made him stay late and how Dick botched up a meeting they had with a client and how he didn't know why they put Dick in charge in the first place he obviously had no clue with what he was doing. Well, the company made Dick President and threw a party to celebrate. This would be the first time meeting him and I was nervous and curious. My husband introduced me "This is my wife, June. June this is..." At this point I interrupted him - held out my hand and said "Oh, no introduction needed. This must be the Dick you talk about at home!" The problem? His name was Tom! Not Dick! Dick happened to be my husband's pet name for his boss! Needless to say, my husband no longer works there."

"My necklace got caught on the company president's belt buckle when I bent over to pick up a dropped pen on stage at a national meeting."

"Sitting beside my boss on a flight to Atlanta, I get up, while he is sleeping, go to the restroom and stop and ask the flight attendant for a tomato juice. She hands me a can, I go back to my seat, pop the top, and it sprays all over my boss's khaki suit pants!! He remained asleep until we prepared to land and when he woke up, he freaked out! To this day, I still deny it!!!!!!!!!!!"
"I was at a meeting and speaking in a round table discussion. I was really trying to make my point, when my dentures came loose and fell out of my mouth. I covered this incident quickly by faking a bloody nose and excused myself from the discussion. The host of the table came to see if everything was alright and stated, 'It's happened to me too, but I was a keynote speaker.' She showed me her dentures and we laughed."

Business trips are always so much more interesting if you can find funnier or more interesting tales to tell when you get home than your room having no iron, the breakfast buffet running out of juice, or your flight being delayed.

Let's be honest; NO ONE wants to know those kinds of things.

Talk about hotel fire alarms, going to a rodeo or your trunks falling down in the hotel pool, and suddenly people are interested!

So instead of piling up the negative experiences of your trips, look for the funnier side of things and entertain friends and family when you get back.

In the meantime, have a laugh at other peoples' expense! :-)

Airport Life...

2010-06-17T09:54:00.005+01:00

Right now I'm sat in Starbucks at Heathrow airport, watching the world go by. I was a little eager getting here this morning, so I'm just killing some time, waiting for my gate to open. It's a funny thing watching the world go by.

When you stop to observe you realise so much is going on around you.

Often when we're in a rush we have our blinkers on, only focused on getting places fast, oblivious to the world around us. In fact, most people only notice others when they're in the way!

Taking time out of the rat race for 5 minutes I'm noticing things I'd never usually see:

2 kids on the moving walkway, standing on the yellow spots, pretending they're on an island... the amount of luggage people carry on as hand luggage, scared to leave anything at home in case they need it... people wandering around aimlessly, looking in shops they would never normally be seen dead in, just to make time pass more quickly... someone walking on to the moving walkway, only to find that the belt is going the wrong way! (Very funny!)

But what I particularly notice as I look around are the number of people eating junk and filling up on caffeine and sugar. For those going on holiday, the airport brings on excitement and enthusiasm, fuelled by the thought of their destination.

As they sip in their espressos and tuck in to their morning muffin, they are inadvertently fueling themselves for tiredness and a lack of energy. Caffeine and sugar are giving them an instant kick which will only come back to 'kick' them up the *** later in the day when the fix wears off. A few minutes of perceived enjoyment will bring hours of lethargy.

When you travel keep it simple - water, nuts and fruit. You'll stay hydrated, you'll remain alert, and you'll reduce the chance if jet lag, sugar cravings and irritability.

Business travel is stressful enough without feeling drained too.

Next time you fly, take time to relax and go easy on those quick fixes... :-)

A New York Burger Please!

2010-06-15T07:49:00.000+01:00

48 hours and counting... my trip to New York to see my girlfriend! Can't wait!

It's been 3 months since we saw each other and now I'm counting down the hours until I get there. I've been thinking about it for weeks, planning what we can do, where we can go and the sights we'll get to see together.

Don't you find that the most exciting part about a holiday is the lead up to it? That's when you can imagine everything being perfect, getting plenty of rest, eating great food and getting away from work for a while. The problem is we wish it away too soon, and before we know it, we're back to reality. Oh well, that's life!

Anyway, knowing what New York is like, with the temptation of big burgers, fries, milkshakes and big breakfast waffles, I've been extra good with my eating for the past couple of weeks - more so than usual!

I've been eating plenty of protein with every meal and lots of vegetables, to keep me feeling full, but more importantly, keep me away from sugar. Sugar is the number one reason people gain weight and find it hard to lose it again. Sugar keeps you in a state of perpetual hunger, and nothing can feed that hunger except more of the same -SUGAR! So, by eating protein and vegetables at EVERY meal, I'm staying nice and lean and I'm off the sugar-craving circuit.

The reason? Well, besides feeling better, sleeping better and LOOKING better, I know that New York will be a time for relaxation, eating, drinking and picking foods that I wouldn't normally eat, like the burgers, the fries, the muffins and all those heavy, carby foods that tend to make us all BLOAT.

By eating very healthily before a trip like this, you can avoid many of the excess pounds you might put on during your travels, and INSTANTLY feel the effects of bad foods when you do eat them, like bad moods, tiredness, fluctuating energy levels and gas!

Eating well before a trip will make you think twice about forever overindulging on your holiday.

To ensure you get good quality carbs in your diet before a trip, so that you don't go stir crazy trying to be 'carb free' (not good for ANY of us!), ensure you have oats for breakfast, mixed with nuts and fruit.

That should keep you going until lunchtime, with a small protein snack mid morning like hummus and strips of red pepper, or a rice cake topped with organic cottage cheese.

From then on during the day, your body should cope well with meat or fish and plenty of vegetables at each meal. Steering clear of fizzy drinks and sugar filled snacks will leave you feeling more alert and looking slimmer the longer you can forgo the urge.

So next time you're due to take a trip, make sure you 'pack' your body with goodness before you leave, so that it copes better with any overindulgence coming your way!

Are you one of the walking dead?

2010-05-14T20:54:00.005+01:00

Can you believe it? Last month 2 British women tried to bring their dead 91-year-old relative onto a flight to Germany!

That's right, they tried to make out their husband and father was simply asleep but on closer inspection it was shown that he'd been dead for 24 hours!

The things people will do to get their loved ones on flights....

Well, many of you may be like the publicised relative, literally 'walking dead' as you make your way through your business trips, dehydrated, tired, stressed and starved of oxygen and good food.

Reawaken yourself and put some life back into your travelling soul!

First off, drink, drink, drink - not G+T, wine or beer, but water.
The only way you'll stay alert and energised throughout your trip is to stay well hydrated. Sip little and often throughout the day and always ask for a jug of water at meals out, and carry a small bottle in your bag so you are never far from the flow.

Get sleep at any opportunity, and that doesn't just mean when it's dark outside. If you have down-time during the day, why not put your feet up in your room for a 5 minute snooze or take the chance of an early night if you don't have social engagements?

To stay energised you might want to fit a workout in too, which will revive your flagging spirits and test you enough to keep those excess pounds at bay and give you a better chance of nodding off at bedtime, especially if you've travelled through timezones.

Most business travellers are like zombies. Don't join the walking dead on business.

Drink water, rest and exercise - 3 vital ingredients to lift you above the business class...

Skipping exercise wastes time...

2010-05-14T18:47:00.000+01:00

As I sat in the dentist's chair for over an HOUR yesterday, having a crown fitted, I started to think about the time I was spending (wasting) sat there, because of things that I should or shouldn't have done.

In my case I think bad brushing technique and 10 years without a visit to the dentist could have been the root cause of my predicament! It definitely wasn't a diet high in sugar...

If I spent as much time looking after my teeth as I do my body, I would have a pearly white set of gnashers right now!

We all have things we should spend more time focusing on in life, but somehow we never quite get round to doing. One of the biggest ones is staying on top of our health and fitness.

More people than ever waste time sat in doctors surgeries, waiting to see the doctor who will give them the 'cure' for their ailments in the shape of pills and prescriptions, more often than not because they've let themselves get run down and ill.

We waste time sat in the car at supermarkets, crawling around the car park, looking for that space right by the door, when if we were actually prepared to park further away and walk, we'd be in the shop in a flash.

Many people trawl up and down the aisles too, hunting out the bargains, looking for all the
2-for-1 deals, randomly throwing unhealthy foods and drink into the trolley, when if they had a set plan of what to buy and what to avoid, they'd be out and home in half the time.

Then there's the time you spend propped up in bed, having to take time off work because you've been working long hours, not looking after yourself, and picked up the latest bug to do the rounds,

Or maybe the time you spend visiting the chiropractor, to get your back regularly cracked or your neck adjusted. All time you could be putting to better by eating well and exercising a bit more than you do right now, to then free up your time to relax.

Skipping exercise because you 'don't have the time or energy' is actually a false economy.

If you add up all the time you spend running around as a result of not staying healthy, you probably find you waste more time than if you just took care of yourself in the long run!

So, let me put it to you now: exercise actually saves you time!

Do your exercise efforts leave you needing CPR??

2010-04-30T19:27:00.001+01:00

"I knew I shouldn't have overdone that last hotel room circuit!"

While I expect you to push yourself harder over time and continue striving to get fitter and do more, I’m not about to ask you to go so far as needing traditional medical CPR!

By ‘CPR’ I mean being Consistent, Persistent and Resistant.

For fitness and fat loss success you need a good mix of all 3.

Be 'Consistent'

To be consistent with your exercise and healthy lifestyle you need to workout regularly and effectively, ensuring that the exercise you are doing is both constructive and designed to get you to where you want to be as quickly and safely as possible.

If you repeat a routine enough times your body will get used to it and it will no longer work, but the more you can adjust any number of variables like weight, time, reps and rest period, the longer you can continue to get pleasing results.

Working out every once in a while will NOT help you reach your goals.

Be 'Persistent'

Keep striving for your goals – that dress fitting, those arms toning up, that beach holiday look, keeping with your neighbour, friend or relative... whatever it is, get to it and don’t stop until you achieve it! Along the way look for every small bit of evidence that what you are doing is working and that that effort is more than worthwhile. Look for improved recovery, quicker times, being less out of breath, feeling better, clothes fitting looser, belts tightening further, positive comments, less reliance on medications, less illness, more energy, finishing your workout without needing hours to recover.... Whatever it is you notice, write it DOWN, so that next week when you feel defeated you remember the PLUS points.

Be 'Resistant'

While you want to work hard to reach your goals and put in enough effort with your exercise programme, you also need to know when to back off, when to rest, how much rest to get, and when to recognise the signs of stress.

The time you give yourself to relax, switch off and sleep is just as important, if not more important sometimes as the physical exercise side of things. Recovery time doesn’t just mean sitting down with your feet up. It also includes the food you eat and the drink you consume – both alcoholic and sugar sweetened.

Doing too much, by which I mean excess exercise, going out, having late nights, not getting enough sleep, working long hours and running around as a ‘stress-head’ will only cause you to burn out, feel more tired and in turn more stressed. It’s a vicious cycle that a lot of people find hard to break.

So, avoid the real-term CPR by adhering to these guidelines, and instead give yourself CPR of the positive kind.

Your body, your mind and your wobbly bits will be very grateful!

Your ability to 'walk'

2010-04-27T09:30:00.000+01:00

If any of you watched the London Marathon last weekend, you would have no doubt been humbled by the efforts of British soldier, Major Phil Packer, who completed the event, despite being told in 2008 that he would never walk again.

While serving in Iraq, Major Packer was injured by a rocket attack, and lost the use of both of his legs. After doctors had told him he would never walk again, he set out to prove them wrong, and after undergoing months of strenuous physical therapy, Major Packer got back on his feet with the aid of a pair of crutches, and vowed to walk the entire 26.2 mile length of the London Marathon to raise money for 'Help for Heroes'.

The incredible determination he showed on Sunday to get round the course and complete those miles was inspirational to all who saw him. Last year he attempted the course for the first time and it took him a gruelling 13 days to complete the course and cross the finishing line, at a pace of 2 miles a day.

Last Sunday, the Major beat his previous time, like all other able-bodied marathon veterans aim to do, but Phil Packer crossed the line in just 25 hours and 55 minutes - shaving 12 days off his previous effort!

So the next time you think to yourself that getting fit, losing some weight, being more active and eating more healthily is just too much like hard work, think about the Major. Here is a guy who, with great strength in adversity has set a goal, worked hard to achieve it and surpassed his previous efforts.

After his terrible accident he didn't sit there, complaining that he couldn't do anything about his situation. Even while recovering in his hospital bed in Basra in 2008, he decided that he would put his misfortune to good use and raise a lot of money for other diasbled servicemen.

You have more hope and determination than you allow yourself credit for.

If you can set your sights on a goal that you want enough, you will find the strength and determination to reach out and grab it.

If you really want to lose pounds and look healthier you will do it. If you want to clean up your diet and feel better you have the power to do so. NOTHING can hold you back when you want something enough.

Major Packer got to his feet and walked 26 miles on crutches. Some sedentary people don't walk that distance in a year!

So next time you feel down about your lack of results, the fact that your weight hasn't budged this week or that you didn't have the time to exercise, think of inspirational people like Phil.

Follow his example:

Set yourself a long-term goal - Phil's was to get to his feet and walk again, something the doctor's had questioned. Your's might be to run the marathon, climb a mountain, walk without feeling breathless, look great at a wedding, fit into your favourite dress or look younger than you have done in years.

Set yourself some smaller goals to achieve along the way - Phil's would have been to get out of his hospital bed, then to walk across the room unaided, followed by walking 100 metres - all steps towards completing the bigger goal of the marathon. Your's might be too cut out coffee, do 2 more push ups each workout, go walking at the weekend, play with the kids outside more often, lose 2 pounds before Sunday...

Find the support to help you achieve these - Major Packer said: “I’ve walked 52,400 steps and somebody has walked with me every step of the way, be it a dinner lady, a London taxi driver or a Metropolitan Police officer.”

He had support along the way which would have made him more determined, more focused and more likely to achieve the goal that he had set himself. Tell your friends and family what you want to achieve physically. Ask for their help and support as you work towards your goal. Don't let them steer you off course or inadvertently scupper your efforts.

This story of Major Packer has humbled me, inspired me, and touched my emotions.

I hope that it touches you in a way that spurs you on to make change in yourself and set the required goals to achieve this.

This quote from the Major sums it all up for me:

"My injury is not a disability to me any more. It’s all about what I can do, not about what I can’t do. That feeling is very strong."

The same rings true for all of us - focus on what you can do, and do something to make that change!

Don't always look for the excuses for why you can't, haven't, shouldn't, unfortunately and nearly.

At the end of the day, it's down to YOU to search inside yourself and release that inner strength to succeed.

X must-have items for a Business Trip

2010-04-07T20:48:00.005+01:00

1. Phone / Ipod / Camera
If you've got an iphone then you've got all 3 bases covered. If not, all you need is your phone (with built-in camera) and your ipod. Texting, calling and sending photos home makes your loved ones feel part of your business life, so let them in! Your ipod will come in handy when you want to relax, switch off, and zone out.

2. Gymboss
An important piece of kit for timing your workouts and staying within your time limits. It's just a digital timer with a beeper that lets you move quickly from one exercise to the next without having to look at a stopwatch. See it as your own Personal Trainer!

3. Your Fit Business Trip workouts - either printed or on your laptop as a PDF
Stay fit on your travels and don't forget what you need to do. Follow a quick hotel room workout, and with your gymboss you'll be on target to getting fit fast!

4. Workout kit
T-Shirt, shorts... That's about it. Since you'll be working out in the privacy of your room, you won't need much. And that saves you valuable luggage space too!

5. Water bottle
It's vital to remain hydrated on your travels, especially with flights, long days and air con to deal with, all bound to suck you dry of fluid. Keeping a bottle of water to hand will help you drink what you need daily to stay energised and alert.

Those are your Top 5 items... Now for the rest... Feel free to add anything I've forgotten.

In your main luggage:

Your business wear, of course!
Sewing Kit
Nail Clippers
Razor
Shaving Gel
Green tea bags
Travel Plug
Moisturiser
Perfume / Aftershave
Toothbrush and paste
Ecchinacea
Headache tablets
Deodorant
Plastic cutlery
Eyemask
Earplugs
Swimming trunks or suit

And in your hand luggage:

Wallet
Passport
Wallet or purse
Small Change
Laptop
Notepad
Pen
Snacks - nuts, dried fruit

The lighter you want or need to travel, you may need to add or exclude items, but that should pretty much set you up for a successful trip!

What the 'TAUMATAWHAKATANGIHANGAKOAUAUOTAMATEATURIPUKAKAPIKIMAUNGAHORONUKUPOKAIWHENUAKITANATAHU' are you doing with your workout?!

2010-04-06T17:01:00.010+01:00

No, it's not a typo...
No, it's not an expletive...

It just so happens to be the longest place name in the world, a small town found in New Zealand, as recognised by the Guinness Book of Records.

So, what does 'Tauma...' (for short) have to do with your workouts?

Well, one thing in particular - they're TOO LONG!

Some of you seem to drag your workouts out forever!

Each session is more like an encyclopedia, covering every exercise from A-Z!

There's the cardio; 45 minutes on the bike, 20 minutes on the treadmill...

Then there's the weights: Maybe half an hour, resting too long between a handful of exercises...

Then you finally finish with all that ab work: crunches, side bends, sit ups, and lots of wheezing and gasping!

No wonder you can't maintain the effort, and no wonder you feel like exercise is taking over your life!

Let's be honest, the 'average Joe' or 'Jane' really doesn't need to spend THAT long in a gym, working out.

It's all about being time effective and smart.

In 15 minutes I bet you could fit in a better workout than most people and their 2 hour marathon sessions at the gym.

To save time, you have to increase the intensity. Without intensity, your workouts are going nowhere fast (quite literally).

Instead of trundling off to the gym, wasting your evenings working out, why not stay at home and relax? ... AFTER a bodyweight workout in the spare room, living room or bedroom?

In 15 minutes I could have you working harder than you have done in years.

All it takes is the right sequence of exercises and a stopwatch.

Do what you can in 15 minutes and then STOP.

Instead of following the 'Tauma...' way, follow the 'Ea' way instead - the shortest place name in the world, in Spain.

Try this workout for size: (Click the names to see the demo vids on YouTube)

05 Get Ups (don't mock this til you try it!)
10 Side Lunges (each side)
10 Push Ups
15 Prisoner Squats

See how many rounds you can get done in 15 minutes and then tell me that you still need to stick with your long-winded, all-encompassing gym workouts....

I think you'll see the benefits... :-)

Ultimate Stair Exercises

2010-03-02T10:41:00.004Z

Recently I discovered a whole new way to stay in shape and escape the hotel gym while travelling on business.

For a change I was going to step out of my hotel room and try something different. Something that I had never done before... Stair Climbing.

Now I know it sounds simple, and yes, climbing a flight of stairs at a leisurely pace could be classed as simple, but these workouts I learned from former WNBA Coach Virgil Aponte are on a whole new level.

Instead of seeing hotel stairwells as second rate means to the ground floor, I now see them as the ultimate fat burning machine and I’ll be taking the stairs a little more often from now on I think!

When Virgil first asked me to give his Stair Climbing workouts a go I was happy to oblige, always on the lookout for workouts I can do, away from home, which don’t require much, if any equipment.

Virgil tells me he uses one 7 minute stairs workout that is enough to wipe out elite athletes, so for the likes of you and me we can be assured of a great fat-burning workout!

And we’re not alone. Both Madonna and J Lo have been known to use stair climbing workouts as part of their fitness routines to quite literally get their butts into shape, so what’s good enough for the celebs is definitely good enough for you!

Instead of popping down to the hotel gym, waiting for the treadmill or the bike to be free, and then having to wipe the last guy’s sweat off the handles and the buttons, like the average person does, I decided to get my cardio fix in the hotel’s stairwell.

I have to say, these workouts challenged me, but that’s because I worked as hard as I could. After all, I wanted to test run these workouts for you and put them to their toughest test! I didn’t think there would be much variety to a stairs workout but I was truly wrong. Virgil had me doing jogs, sprints, push ups in between flights, Hops, skips, double steps at a time, and even jumps up the steps.

This was a varied and challenging workout that gave my cardio workouts a whole new spin! And the beauty of using the hotel stairwell was that I knew I wouldn’t bump into anyone on the way. After all, how many people do you know who use the emergency stairs instead of the hotel elevator? I had a 10 storey gym to myself!

Throughout the workouts I could feel my heart pounding, my legs shaking and my abs working. There was no doubt that this style of training would work wonders for fat loss and fitness combined. And if you’re wondering what to do when you can easily run up and down those stairs as you get fitter, don’t worry. Virgil’s thought of that!

He says you can change the number of flights of stairs you use, climb more steps at a time, add extra rounds, reduce your rest intervals, and add in bodyweight exercises between flights, like the exercises we do in our hotel rooms.

Stair Exercises are the future of cardio, and the beauty is, they cost nothing to do – just a set of stairs and Virgil’s imagination to spur you on.

Whatever you want to focus on - aerobic fitness, strength, flexibility, power or speed – these workouts cover it all!

Check the program out for yourself - ultimatestairexercises.com – and put those hotel stairs to good use!

"Elevator broken. Please take the Stairs"

2010-03-02T10:37:00.003Z

If there's one person I know who NEVER takes the elevator when he stays in a hotel, it's my friend Virgil.

Like I keep telling you, taking the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator to arrive can help you burn extra calories during the day, but this guy takes 'stair climbing' to a whole new level!

Usually the 20th floor and back!

Virgil is into 'stair-training' - Using plain old flights of stairs to stay super fit and lean. Virgil is a former WNBA Coach, so we're not just talking walking up and down to feel our hearts beating a little faster, although that might be the answer to start with. No, we're talking sprints, jumps and hops, with the occasional break in-between for some push ups or ab work.

It's hard work, but the results you can achieve are well worth it. It's cheap, the idea is simple, and by god it works for fat loss and super boosted fitness!

So, I asked Virgil to tell us a bit more about what he does on the stairs...

Hi Virgil, how do you prepare for a stairs workout?

The simple answer is there really is no prep work, except finding stairs and getting busy. I usually have access to 20 flights so I start with a walk to the 20th floor as a warm-up! Once I hit the top I'll stretch my lower body and then take the elevator down and start round 2. Round 2 might be going up every other step. Round 3 can be hops and then round 4 I'll run. It changes depending on what I want to accomplish.

And do you ever workout with other people on the stairs?

Yes, you just have to make sure you stay organized! I've done stair workouts with groups as big as 25! We just use simple rules like going up on the right side and coming down on the left. We also make sure people have enough space by waiting for the person in front of them to reach the top of the flight before it's the next person's turn to go.

Do you need a certain number of steps to get a good workout?

I train in a 20 storey building with 14 steps per flight and at Grand Street Campus HS with 10 steps per flight. So I would say you don't need a specific number of flights, but I would also say the more the better, because there is more of a rhythm to your workout.

The 20 storey building is my favorite because you have so many stairs, but I also make do with 8 flights of stairs, like we have at Grand Street Campus, where I train groups of 10-25 people! :-)

In all your years using stairs, have you ever had any near misses with other people on the stairs while you workout?

In 12 years I've only had 1 person (a football player) trip while using the stairs and it was nothing serious. I think people are just a little more careful when they use stairs because they know they can bust their 'you know what' if they fall. I've also never had anyone bump into each other because I keep things very organized (It's the PE/Drill Sergeant in me!). :-)

Have you got any funny stories you can share with us?

I do have one funny story of when I was the strength coach for the New York Liberty. I was asked by coach Jeff House to amp up the road workouts. My immediate suggestion was stairs because they rock and because we didn't have to worry about getting to a gym.

One player named Bernadette from South Africa really hated stairs. Since she was a bench player she had to do extra stairs. But the funny thing is she made me do them with her and curse me out while we did them. What was even funnier is that she would curse me out in her native language. LOL! I remember actually being afraid of her because she was 6'2, 210 pounds and her translator said I didn't want to know what she was saying!

So, for someone really unfit, what advice would you give them for starting a stairs workout?

I would suggest that they just walk up stairs as this will be more than enough for someone who is unfit. One example is a women I trained who was 54 years old, 50 pounds overweight, smoked and had not done any exercise in 10 years.

After 1 flight of stairs she felt winded. So what did we do? We kept it easy and only did 5 flights in total for her stairs workout. I simply had her rest 1-2 minutes in between each flight. Always err on the side of caution and take your time. Your fitness will improve but you have to progress little by little.

And finally, do you ever use any fun games or challenges in your stair workouts?

Yes! Races are super fun when it comes to stairs! We use both sides and the first person to the top wins. It could be running, hopping, buddy carries, 1 flight then push-ups. You name it, people love a race!

Buddy carries are also favorite of my athletes and fitness campers. You simply carry who weighs less than you (20-30 pounds less) up the stairs. If there is one exercise that covers everything it's the buddy carry. I call it the greatest stair exercise of all time!

Now, while I don't suggest you carry your work colleagues up the stairs with you instead of using the lift, using the stairs to add another challenge to your fitness routine is definitely something I would recommend.

As Virgil says, you can start with walking, then next time, step every other step or jog a flight then walk a flight.
The fitter you are, the more you can do, and the more variety you can add to your workout.

Virgil's 'Ultimate Stair Exercises' program is the perfect companion to the 'Fit Business Trip' System, allowing you to stay fit and in shape on the road, without a gym or any equipment.

Look out for my review of Virgil's great product in my next post.

Room Service?

2010-02-16T10:56:00.002Z

Room Service may be the ultimate in hotel convenience, but it can also be your downfall, in temptation.

The number of times I take a look at the room service menu and feel tempted to gorge on all the wrong things!

It's human nature to want what you shouldn't need, but that doesn't mean you need to give in to temptation.

Please be CAREFUL: Most hotels offer far less superior food for their eat-in-room clientele than they do for their restaurant diners. Many of the options on the menu will be snacks, packed with heavy carbohydrates and processed foods, rather than quality meals.

You’ve got fries, sauces, and potato chips to contend with, as well as the mini bar calling you from across the room, so keep your wits about you and try to be sensible.

Scan your in-room menu for the same healthy options you would choose in the hotel dining room. Don’t be tempted by the list of poor food choices on your order card, like pastries and muffins, tempting as they may seem. They won’t keep you feeling full for very long.

If you're ordering breakfast, ensure that you place your order in time the night before, and again make sure that you plan your order to arrive in time for you to eat it at a leisurely pace, according to your day’s schedule, ideally after your morning workout.

Choose eggs (any style), fresh fruit and yoghurt, oatmeal or a cooked meal.

Avoid cereal and toast, pastries, pancakes, cinnamon toast or waffles - all carbs, full of sugar that will NOT keep you feeling full for very long, meaning that halfway through your mid-morning meeting, your stomach will start to rumble, and you'll find it hard to concentrate!

For any other meal, lunch or dinner, look at all your options and choose something ‘clean’ – meat, fish or vegetarian, with plenty of vegetables or salad.

Don’t be swayed by comfort food, however stressful your day has been. You’ll only end up feeling bloated, tired and heavy afterwards.

Here are some of the foods you should aim to avoid:

Burgers, Club Sandwiches, Fries, Sandwiches, Caesar Salad, Lasagne, Spaghetti, Pasta dishes, Jacket Potato, Sausages, Desserts

Instead opt for fish (without batter), steak, chicken, lamb or beef, with vegetables - the simpler the better.

If you want a dish with sauce, ask for the sauce on the side. That way you can determine how much you want, without smothering your food in goo.

And just because the mini-bar is there, and more than likely chargeable to expenses, don’t go overboard.

If you want something to eat, order it from the room service menu instead of eating potato chips, sugar coated nuts or chocolate from the mini-bar selection.

In all honesty, if you have the option, you’d be better off eating in the hotel restaurant.

You’ll have more choice, better quality food, and it will give you a chance to get out of your room and relieve travelling boredom.

It will also prevent you from sitting for hours, watching TV, drinking and eating unhealthy snacks from the mini bar and being alone.

Have you Downgraded yet?

2010-02-14T21:21:00.003Z

2009 was the year of the downgrade, in many ways:

A reduction in the size of Companys' workforces
A forced drop in salaries and remunerations
A shrinking of executive expense account allowances
And fewer, less expensive business trips!

In recent tough economic times, business trips have become shorter, less frequent and less luxurious.

Of course, many road warriors and travelling business execs were never privy to the higher echellons of club or even first class, but I'm sure all of you regularly flying around the world on business have seen signs of downgrading going on.

Hey, come on! Don't look so depressed!

There is ONE good thing that is definitely worth downgrading and that's the amount of time you spend exercising.

GONE are the days of trying to squeeze a cardio workout into your day, popping to the hotel gym and jumping onto the treadmill, bike or Cross Trainer, in the name of 'staying ahead of the game'.

These days we all want convenience, and working out in your hotel room without the need for equipment is the ultimate way to save time and downgrade without feeling ashamed or depressed.

The beneifts of working out in your room are many:

You pick WHEN you work out
You pick WHAT music or TV Channel you want on
You decide how LONG you workout
And you can be back on schedule within 20 minutes, and that includes a post-workout shower.

So don't despair that all those perks of business travel are rapidly disappearing.

Sometimes it's good to downgrade!

The Elevator Workout

2010-02-11T14:39:00.003Z

Limited for time on a business trip, wondering what you can do to stay fit with so little time to fit anything extra into your busy schedule?

Like that last sentence, you try and squeeze as much in as possible, and usually end up postponing or canceling 'extras' at the last minute.

Well, don't let exercise be one of those things that gets sidelined.

Try this on for size. Give the 'Elevator Workout' a go in your hotel room, just before your morning shower, ready to eat your breakfast feeling virtuous.

An elevator keypad shows the number of floors in a hotel, counting down from 30, 40, 50, even more if you're staying in Dubai!

As you travel down the lift shaft, the number lit starts dropping.

Use the same principle with your workout. In your hotel room pick 2 exercises, let's say push ups and squats.

Start the workout with 10 reps of each - rest briefly.
Then repeat the 2 exercises again, this time for 9 reps each.
Continue to work down through the reps, aiming to reach 3 reps of each on your final round.

Completing 2 or 1 reps of each seems pointless, and I quite often end up doing 2 rounds of 3, to save wasting time.

Depending on your fitness, you should be done in anything from 5-10 minutes.

In that time you'll have worked your upper and lower body, not to mention your abs!

Next time you find yourself pushed for time on business, save time by working the elevator.

It's short but VERY effective!

How do you stay in touch on the road?

2010-02-03T16:11:00.010Z

With so many forms of communication at our fingertips these days, we're spoilt for choice as to how to stay in touch with the office or home, while out and about on our business travels.

There's texting, email, Skype, instant messaging, Twitter, Facebook and any number of other Social media sites that can be dialled up in a matter of seconds.

I mean, who actually sends communication by post these days?!

Despite all these options, you can't beat the good old fashioned phone; calling someone direct and making human contact.

Email is faceless, easy to misconstrue and SO corporate! Half the time you receive automated 'out of office' responses, or you sit there, checking your email inbox persistently, hoping for a quick response. Unfortunately, your top priority may well be someone else's 'to do when I'm not so busy'.

Then there's texting. Now texting makes it easy to stretch the truth and avoid prolonged contact. Again, without vocal expression, it's easy to misconstrue what is being communicated or to convey the wrong message entirely.

"I'll deal with it this afternoon ok?" could be read as a positive acknowledgement or a frustrated brush off. It's ALL down to how you read the words, and what expression you put in. The number of times I've got the wrong end of the stick and over-reacted to an innocent text!

And as if that wasn't enough, don't you just hate the whole text speak?

'N E 1 agree wiv me 2?'

What's happened to the English language? Have other languages resorted to text speak or is just an English thing?

If you're travelling on business chances are you won't have time to Twitter, Facebook, Bebo etc, unless your job is Social Media, and if you do, you have to question what you're doing with your time!

So, it all comes back to the phone and good old fashioned talking. Is that such a crazy, out-there concept these days?

I know we lead busy lives and don't have time to hang around and chat incessantly, but don't you think the real you, on the other end of the line, talking live to your family and loved ones, is appreciated?

Regardless of your schedule, even 30 seconds of 'Hi, how are you? Looking forward to seeing you soon' is better than a text full of typos and short, blunt half sentences.

So how do YOU stay in touch?

Do you prefer the convenience of text and email, or do you still believe in the power of a phone call?

Do you use text speak or are you a stickler for good grammar?

Let me know...

How to Exercise on a Plane

2010-02-01T16:49:00.007Z

It sounds like a strange idea, but when you think about it, it makes perfect sense.

There you are, stuck on a flight, nowhere to go, glued to your seat, looking to while away the hours ahead of you.

The perfect time to exercise!

Exercising on a plane is pretty difficult, especially if you don't want to attract strange looks from your fellow passengers!

I find it's best to be subtle on-board.

"Stretch your legs", as the saying goes.

Seated, straighten your legs, contract the fronts of the thighs and raise your shins up to touch the underside of the chair in front. Hold this contraction for a few seconds, then relax down, repeating for 5-10 reps.

You can also give your abs a workout in your seat. Tense your abs, drawing the belly button in and up, contracting for a count of 10 while breathing. Then relax, repeating 5-10 times. Not sure how to do this? Tense your stomach as though you are about to take an impact and then relax.

I also find neck stretches help, bringing your ear towards your shoulder on each side,and then drawing your chin down towards the chest, before tilting your head back.

You can also loosen up with ankle rolls while seated, keeping the feet off the floor and legs straight.

As I sit with my feet flat on the floor, I also contract the backs of my thighs, helping to keep my legs working and fresh blood flowing. Be sure to keep your knees bent to 90 degrees as you contract the underside of your thighs.

Take advantage of the airline bathroom too, despite the limited space.

Here you can stretch without anyone seeing.

Go with the flow - reach, bend, twist and turn to feel your body wake up.

If you're taller than most that may prove more difficult!

Lastly I always try to opt for an aisle seat, so that I can get up and down as I like. Taking stuff out of the overhead locker several times during a flight gives me an excuse to get up and move.

Give some of these ideas a go next time you fly.

I hope they prove useful!

If You Have Any Ideas For Exercise That You May Already Try, Let Us Know Below.

Does your 'home from home' feel like home?

2010-01-30T12:16:00.012Z

Here's an interesting quote from the film 'Up In the Air':

"You can go into an airport anywhere in the world and instantly know where everything is: they have the same shops, the same restaurants, the same newspapers. We're comfortable everywhere, yet nowhere really seems to be home."

It's true. There's a certain familiarity about airports globally, especially when you fly on business to some of the more developed and popular destinations.

While you're away from home on business, you try to make your destination a home from home, if only for a night or two, but it can never replace, or ever should replace, your life back home. You tell yourself that soon you will be back to your usual routine and your real life.

Business travel is a means to an end, but while you are travelling, it IS your life.

That's why you need to ensure that your 'parallel existence' is as comfortable and stress-free as possible.

That might mean ensuring your hotel room has a certain bed, being able to order the foods that you are used to eating or being able to continue following your exercise routine.

Business travel should be seen as an extension of your normal life, that sees you carry on your daily habits, even though you are far from home.

If you let it become an upheaval, a nuisance or a spanner in your works, you will only begrudge your travels and grow to dislike your working life, causing further stress and upset.

Create a system, one that lets you live your life, even on the road.

Call home regularly
Stay in touch with friends by text - friendly humorous banter
Have your favourite music with you on your ipod
Pack any favourite snacks or drinks
Pack your own dressing gown or slippers
Bring a good read - something that will distract you from work
Pack dvds to watch on your laptop

Whatever reminds you of home and your regular routine and comforts, pop them in your luggage.

THEN you will have found your 'home from home'...

"All Energy is borrowed. Someday we must give it back"

2010-01-30T12:16:00.011Z

Amidst all the action, 3D effects and looking like Woody Allen in my 3D glasses, the one thing that stood out for me from the film Avatar was this line:

"All energy is borrowed. Someday we must give it back"

Ignoring the stupid Gung-Ho subplot, this film made me think about life, and the world that we live in.

There are so many things wrong with our planet - the violence, illness, disease, cruelty, not to mention the natural disasters that we can't avoid...

On the planet of Pandora, where Avatar is set, life is idyllic.

Everyone co-exists without violence, greed, jealousy or selfishness.

YES, I know it's only a movie, but the quote rings so true for our society in the 21st Century:

Obesity, too many people on benefits, not enough exercise, poor diets, too much sitting around, low immune systems, mindless violence, class-divides and disease and illness that could be avoided.

We are all given ENERGY. Not all of us choose to use it wisely.

One day our energy will be GONE - FOREVER.

That time will come sooner than you think, so will you look back on your life and wish you'd done more with it, been a bit more active, travelled more, taken better of your body and your health, or spent more time interacting and talking to your friends and family, instead of sitting in front of the TV or the computer?

In the film, Jake Scully, a man who has lost his legs in the real world, gets a second chance to be active when he gains the use of his avatar's virtual body. He runs, he jumps, he is enthralled with his new found freedom and athleticism.

If you were given the chance to live your life again, would you do things differently?

The sad truth is that most people won't regret their inactivity until the ability to be active is taken away from them.

Appreciate your energy today, and take advantage of the fact that your body is so much more than a vehicle for eating, drinking and sitting down 'relaxing'...

My Home Workout Yesterday

2010-01-28T09:29:00.002Z

With a quick 10 minute break in my schedule, I decided to head into the garden and fit in a fast bodyweight workout between calls, while Biscuit the dog got her exercise chasing squirrels.

The following circuit brought me to my knees, and had me breathing like a steam locomotive! Who says you need a treadmill to feel like that?!

Here's what I did for 2 rounds:

20 Squat Jumps
40 Spider Climbs
12 Squat Thrusts
05 1 Push Up + 10 Wallclimbers
20 Jump Lunges
12 T-Push Ups
20 X-Body Wallclimbers

All of these exercises worked my entire body, including my legs, butt, abs and shoulders.

By the end of 10 minutes I had done what most people in the gym take an hour to do, if they're not too busy chatting that is.

These exercises work. I should know - I use them.

And the good news is that each and every one is in the Fit Business Trip Fat Loss System book.

So do yourself a favour, save time, strip fat and spend more time relaxing!

WIN 1 of 30 copies of the FIt Business Trip Fat Loss System

2010-01-27T14:20:00.007Z

This week is your one and only chance to win one of 30 free copies of the 'Fit Business Trip' Fat Loss System.

And it will only take you a few minutes to enter.

‘Fit Business Trip’ has been going down a storm since its release last year, and the feedback I have received to date from men and women on the road has been great.

But I want to make this product even better. I want to make sure that what I am offering is the best it can be, giving you fast and effective fat loss workouts that you can do in your hotel room, making your business travel far more effective, healthy and energised.

That’s why I’m giving away 30 copies for FREE.

But I don’t want just anybody grabbing a copy. I want people, possibly like you, who are keen to get into shape and see fat loss results, while travelling on business.

I want people who will actually use the product and test-run the workouts for me.

If you think you can do that, and you’re happy to provide me with constructive feedback on what you think, both good and bad, just follow these steps:

Leave a short message for me below, by clicking on the 'comments' link.

I’ll pick the first 30 responses before next Wednesday at 11pm GMT.

I will then notify you by email and give you access to download the complete Fit Business Trip package.

Good luck and thanks for your participation!

Simon Dainton
FitBusinessTrip.com

The Real Reason Hotel Room Workouts Work

2010-01-27T10:47:00.008Z

The key to their effectiveness lies in their convenience. Not only are hotel room workouts time effective, but they require no equipment, they can be completed at any time without a great deal of preparation.

Half the reason that most business travellers fail to stay fit and healthy is because they use the excuse that they simply don’t have the time. Either that or they don’t believe that they can workout effectively in such a short period of time.

With the current belief that we need to spend upwards of an hour in the gym, on the treadmill, bike or elliptical trainer, very few people believe that a short hotel room workout can compare or equal the sweating that goes into a gym workout.

It’s the placebo effect: People associate that sweat with feeling better and getting into shape quicker, but in reality prolonged cardio exercise does NOTHING for fat loss.

If I could show you the way to burn fat up to 9 times quicker, and get it done in as little as 10 mins each time instead of an hour, you’d be interested, right?

Well, that is exactly what an effective, well structured hotel room workout can do for you; work you at a higher intensity in a short period of time, and actually work your whole body instead of just working your heart and legs. Cardio rarely works your upper body.

Short hotel room workouts, like the ones that Myhotelroomworkouts.com offer you, will burn fat, work your abs and test your fitness like nothing you have ever tried before, if you are the average gym goer.

If you want to stay on top of your fitness, get into shape fast, and devote as little time as possible to actually working out, then a good hotel room workout is just what you need.

Give it a go.

Visit www.myhotelroomworkouts.com and download your free sample workout to get you started.

Then, if you enjoy the challenge and feel the benefits, you can try the other 5 levels of workouts contained in the Fit Business Trip book.

Forget the hotel gym – stay in your room instead!

I got stuck in the hotel lift

2010-01-25T11:36:00.004Z

As I made my way back to the lobby from my hotel room in London recently, heading for a conference, I had the elevator to myself.

Don’t you just love that feeling of having the elevator all to yourself, without people pushing, shoving and coughing?

Or maybe it’s just me being selfish...

Anyway, I had the place to myself, until the elevator pinged and the doors opened on the 15th floor, to welcome a particularly large guy in a suit, huffing and puffing.

From the moment he stepped into the lift and said Good Morning, he spent the entire but brief journey down complaining about how tired he was, how he couldn’t stand these events, how fed up he was of travelling, feeling stressed and overworked.

I politely agreed with him, but I knew how he felt and I was tempted to try and sell him a copy of my Fit Business Trip book, but I restrained myself from giving him the sales speech. I sensed he wasn’t really in the mood... 

Rather than seeing him as a miserable, ‘glass half empty’ kind of guy, I could feel his pain.

Here was a guy who had resigned himself to experiencing all of the above travel symptoms, without thinking that there might just be a way to tackle the tiredness, beat the stress and feel human for a change, instead of a corporate robot.

So many business travellers do just that – resign themselves to the misery and inconvenience of work on the move.

Using a Fat Loss System like Fit Business Trip, which lets you workout in your hotel room, make sensible and energising food choices on the go and lead a healthier lifestyle on business, ensures that you don’t let all that travel get the better of you.

I just hope this guys finds something that works for him, before his work gets the better of him.

Beaten Up in Beijing!

2010-01-24T22:17:00.004Z

Recently I flew into Beijing, to meet my girlfriend who was out in China on a business trip.

After a long flight from London, and a taxi ride from hell in the smoggy heat of the rush hour traffic,
I arrived at my hotel, sweaty, tired and feeling less than refreshed.

As a surprise my girlfriend Lucy had organised a back massage for the pair of us in our hotel room and I was expecting a calm, soothing affair, which would let me unwind, relax and doze off for a while.

The ladies that turned up at our hotel room door were tiny, about 4ft nothing, speaking no English and carrying no equipment or massage couches. As a result, I didn’t expect much.

But how wrong was I? I was literally attacked by my masseuse!

Thumbs, fists, elbows, bodyweight... You name it, she cracked, pulled, slapped, beat and hit me, pummelling my muscles and ironing out my tight spots! Boy did it hurt!

What was meant to be 45 minutes of wind down turned into three quarters of an hour of painful torture that left me bruised and wiped out.

‘Was my girlfriend mad at me?!’ I started to wonder. ‘Had I done something to upset her?’

These ladies took great pleasure in hearing us swear into our pillows as they stood and knelt on us, cracking our spines with all sorts of strange noises and clicks. They were laughing away as we felt every manipulation.

As soon as it seemed that they had finished, another bout of heavy handed massage ensued, leaving us to question whether this whole ‘treatment’ had been a big mistake.

The funny thing was that despite all the teeth clenching discomfort, we actually felt amazing the next day.
It was quite literally like walking on air. It seemed that all the pain hadn’t been in vain after all!

Now, I don’t profess to enjoying torture, and while exercise may seem like an uncomfortable necessity sometimes, you can make it painless by knowing what to do and getting it done quickly.

Working out in your hotel room effectively can burn hundreds of calories, simply using your own bodyweight to create a total body workout.

While I didn’t feel like working out after that massage (let’s be honest, I don’t think I needed to!), I made sure I did my hotel room workout the next day, while I felt on top of the world.

Believe me; the right travel workout can leave you feeling great for hours afterwards, not to mention a more effective fat burner – just without getting beaten up!

Grounded in New York

2010-01-23T17:32:00.006Z

I should have known something was up, from the moment I stepped into JFK recently.

The weather was vile, the cab ride had been painfully slow and now, inside the airport, the check-in lines seemed to snake for miles.

There was chaos everywhere!

This was one of those days when you knew that things were about to go from bad to worse...

After beating the long lines and getting through security, by which time I had almost dropped my laptop, been bashed by a fellow traveller’s oversized bag, and accused of carrying suspicious liquids (OK I forgot to remove a small bottle of water from my hand luggage), I was finally through to the duty free area.

With expected delays on most international flights this was my chance to stock up on healthy snacks to last me through the flight back to London.

I bought some biltong (dried meat), a couple of bags of cashew nuts, some fresh fruit and 2 bottles of water.

I also found some very tasty soya peas that give you a bit of a wasabi-tasting kick. Try them if you get a chance!

I always try to buy plenty of these kinds of snacks when I fly, not only to help avoid eating too much airline food (usually high in salt, sugar and processed junk), but to ensure that I stay hydrated and alert throughout the flight.

Good job too, since as soon as we were settled onboard, the Captain announced a lengthy delay, as the runway was backlogged with several delayed flights waiting to take off.

This lengthy delay turned into a 3 HOUR wait, sat on the tarmac, trapped in our seats with nothing to do except wait. At least I knew I wouldn’t go hungry or thirsty and add to the frustration of sitting around.

If there’s one thing you need to do when travelling it’s making sure you’re prepared for anything. Relying on luck and taking things as they come will do nothing for your fat loss or good health.

If you don’t have a game plan, something that will get you out of trouble when unexpected delays happen, you’ll only end up feeling worse. Buy snacks en-route, or even better, pack what you need before leaving home.

Even if you don’t use what you buy, at least you can take it home and use it up there.

Judging by the guy sat next to me, he was pretty ravenous by the time dinner arrived after take-off. He practically ate the tray as he polished off his meal in the time it took me to decide what to eat and what to leave on mine!

He obviously didn’t prepare and buy himself snacks.

Don’t worry; next time you fly you’ll know what to do.

The Best Hotel Room Workout

2010-01-23T12:29:00.006Z

When you find yourself away on business, with little time to workout and stay in shape, the best workout for you is one that is short, effective and keeps the excess body fat at bay!

To get the biggest bang for your back, you’ll want to choose exercises that target your upper body, lower body and abs.

In its simplest form, that means a push up variation, a lunge, squat or step up and a core exercise, hitting the abs, lower back and sides of the waist.

When I have just 5 minutes I tend to choose 2 exercises – one for the upper and one for the lower, both of which hit my midsection, and save me choosing a third exercise.

To use your hotel room as a makeshift gym, you need to look around and make a note of the following:

1. The amount of free floor space or the ability to move small items of furniture out of the way.
2. The furniture – think about what you can use as props – the bed, a chair or the side of the bathtub.

Then when you have a good idea of what you are working with, decide when the best time is to workout.
I find the ideal time is just before a shower or bath, usually before breakfast or before I get ready to go out in the evening.

Treat your time for exercise as though it were another business appointment – write it down or enter it into your organiser or blackberry and do everything you can to stick to it.

As you workout, keep a tab on how long it takes, what you do and how many reps you achieve.

Each time you workout, look to improve your technique, your intensity and the duration of each exercise.

There are literally hundreds of bodyweight exercises that you can draw from, each of which will test your body and give you a great workout on the road.

The more exercises you know, the more variety you can bring to your hotel room circuits, and the less likely you are to plateau or lose interest.

By timing your exercises too, starting with 20 seconds per exercise for your first workout, with 10 seconds rest in-between each exercise, you can gradually work harder as your fitness progresses.

Once you have mastered the 20 second phase, you can then move up to 30 seconds per exercise with 15 seconds rest in-between each exercise.

Continue to progress in this way, moving on to 40 seconds, 50 seconds and finally 60 seconds per exercise, with suitable rest in-between each one.

Hotel room workouts are more effective and result-giving than most people give credit for.

Forget the hotel gym, forget waiting until you get home, and instead make very good use of your own hotel room for burning fat, getting into shape and keeping your energy levels boosted.

To discover just some of the bodyweight exercises that you are currently unaware of, that will burn fat and get you fit in minimal time, in your hotel room, take a look at the ‘Fit Business Trip’ Fat Loss System, and start making your travel exercise routine work for you.

Hotel Room Push Ups

2010-01-23T12:00:00.005Z

The humble push up comes in many guises...

Away from home and your regular exercise routine, the push up has to be best upper body exercise you can do in the convenience of your hotel room.

All variations of the push up will test your endurance, your core strength (the abs and lower back) and your posture, and since there are so many different forms of the humble push up, at your strongest, you could try a different push up style every time you workout in your hotel room.

Long gone are the days of standard push ups for eternity!

While all push up variations will work your chest, shoulders and arms, the more challenging version you choose, the more your abs will be tested too.

I often do a push up routine in my hotel room, working up to 10 reps of 10 different versions – 100 reps per workout.

The simplest versions for someone just starting out would be kneeling push ups or raised push ups with hands on the side of the bed.

As you get stronger, you can move to standard push ups from the toes, and then single leg and decline.
Once these are mastered, the push up world is your oyster.

All it takes is a little inspiration and a lot of hard work.
If you think that bodyweight exercises are too easy or ineffective, think again!

The Fit Business Trip Fat Loss System started out as my own travel workout plan. As I got stronger and fitter, I added more challenging exercises to the mix, so that now I can workout all over the world, in the smallest of hotel rooms, and know that I’m guaranteed a fantastic bodyweight workout.

What’s more, all the exercises I now do burn the most body fat in minimal time.

If you’re BORED of normal push ups, or you’d like to know how to progress to new, more exciting and challenging variations, then Fit Business Trip can show you the way.

In the meantime, try this hotel room routine out for size:

10 Push Ups
10 Lunges each leg

Repeat these 2 exercises back to back and then rest for 30 seconds.

Repeat the short circuit up to 5 times, and you’ll have worked your whole body without stepping outside your room.

Let me know how you get on!

The Top 5 Hotel Room Ab Exercises

2010-01-23T10:17:00.007Z

Ask anyone wanting to exercise on their travels how to work their abs, and 90% of people will tell you to do crunches or sit ups in your hotel room.

While these 2 exercises will give you ‘the burn’ that most people associate with working the stomach, they are pretty near useless if you’re looking to shed fat from around the waist and stomach area.

What’s the point in developing stronger muscles if they’re still blanketed under a layer of business travel fat?

Do you want to get smart and work your abs with every exercise you do, while burning a lot of body fat in the process? Then listen up....

I’m going to give you my top 5 ab exercises that will burn the most fat in minimal time.

First up I like ‘Wallclimbers’. These involve adopting a push up position on the toes, bringing one knee in at a time towards the waist, as you keep one leg straight and brace the abs. You keep the body completely still as you move the legs back and forth. This way you work your abs, butt, shoulders, arms and thighs. Not bad for an ab exercise!

My second favourite is the ‘Spider Climb’ – again, adopting a push up position, this time bringing one knee at a time out towards the same side elbow. Keeping the abs engaged and body straight this works into the abs, the obliques (the sides of the waist), the inner thigh, the outer butt and the shoulders and arms. Once more, maximum fat burn and ab workout in just one move.

Third I like to use ‘Prisoner Squats’ – hands behind the head, as if you’ve just been arrested. Keeping the abs tight and the chest lifted, you come down into a squat, sitting back through the hips. Hands behind the head force your abs to stay engaged and stop you tipping forward. This is a surprisingly hard exercise to do, but it works the entire body in a matter of seconds – perfect for a quick hotel room workout with no equipment.

At number 4 we have the old school push up. One the toes, body straight, abs braced, lowering down towards the floor through the shoulders and arms. The stiffer your body stays the more your abs get worked. This could quite possibly be the best ab and upper body exercise you can do on the road and it can be done in a hotel room of any size.

Which leads me on to our final Top 5 Hotel Room ab exercise – The Plank. The good news is that it doesn’t require any movement – you just stay still in a push up position, resting on your forearms. The bad news is that it will work your abs like nothing else, which means plenty of shaking in the midriff and lots of determination!

Next time you’re away on business, stuck in your hotel room with no equipment and minimal time, give these 5 exercises a go, and tell me that your abs aren’t tested to the limit.

For these and more effective ab and total body exercises that you can do on the road or at home, check out:

www.myhotelroomworkouts.com.

Pack your schedule with health

2010-01-18T12:55:00.005Z

As a professional 'business tripper' you no doubt have your trip prep down to a fine art.

I'm talking packing on auto-pilot.

You know how many shirts to iron, the ties that go with them, the correct number of socks, tights and underwear, what to pack first and what goes to the sides and on top.

I'm pretty sure that if you travel frequently, you could pack your case or bag with very little problem, unless you've forgotten to wash or iron those last minute things!

Once you have a routine, it gets more and more simple each time you run through the process.

Who would of thought you could say the same thing about exercise?

After all, isn't exercise supposed to be about making it more hard work each time you do it?

Well, yes, but only in intensity.

You see, the more regularly you exercise, the quicker you will get it down to a fine art, know what works for you, and how long it will take you, down to the last 30 seconds on your stopwatch or phone alarm.

Like your packing, have a system.

Learn the basics, practice, get better each time, and very quickly you will make exercise just as much a part of your travel routine as checking in, collecting your airmiles and ordering room service.

Bypass the guesswork and practice what works.

Just 10 minutes a day, in the privacy of your hotel room is all you need.

And there you were thinking you had to face the indignity of the hotel gym...

'Everyone Needs a Co-Pilot'

2010-01-16T15:53:00.016Z

It's a quote from the currently released George Clooney film, 'Up In The Air', the story of a corporate downsizer and his lonely, scheduled life as he travels up and down the country, effectively married to his job.

I hope that rings NO bells with you???!

While his character's personal goal is to achieve 10 million frequent flyer airmiles, he soon comes to realise that amid the perks and the comfort of travelling business class, his life outside of work is EMPTY.

He has no real friends except his fellow travellers, he has no wife, no children, and the relationship with his family is strained and distant.

To be happy in life, 'everyone needs a co-pilot' - someone you can talk to and stay in touch with.

Life is better with company.

After a long day working far from home, the one thing that will make your travels more bearable and worthwhile is to be able to sit down and talk to the ones you love.

Find 5 minutes to call them.

Set aside time when you won't be distracted with business calls, emails and colleague meetings.

Give them your undivided attention and instead of sharing your travel woes, find out what's going on back home - where you belong at the end of the day.

Reminding yourself of what you have that's special will go a long way to getting you through a hard week, challenging negotiations and boring evenings when you may be left to your own devices in hotel rooms.

Relationships are not just worked on when you're together. They need tending to when you are apart.

Make the time.

4 Ways to burn fat at the Airport

2010-01-16T15:19:00.004Z

The Travelator - An unnecessary Evil

OK, so airports are clinical, overcrowded meeting points that only serve to bundle travellers into one place so that they can be herded onto jets and flown to distant destinations...

While you're there, you may as well put the time to good use, and BURN unwanted calories!

Method 1: Window shop
Once through security, use your waiting time to walk up and down the variety of clothes, souvenir and duty-free shops that litter every airport across the globe. Window shopping costs you nothing, keeps you moving and, if by chance you see something you like, your walk won't have been in vain.

Method 2: Pace up and down making calls
Who wants to stand or sit still, making a call that can be overheard by 10-15 others close by? Give yourself some privacy and make calls on the move, as you pace around the departure gate, wearing the carpets out. To be super efficient, why not combine method 1 and 2?

Method 3: Take the stairs between levels
Forget the escalators and elevators. Use your feet as God intended - up and down stairs. Any opportunity you get, climb the steps to go to the bathroom, to check flight times, to see different shops or just get a higher perspective on life below.

Method 4: Don't use the 'Travelators'
You heard me! I know they seem a tempting option, as you trundle your hand luggage on wheels behind you, but travellators are a waste of space and energy. Most people actually slow down their waking pace on these things, making the Travelator SLOWER than walking!

If you step up your pace walking unaided, you can outwalk one of these flat escalators and feel smug for beating the slowcoach in front. What's more, once you relax, the thought of stepping off and walking again seems less than tempting.

Do yourself a favour and carry on walking until you sit down on your flight.

You'll burn more calories, you'll sleep better during your flight and you'll stand apart from your fellow man or woman, who chooses to follow the crowd and be lazy. :-)

Seek out a Specialist

2010-01-11T10:37:00.005Z

At least the trip to my hospital offers great views!

This coming Wednesday I have an appointment booked with my Neurologist, my first meeting with him since I was first diagnosed with Epilepsy back in August last year.

Since we last met I have been put on medication, and the treatment seems to be working well, since I only have a mild form of the condition.

Besides regularly nearly forgetting to take my pills (I usually leap out of bed just as I’m about to drop off, suddenly remembering I need to take them!) the only problem I have is that I can’t drive.

Law states that I cannot drive for up to a year, and as a result of my job needing transport, my income has been hit heavily. As you can imagine, I am eager to get back on the road and start rebuilding my business!

My specialist has prescribed a ban of 6 months.
The DVLA have said 12 months.

Who do I believe?

Obviously I want to believe my Specialist, so this will be the first question that I ask him.

Too many of us listen to too many opinions. Just as we think we’ve formed our opinion, someone else comes along, and with their own unique message we are thrown back into confusion.

With mass media so readily available, it can be hard to know who to trust, who to believe and where to source the right information from.

Do you take your knowledge from gossip celebrity magazines?
Do you read medical journals and study cases?
Do you listen to what your friends and family recommend?
Do you seek the advice of someone knowledgeable in the fitness field?
Do you listen to your doctor?

No wonder the general population is so confused about the RIGHT way to shed fat, feel and look better and get fast results that last.

My advice is this. Seek out an exercise professional – someone with a proven track record, who can take you from A to B in the quickest and safest manner. Feed from them, absorb information, and understand WHY you are doing what you are being prescribed.

‘Knowledge is Power’ as they say.

Without it, you will simply flit from one method to the next, never truly understanding what you are doing or why.

To find the answer to my questions, I am going to the source – The person who knows my medical history and what is best for me, NOT the Driving Agency.

Do the same for your health and fitness and you will see far more positive change.

Take your money and run!

2010-01-11T10:06:00.003Z

Over the weekend I caught a train out of London to go and see friends.

Boy was it a cold day!

The arctic winds we’re experiencing here in the UK right now are pretty chilly, and while sheltering on the platform, waiting for my delayed train, I decided to buy a bottle of water from the vending machine.

I popped my money into the coin slot, and the machine spat my coin back at me.

I tried again. Once more the coin trickled through the machine and dropped out of the change slot.

I tried a couple more times then gave up in frustration. I suppose at least the machine didn’t swallow my coin, which has happened before, but it was annoying that I could see what I wanted in front of me, yet I couldn’t reach out and grab it.

Like I said, vending machines are renowned for being unreliable. They either swallow your money, refuse to give you change, refuse to take your money, or they’re out of order. One way or another, you can’t rely on them.

They offer something you want but, more often than not, they don’t deliver on their promises.

I guess it’s a bit like all these workout programmes and fitness fads you see on infomercials, in magazines and on sale in sports stores.

They promote something you think you want – the holy grail of fitness that promises you rock hard abs, a bigger bust, bulging arms, a flat stomach, smaller, tighter butt... Whatever you desire, they tell you that you can have it – FAST.

Sorry to burst your bubble folks, but it takes more than just buying these gizmos to actually get what you want.

To see real results and stick with the effort needed, your workout programme needs to be short, simple to follow, effective and engaging.

You need to know that it won’t take forever to complete, that you can fit it into your busy schedule, and that it can be done wherever you are, regardless of whether you have equipment to hand or not.

Fit Business Trip offers you a solution to time-strapped schedules that just don’t give you a chance to exercise and stay fit and healthy.

In the real world most people don’t have the luxury to afford time to go to the gym, and to be honest, most of you can probably think of 101 other things you would rather be doing.

Short, effective bodyweight circuits are a solution in this day and age, and the beauty is that they require no equipment.

As work schedules and everyday lives become busier and more demanding on our time, quick home workouts will supersede the current gym culture.

More and more people will want a programme that they can use at home, take on holiday with them, use on business trips and when they are away at weekends.

Exercise using your own bodyweight really will become the desired vehicle for 21st Century fitness.

Make sure you get onboard early, and actually find a simple method to stick with your programme of physical change.

Switch on your 'Scanner'

2010-01-04T12:02:00.004Z

So, Heathrow Airport in London plans to introduce full-body scanners to tighten up security, following the failed Christmas day attack on a U.S. bound flight.

This couldn't have come soon enough in my opinion, and the quicker we erradicate terrorist evil from our skies, the better. We can then all travel a little more soundly, both on business and on vacation.

Introducing such stiff measures will make people conform, not carry dangerous or illegal substances, and as a result, improve the wellbeing of all airbound passengers.

Maybe it's time you installed your own 'safety-check scanner' - in your head.

One that is programmed to sound an alarm when you eat or drink things you shouldn't...

One that niggles and nags when you haven't done your exercises...

One that tells you to get to bed earlier and switch off in the evenings...

The fact is, we ALL have this facility - it's called our 'conscience'.

A little exercise each day, and a tighter rein on what you eat and drink can help you make positive change.

The Fit Business Trip system can act as your conscience on business travel. With no more than 10-15 minutes of safe, effective exercise each day, along with a guide of what to eat and what not to, it takes the guesswork out of what to do, away from home, to stay on top of your health and fitness.

The sooner you flick the switch and power up your 'scanner', the sooner you will return from business travel alert and ready to live your life.

Come Walk with Me...

2009-12-17T14:48:00.004Z

Sometimes you need to get out from behind that desk, detach yourself from your mobile phone or your blackberry, shut down your email system, and get OUTDOORS, away from all work distractions. Take a walk with me and recharge your batteries for a few minutes...

The TRUTH about your Christmas Tipple...

2009-12-15T12:29:00.003Z

It’s Christmas and ‘tis the season to be jolly!’

No doubt that will mean a few extra sherries, not to mention a few sore heads and hangovers the next morning!

Well, good news! I have a guide to the BEST and WORST drinks you can have, if you want to avoid a stinking hangover on Boxing Day, or even Christmas Day!

The downside of this is that you will have to work your BEHIND off exercising, come January!

Oh well, needs must...

So, here’s the thing...

Regardless of what your tipple might be, drinking any alcohol on an empty stomach will accelerate your drunken state, comparative to sticking a drip in your arm and getting it intravenously!

Ooh, not a good idea! ALWAYS make sure you eat before drinking!

What’s more, different types of alcohol contain a variety of ingredients that will affect how you feel the morning after – good and bad.

Let’s take a look at the prime suspects:

VODKA – Pretty clean and not so bad on the old head the next day. It contains NO carbs or sugar, and so it’s the least fattening drink on the menu. A shot of vodka still weighs in at 72 calories, and that’s before the sugar-filled lemonade or coke!

Despite its high alcohol content - around 40 per cent - vodka is the least likely alcoholic drink to leave you with a hangover!

WHISKY / SCOTCH – Drunk neat Drunk neat you must be a pretty hardened drinker girls! Not that I expect any of you delicate lot to partake in the hardened liquor. A shot of the tough stuff weighs in at 80 calories!

To soften the effects, water it down or mix with Baileys or Irish Coffee.

Remember: it’s still WAY TOO MANY CALORIES, which means MORE work to be done, come the New Year!

Drinking whisky will double the hangover suffering, compared to vodka.

WHITE WINE – Whoa! 130 calories a glass! White wine hangovers can be rough. Think about softening the blow, and the sugar rush, by having a white wine spritzer with soda water.

RED WINE – Still high calorie – 120 calories a glass, but less sugar.

Red wine hangovers are worse than white wine, due to red containing ingredients that hang around the body for longer than white, making you feel fragile for longer too.

BEER – Although it takes longer to get drunk drinking beer over other options, beer does contain 170-200 calories a pint, equivalent to 7 chocolate finger biscuits! Due to it being lower in alcohol, it does take longer to have the same effect, but you’ll be popping off to the loo every 5 minutes with all that liquid!
On the plus side, it contains more than 25% of the daily recommended dose of Vitamin B, which can help prevent heart attacks!

BRANDY – This tipple is FULL of impurities that will give you the Hangover from HELL!
At 80 calories a shot, it will give you a stinking headache, so go easy after your Christmas dinner!

CHAMPAGNE – Alright, being high-society men and women, this will no doubt be top of your Christmas list!

At 133 calories a glass, this sugar-filled, fizzy drink is full of syrup. The bubbles will speed up the rate at which you absorb the alcohol and that means you’ll be tipsy before you know it, belting out X-Factor songs, burning the turkey roast and snoring on the sofa, come mid-afternoon!

Whatever you drink this Christmas people, have FUN but go EASY...

We all know how bad hangovers can be, so don’t let them dampen your festive spirits!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Time Off for Good Behaviour

2009-12-15T08:46:00.002Z

The most important aspect of regular business travel is 'rest'.

Use this time to recharge your batteries, switch off from your workload, and spend time building your own relationships - at home.

Number one priority is your wife or partner, who may not have seen you for a few days, or maybe weeks. He or she has no doubt been holding the fort at home, getting chores done and keeping the household running smoothly.

Give them a break too. Take them out for a meal or leisure activities of your choice. Don't just slump in front of the TV and catch up with all your recorded programmes. That is priority number 2 behind spending quality time with loved ones.

Give your partner, wife or husband a break, and take the kids out. Take them for a bike ride like David Beckham, or take them to a Zoo, a theme park or the cinema.

Give your partner a break from parental responsibilites and spend some time with your children, bonding and catching up on what they've been up to at school and in their spare time.

Coming home after a business trip is NOT all about you. It's about those who share your life, and making them feel just as important.

The 3 'I's of creating a better body

2009-12-11T12:18:00.003Z

Don't you just hate graffitti?

You know the kind daubed on white walls and railway cars, someone's 'tag', or signature for those not down with the artists.

Mindless vandalism...

Saying that, in the right place, graffitti can be classed as 'art'.

Take the mural above. Walking Biscuit in the park this morning, I stopped to admire the work and detail that had gone into creating such an urban portrait.

This was no quick daub with a spray can.

As far as I was concerned, the artist displayed 3 qualities:

Imagination
Inspiration
Improvement

To create this work of art, the artist needed INSPIRATION - an idea of what he wanted to achieve.

To put 'can to wall' and create his work, the artist needed IMAGINATION - a vision of how the work would turn out.

Finally, to create the best work he could at that time, he needed to see IMPROVEMENT - a progression from his last piece, so that this mural represented the BEST of what he had to offer.

The same can be said of YOUR workout program.

I like to call these qualities the 3 'I's of Fitness and creating a better body.

YOU need INSPIRATION - an idea of the kind of body you want to create; slim, muscular, toned, fast, graceful - any quality that suits your GOALS.

You also need IMAGINATION - a vision of how you will look and feel once you have achieved your goal:

Will you be admired?
Will you find sports more enjoyable?
Will you be able to keep up with the kids or the grand-kids?

Again your choice of ideals.

Finally, you want to see IMPROVEMENT. There's no better motivation to spur you on than seeing positive change in yourself. When you know that what you're doing is working, you will be driven to keep going, to attain your goals.

Combine these 3 qualities, and you have the recipe for fitness and body changing success that will take you to where you want to go, both physically and aesthetically.

So, set yourself a goal, see yourself achieving it now (even before you actually have), and then take daily action to improve on your performance, your effort and your accumulating results.

THEN you will see light at the end of the tunnel... :-)

Take a fresh perspective...

2009-11-18T17:01:00.007Z

As I took my dog Biscuit for a walk this morning, I began to realise just how much the landscape can change within the space of a short walk.

In the time we were out enjoying the fresh air, we crossed motorways and canals, we walked across meadows and streams, and even walked past an electricity power station!

While Biscuit amused herself, diving through the undergrowth, it got me thinking about how different perspectives can either cloud your judgement or make you feel positive enough to see your way to achieving anything you set your mind to.

If I had tried to persuade you to come for a walk by showing you pictures of electricity pylons and motorways, like the scenes below, you would probably have politely passed up the opportunity.

If, on the other hand, I had shown you the exact same walk from another angle, as in the picture below, you may very well have been more open to the possibility.

YES, literally a stone's throw from the motorway and the pylons, this is what we had the good fortune to experience!

You see, to get into shape and feel alive when you get out of bed every morning, positive and energised by the thought of the day ahead and what it brings, you have to look at the positives, NOT the negatives.

Yes, there are negatives to everything in life, but if you focus on these, you will always find an excuse to ditch your efforts, give up, not try, cheat or just accept your current predicament!

If I saw my dog walks as urban, concrete paved, industrial and noisy experiences, my dog would soon end up overweight, unhealthy and under-exercised, because I would shy away from the experience.

But instead I look for the positives.

Once I get past the motorway crossing and the electricity station, I can enjoy the fresh air, the sounds and sights of the countryside and the colour of the leaves.

At first, the thought of exercise can be quite daunting. You hear so many stories....

"Ooh, it hurts!"
"My friend did his back in trying to get fit!"
"It takes up so much of my time!"

Forget the folk-tales and instead focus solely on you and your actions.

Start lightly and then slowly build it up. Before long you will look past the potential negatives and only see the positive aspects.

How to stick to healthy eating on the road

2009-11-17T09:34:00.007Z

Yes, it can be hard to do, but with a little thought you can steer clear of big mistakes.

Here are my 5 'on-the-road' rules for eating effectively and keeping excess pounds to a minimum:

1. Eat a salad every day - packed full of vegetables and meat or fish.

Buy a salad for lunch from a deli or a supermarket. Make sure it has meat or fish included, or beans and pulses. Avoid the gooey, sugar-filled sauces or dressings. Opt for balsamic or french dressing and keep it light.

2. Eat 2 pieces of fruit a day, 1 at breakfast, 1 mid afternoon.

Fruit salad and yoghurt makes a good breakfast option, and a piece of fruit mid afternoon, with a few nuts makes for a great snack. Don't rely on fruit all day though, due to the high level of natural sugar, which will still cause you to feel hungry more quickly after consumption.

3. Look for the healthy meal options on the menu - ones with vegetables instead of fries or pasta.

You know what makes sense. Lasagna or Spaghetti bolognaise are poor choices next to a fillet of fish with vegetables, a tuna nicoise salad, a steak or chicken. Fries with meat or fish are no good either. If in doubt, order extra vegetables and avoid sauces. Have them on the side.

4. Avoid bread and pastries at breakfast time.

You'll only end up feeling bloated and tired mid morning. Opt instead for a cooked breakfast - poached, scrambled or boiled eggs, tomato, sausage and bacon. It will fill you up and keep you feeling full, plus it will give you plenty of protein first thing, to help you stay lean and reduce your chances of sugar cravings mid-morning.

5. Mix alcohol with water - i.e. 1 alcoholic drink to 2 glasses of water - and go easy!

Use your common sense. Too much alcohol will not only leave you feeling like death the next morning, but it will dehydrate you, reduce your chances of being professional (especially if you get drunk!) and make you crave junk food, that will help pack on the pounds very easily.

Stick to these 5 rules, and life on the road will require less food 'pit-stops' and your body will become more 'fuel-efficient'.

Try it and see how much better you look and feel.

The rules of business travel etiquette

2009-11-13T15:08:00.008Z

I was working out with a client recently, soon after he had returned from another business trip overseas.

We were talking about manners and how they seem to be distinctly lacking on the business travel circuit, not to mention in everyday life. Have you noticed this too, or is it just me showing my age?

As we chatted, he told me that in his opinion, there are 4 laws of business travel etiquette, which made me smile, so I thought I would share them with you.

I'm sure you have your own 'travel laws' that you like to live by too.

Here are my client's laws:

1. If you have a weak bladder, or you drink a lot of fluid, be sure to choose an aisle seat.
There is nothing more frustrating or tiresome than sitting next to someone who has booked a window seat, who insists on visiting the washroom every 5 minutes. It disturbs your work, your films, your music and your sleep, especially if they have to wake you to move.

2. Keep your arms to yourself.
Regardless of which seat you pick, keep your elbows within your own personal space. Don't try playing 'elbow wrestling' with your fellow passengers. Pressing your elbows outwards to keep adjacent passengers at bay is not a clever move. It can cause pent-up rage, and should you choose to visit the washroom during the flight, you can guarantee that the passenger whose elbows you had pinned back will have spread him or herself purposely over your armrest. Be warned!

3. Cover your mouth!
Sitting in close proximity to strangers is not a pleasant experience at the best of times, so please abide by this law: If you need to cough, cover your mouth. My client told me he's lost count of the number of times people cough and splutter loudly without so much as a raising of the hand, leaving their germs to spray around the cabin with wild abandon. Germs spread like wildfire in confined spaces. Keep yours to yourself!

4. Share nicely
This last law refers to the luggage storage bins above passengers' seats. Some people have a blatant disregard for the fact that these are 'shared' bins. While they may fling their jackets, bags and any other luggage in a heap on the floor when they return home, on a flight you need to be aware of space saving. My client told me of one guy who had spread his coat out to dry in the overhead locker, only to tut and stare when asked if he would mind moving it so my client could store his laptop bag.

Making enemies on a long-haul flight is not a wise move. Stick to your 'laws' - the ones by which you would hope others would abide, and you will be in for a stress-free flight.

What laws do you wish fellow-travellers would abide by, to keep you happy?

The solution for tired travelling feet?

2009-11-13T14:50:00.006Z

In 2 words... a 'golf ball'.

Next time you pop off on business, pack a golf ball in your luggage as a massage tool for your feet.

Hours of standing, running for planes. trains and automobiles can leave your feet sore and tender.

With tension comes muscle tightness, and believe me, tightness in the arch of your foot when you have a busy schedule is anything but fun. In fact it can be extremely painful!

Perform some much needed maintenance on your feet, the very means by which you get about, meet and greet, and complete successful business deals.

Sit on a chair and place the golf ball under your foot.

Keep the pressure on the ball light, and roll it around, looking for areas of tightness or soreness.

It may feel extremely uncomfortable when you first try it, but that's a good thing.

It means that your feet truly appreciate the TLC you are now giving them!

This form of self-massage will help keep your feet supple, get rid of building aches and pains, and let your feet move more freely on a daily basis.

So explore the soles of your feet by stowing a golf ball in your business luggage.

It can be strangely comforting...

49 days...

2009-11-12T20:04:00.001Z

That's all there is between you today and 2010... Incredible but true.

Another year gone by, and what changes have you made to your health, fitness or diet?

I know you've had a busy year, you've been on more business trips than you care to remember, and your passport is covered in stamps from far flung parts of the globe...

Either that, or you've been up and down every highway, motorway or train line in the country.

But, that still leaves the question:

What have you done to change your habits in 2009?

Did you tell yourself that you'd lose weight this year, that you'd get fitter, eat a bit better or start making healthy changes to your lifestyle?

I bet you did, and chances are you've done absolutely NOTHING to make it a reality.

There are still 7 weeks left of this year, time you can still use to your advantage.

The past 45 weeks have gone, never to return.
The next 7 are just waiting for you to use positively.

MAKE CHANGE, LOSE WEIGHT, FEEL AND LOOK BETTER.

In 7 weeks you could easily lose between 7 and 14 pounds - up to a stone.

Just START. Get moving.

Forget the gym, and workout on the move.

Use an effective exercise programme like Fit Business Trip and you will be well on your way to improving your health and your fitness before the Christmas excess arrives, no matter where you are.

Don't let your work come between you and your health.

Vow to make a start today and begin 2010 as a new person.

Grab your copy of Fit Business Trip before the New Year for just $19.95 and see what YOU can achieve.

It's not too late...

Dear Prime Minister...

2009-11-10T11:40:00.004Z

MY "TONGUE-IN-CHEEK"OPEN LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER OF THE UK - GORDON BROWN

Dear Mr Brown,

Firstly, let me congratulate you on setting the nation a fine example, snapped by the paparazzi, out jogging on the streets of London, looking suitably 'pushed'.

As you well know, the UK is fast becoming a world leader (In obesity anyway).

While your efforts are valiant and brave, please let me offer you one or two words of advice, if I may, to help improve your PR campaign to be seen as a world leader of both politics and fitness.

If your PR advisory team were on the ball, they would have told you of course that running really isn't that great for fat loss and fitness, when you have more important business commitments to attend to.

As a World leader I know you want to be respected and followed, which is why I would like to suggest, if I may, that a bodyweight circuit back at Number 10 or out in the park would be a far wiser use of your resources to be snapped doing, instead of plodding along the streets jogging.

It's unfortunate too that the "papparazzi photographers took your shot so far into your run, when you were workobviously exhausted and unimpressed with your workout!

If I could be so bold, I would advise the following strategy next time you go for a 'photo opportunity' workout with your burly Police escort:

1. Relax those shoulders - keep your shoulder blades down and back, to maintain good posture.

2. Instead of jogging, stay indoors or head to the park for a bodyweight workout. The press will have a field day and they'll be spoilt for choice with all the wonderful exercises you could be snapped doing.

Here are my simple 'first-time' suggestions for you Prime Minister:

A. 15 Squats
B. 12 Raised Push Ups
C. 20 Jumping Jacks
D. 10 Lunges each leg
E. Front Plank - 30 second hold

Repeat this 2 - 3 times Sir for optimal results.

You'll not only burn lots of calories but you'll also keep that waistline in check, which your Saville Row tailor will be most pleased with! If you would like more workout ideas, might I suggest that Fit Business Trip could help inspire you?

3. Please try and smile Sir. It's most offputting to the nation if you're seen exercising with a grimace. Remember we are trying to promote exercise as a good thing, not something that one is forced to do.

Might I suggest you keep an eye out for the papparazzi next time, and have your practiced smile at the ready?

I do hope you don't mind my setting you straight on these points Prime Minister?

It's in the interest of the nation that we portray exercise as a fun and invigorating activity.

If you would like me to demonstrate any of the above exercises, please feel free to ask.

I hope to see you exercising more effectively very shortly.

Yours Faithfully

Simon Dainton

Loyal Subject to the Realm and keen Exerciser!

5 Ways NOT to get overcharged on a Business Trip

2009-11-10T10:37:00.006Z

Having just returned to the UK from the States, I spent far more than I had intended. Funny how you never realise quite how much you're spending until you get home!

Once I began to sit down and take a look at my receipts and my bank statements, I realised I had spent a great deal on 'expenses' that never really entered my head while I was away travelling.

So, to save you the added expenses, here are my top 5 tips to ensure you don't get charged more than you need to be:

1. Don't end up overtipping
The number of times I get into a cab or let the porter carry my bags, only to realise I don't have any small change. To save the embarassment of asking the person in question to break a large note, I end up giving them a bigger tip than I would have liked. Crazy I know, so now on arrival, I always ask the hotel reception to break a large note down into small local currency. That way I always have the right change for tips.

Another thing to check before arrival is what percentage is deemed acceptable for various tips: bellyboys, taxis, restaurants, bars etc. A google search at home should help.

2. Be sneaky with the mini-bar in your hotel room
Now this is a sneaky one! There's nothing worse than being hungry in your room and being forced to pay over the odds for nuts, snacks and drinks form the mini-bar - daylight robbery!

What I do is work out what time my room tends to get serviced. Then I'll take things from the mini-bar, like snacks and water, and make sure I replace the same articles back the next morning, before housekeeping arrives to check the fridge inventory. It works a treat, and saves you the hotel mark-ups on food and drink!

3. Visit the local shops for breakfast
The number of times I've been stung for a hotel breakfast that was nothing more than coffee, toast, jam and fruit. Believe me, $25 for that kind of breakfast is a scandal! So, what I do now is buy what I need from a local supermarket or shop - fruit, ham, bread, peanut butter and tomatoes. I pop them into the room fridge and then I can eat breakfast when I like, without leaving my room - giving me enough time to exercise in the morning.

4. Check the hotel internet rates and then go online
Ideally, check in to a hotel that offers inclusive wi-fi with your room. Going online to find local restaurants, shops, offices and other desired destinations saves a whole load of money that could be wasted on fruitless taxi-rides. I've spent so much money in the past on cab rides to places that turned out to be no good or requiring reservations, forcing me to flag down another cab to take me back to my hotel to start all over! Save time and money and find out what's good online.
Use review sites like Tripadvisor.com for real reviews and tips.

5. DOUBLE CHECK your bill at the end of your stay
I've been guilty of checking out in a hurry. I hand reception my card, punch in my number and then stuff the receipt into my jacket as I run for a cab, without so much as checking the total. After being stung for several items, I now check the itemised bill before I hand over payment. Believe me, in the past I have unwittingly paid for room service, drinks, papers and laundry that I never asked for or received. With several hundred rooms to monitor, these things happen, so check before you sign.

I hope you found my 5 tips useful?

Put them into practice and they could well save you money that you could put to better use, like buying loved ones gifts or buying snacks for the plane, train or car ride home.

What tips do you have for saving money on business trips, besides not going in the first place? :-)

What will Christmas bring YOU?

2009-11-06T16:58:00.004Z

It's always the same at this time of year when it comes to keeping fit and healthy.

Business men and womens thoughts are elsewhere, engrossed in wrapping up the year's work schedule, fitting in last minute meetings and chasing those deals that need to be closed before the Christmas holidays.

That's totally understandable, but I do still hear far too many professionals giving excuses for why they've let their exercise and healthy eating plans slide in recent weeks:

"Christmas is nearly here, there's too much to do!"
"I've got too many important deals to close"
"Do you have any idea how many trips I've got scheduled this year?!"

Let's face it, there's never a good time to start. There will ALWAYS be something you can turn to as an excuse for not attempting to kead a healthier, fitter lifestyle. The easiest and most popular response seems to be this:

"I'll get started in January"

FINE - have it your way. Do what you like people.

But FIRST think about your current choices:

1. Remain frumpy this Christmas, tired, overweight, bloated, miserable, depressed at how you look, embarassed, frustrated, unable to fit into your favourite clothes, angry at not having taken action sooner, worried about family and friends commenting on how 'you've been living well' - i.e. - gained weight!

OR

2. Start some exercise - even 5 minutes a day to clear the cobwebs, clear up some of your bad eating habits, ditch the things you don't really need in your diet, cut down a bit on your drinking, start to feel more energetic, less tired, more confident, stronger, with less aches and pain, sleep better and feel ready to take Christmas head-on, without worrying about gaining even more weight!

If you decide to carry on regardless, and choose option 1 - fair enough.

But think on...

Don't go boring your partner, friends and colleagues with the same old lines:

"I wish I could lose weight"
"I hate my belly"
"I feel uncomfortable/flabby/bloated"
"I can't find anything that fits"
"I feel fat"
"I'm so tired"

Face it - it's your own fault - ALL of it!

Remember: you have a choice - the easy, tired, bloated, fat route or the healthier, harder but far more rewarding route.

Choosing option 1 will cause you to pick up colds, flu and any other bug or virus that happens to be doing the rounds this festive season. The stuff you put in your mouth will determine your fate and the strength of your immune system.

Choose Option 2, and come January, instead of feeling lousy and bloated, you may well be hearing people around you telling you that you look GREAT, MORE ENERGETIC, FITTER, HEALTHIER... YOUNGER!

The average person will gain 11 POUNDS of useless space-consuming fat between the end of November and Christmas day.

And as you well know, it takes far longer than that to lose!

So do yourself a HUGE favour RIGHT NOW and start taking action.

MOVE MORE
THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU EAT
CUT DOWN ON THE DRINK
GET MORE SLEEP
LOOK BETTER!

"My Today, Your Tomorrow"

2009-11-05T08:58:00.005Z

Recently, in an effort to drag myself away from work at the weekends and have a hobby, I've been rummaging through the record racks in second hand shops, looking for old vinyl treasures, and I've unearthed a whole pile of nostalgic hits!

Last night I was listening to 'Come Live With Me' by Heaven 17. British band from Sheffield? 1983? The song is about an older guy who falls in love with a much younger girl. Back then I was in junior school, still in shorts, carrying a satchel and wearing a cap. Seems so long ago.

Anyway, I digress...

There was a lyric in the song that got me thinking:

"My today, your tomorrow"

In the context of the song the older guy was saying that, being older, he was experiencing things at a different age to the younger girl.

But, with my 'health head' permanently switched on, I was thinking about parents and their children.

YOUR today is THEIR tomorrow.

What you do today will affect what they do tomorrow.

If you're currently travelling a lot, away from home, eating too much, not getting enough sleep, smoking, drinking more than you should, and not exercising, your children will accept these habits as 'normal' and emulate you in future years.

They too are likely to suffer from stress, weight gain or poor health. Unless you set your children a healthy example TODAY, they'll find it far harder to adopt healthy habits as they grow up.

With Childhood obesity at alarming levels, we need to do everything we can to set a good example to our children, so that their 'tomorrow' is as bright and promising as our 'today' could and should be.

So, when you're away on business, think about how your actions and your habits directly affect your children.

Set them a GREAT example, and be someone they look up to.

So, next time you're home from your travels, spending time with your family, think about the Heaven 17 lyric:

"My today, Your Tomorrow"

My ideal hotel bathroom...

2009-11-04T21:30:00.006Z

From rags to riches: cheap motel bathroom or high-end suite?

Call me a fussy traveller, but the test of a good hotel room is the standard of your bathroom.

Most are small, cramped, dimly lit and anything but relaxing for a shower or a soak in the tub. So, whenever I check into a hotel, the first thing I want to see is my bathroom.

Here are my Top 10 ensuite 'must-haves' for a happy stay:

01. Good fluffy towels that soak up the water instead of spreading it.

02. A separate shower with a rainforest shower-head that drenches me, rather than splashing.

03. A TV speaker in the ceiling so I can listen to the news while shaving.

04. Soft, thick, good quality loo roll, instead of cheap tracing paper!

05. Dimmable lights to soften that harsh view in the mirror first-thing!

06. Good quailty bathroom products that I actually want to take home with me.

07. Soft water, free-flowing from the taps.

08. A tall order, but how about a TV you can actually see from the bathroom?

09. Or maybe access to radio in the bath?

10. Plenty of hooks to put my towels on, wherever I am in the bathroom, without having to drop them on the floor.

Is there anything you'd like to add to the list??

Another fine reason to stick to water...

2009-11-04T21:05:00.003Z

As this video shows, you just can't trust any other drink to quench your thirst or give you health benefits.

In this case it's not because other drinks are bad for you, but because the drinking glasses in your hotel room may well be covered in all sorts of germs from past room occupants.

Undercover reports have shown that many glasses in hotel rooms are simply rinsed without any kind of washing liquid or detergent.

So, do yourself a favour - drink water from the bottle, and save yourself the dangers lurking in your hotel room glass.

Aim for down a 1.5 litre bottle by mid afternoon, and another litre before bedtime.

That way you remain hydrated, alert and less likely to pick up bugs and colds... unless, of course, you use the glass...

Do you have any travel 'bugs'?

2009-10-30T15:18:00.003Z

Calm down! It's only a business trip!

Business trips can be a mix of highs and lows, depending on who you come into contact with, their manners, and where you stay and who you fly with.

No 2 trips are ever the same, and each time you head off on your journey you're never quite sure what to expect. Well, over the years I've really enjoyed my travels, but there is always one little incident each time that you remember, either because it was funny, or just downright annoying.

For your amusement, here are 5 of my most recent 'bugs' that have got me a little hot under the collar during my business travels...

I hope none of them have you seeing red from personal experience!

1. In flight - People who get possessive about overhead luggage bins on flights

Let's face it, when we travel, either business or economy, we have to share space. So why do some people get so possessive about the luggage bin above their seat? The bin above my seat was full recently, so I moved along to the next one to store my bag. The gentleman in question told me that I couldn't put my case in his hold because it was his. Yet there was plenty of space! I smiled politely and gave hima look as if to say 'thank you for pointing that out' and stored the bag anyway...

2. In flight - People who steal your reading material

There I was, sat in my seat, reading the paper, when nature called. I left the paper right there on my seat, and when I got back it had GONE! Someone had spotted an opportunity, seen the paper and grabbed it! Now I hide it under my blanket or fold it up and place it in my seat pocket for safe keeping...

3. In flight - People who act like they’re in a private jet

It seems that the closer you are to the front of the plane, the more demanding people can be. I once had a guy sat next to me who was convinced that this was his own personal flight. He clicked his fingers at the stewardesses, complained about his seat, and demanded that everyone ran around after him, even asking for the air con to be turned down! Listen buddy, if you want personal attention, pay the extra and fly solo!

4. At the hotel - Light switches too far from the bed

You know those times when you're in bed, you've just got comfortable, you've finished reading your book or watching the TV and you go to turn the light out... and it's over on the other side of the bed or too far from the bed to reach. You're forced to get out of bed, switch the light off, and then stumble over your luggage and unfamiliar furniture to get back into bed once again.... Grrr!

5. At the hotel - People who steal your Do Not Disturb sign

Yes, this really has happened to me! I put the sign on the outside of my door, went to bed for a bit of a lie in, and then got rudely awoken by housekeeping the next morning, only to find that there was no sign on my door. Someone had obviously passed my door late at night, realised that they didn't have their own sign, and swiped mine! Outrageous!

Anyway, those are my top 5 gripes right now.

Do they ring any bells with you?
Do you have your own gripes to share?

Don't get me wrong, normally I'm a very level-headed kind of guy, but sometimes business travel can reveal its annoyances...

Track down the Salad

2009-10-30T07:26:00.004Z

Another tale from Florida, this time my lunchtime escapades.

In the UK, popping out to buy your lunch is an unexciting and unhealthy affair. You have a choice of buying a sandwich, soda drink and chocolate bar from a supermarket, or eating out at countless restaurants or snack bars, consuming foods high in calories, poor quality fats and sugar.

In a word; if in England, don't bother.

OK, I may be exaggerating a little, but here in Florida I was pleasantly surprised to find far more healthy choices on the menu, in juice bars, delis and snack shops.

Here is a picture of a salad I ordered from a sandwich shop in South Beach. Impressive, don't you think?

In the UK, we don't do salads very well. A tuna salad would consist of a pile of lettuce, a dollop of dry tinned tuna and some sweetcorn. If you were lucky, there'd be a blob of mayo.

Well my Miami Beach salad was anything but dull - mixed salad leaves, a LOT of fresh tuna mixed with a tasty vinaigrette, peppers, olives, carrot, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, spinach... A meal in itself, and not a sign of a crouton or bread.

In fact, it was so big, I saved half of it and put in my hotel room fridge, to eat later. 2 meals for the price of 1, tasty and healthy.

These healthy lunchtime options are out there. You just need to open your eyes and look for the healthier choices, instead of relying on the usual pre-packaged junk that most people lean towards.

A Frightful waste of Time...

2009-10-30T06:58:00.004Z

Last week, after finishing up a very productive conference in Orlando, my girlfriend and I decided to head to Donwtown Disney, to visit Universal Studios for their Halloween Horror Night. Strange thing to do on a Business Trip I know, but it seemed like a fun idea at the time.

As we should have known, the Park was fit to burst, overrun with teens and their parents. Each of the rides we headed to were saying waiting times of up to 150 minutes in line!

Having made the effort to get there, we decided we should queue up for at least one ride, 'Dracula', and see how we got on. Now, no word of a lie, this line was HUGE. I'm talking 400-500 metres long, moving forward at a snail's pace, wiggling back and forth around the barriers.

At every corner, you would turn and there would be another long line in front of you, seemingly neverending. Thousands of people keen to get on the ride, but very few people giving up hope, continuing to stand in line for over an hour and a half!

It was crazy!

So, eventually, after standing for well over an hour and a half, we got to the ride entrance, only to find that this was a standing ride, and a poor one at that. It was a haunted house affair, with lots of fake cobwebs, people jumping out at you as you snaked your way through narrow corridors... A bit like standing in line all over again!

Needless to say, we weren't very impressed and the whole ride was over in under 5 minutes. All that effort, queueing up, only to be disappointed at the end!

Which leads me finally onto the point of this creepy tale:

Studies have proven that steady-state cardio, the type most people do in gyms on treadmills, bikes, cross trainers and rowing machines, moving at a steady pace for up to an hour, is a complete waste of time for fat loss.

Yet, very few people realise this. A bit like our standing in line, they persist working at it, believing that the end result will have been worth the hard work and wait. But sadly it isn't. Studies show that after 12 weeks of this kind of exercise, 5 TIMES A WEEK, there was no change in body fat levels in the test subjects, over dieting alone.

All those people you see plodding along on these machines, day after day after day, will look exactly the same in 6 months time as they do now - guaranteed.

People need to get smart and learn that bodyweight exercise, or high intensity cardio, done for a shorter period of time but at a higher pace or effort, is the only way to get fast results with fat loss.

Systems like the Fit Business Trip work the whole body in under 15 minutes, raising your metabolism and keeping your body guessing, unable to switch off and just go through the motions.

The key to fat loss is level of effort, not time or longevity.

So next time you pop into the hotel gym, keen to burn off your business excess, spare a thought for those people waiting in line for uninspiring rides at theme parks.

It's better than sitting down doing nothing, but longterm, you're likely to be disappointed with the results...

Why no Wi-Fi?

2009-10-29T18:59:00.005Z

Is it too much to ask? Maybe it is...

On my recent business trip to Florida, I made two stopovers - one in South Beach Miami and the other in Orlando.

At my first hotel, a little trendy for my liking (you know, the kind of hotel where it's 'cool' for the staff to be evasive and unhelpful), wi-fi was on tap and I couldn't get enough of it. 24 hour access, in my room, at no extra cost. I was a happy man, surfing til my heart was content!

At my next stop, Orlando, the home of Mickey and all things seemingly more friendly, I expected more of the same, but my hotel chose to charge me for the priviledge - by the hour!

I thought hourly charging for the internet died earlier this century??

It amazes me how come I can pop into Starbucks and get free wi-fi when I spend a few pounds or dollars on a coffee, and yet when I am spending hundreds at a well known hotel chain, I get stung for going online.

Yet another mystery in the life of a business traveller...

Next time I head off on my travels, I'll be sure to bookmark this SITE.

It's called Ji-Wire Global Wi-Fi Finder and it might just save you or your business a few expensive internet calls.

Give it a go and find out where your next 'hot-spot' could be...

"Everything is amazing, but no one's happy!"

2009-10-29T08:23:00.004Z

If you travel on business regularly, where technology has made HUGE advances in recent years, then you have to watch this amusing video clip. I'm sure you'll be able to identify with comedian Louis CK. :-)

Are you making cutbacks?

2009-10-29T07:38:00.005Z

Right now, the business travel industry is going through a temporary dip, as many of your employers are keeping a closer grip on budgets and business allowances, which in turn can mean that you're not getting quite the perks you once were, away on business.

Whether it be an email from the accounts department that you must now finance your own lunches, a memo from the Directors outlining the new cuts on airfare allowance, or a downsizing in your hotel room, you are bound to have noticed some changes to your business travel lifestyle in recent months...

Well, forget the doom and gloom! Let's focus on the positive for goodness sake!

Follow these helpful tips and you could save yourself, and your Company, a whole heap of money, which in turn will shine favorably on you:

1. Save on snack money. At your hotel breakfast buffet, be sure to sneak out a few items that you can eat for your snack mid-morning, instead of paying for a coffee and pastry. Grab a yoghurt and some fruit, and keep your food expenses down!

2. Use Skype to make calls. Instead of racking up a small fortune on the business mobile / cell phone, get online instead and use Skype to make international calls.

3. Ditch the in-room movies. Rather than load your expense account with pay-on-demand movies, put on your walking shoes and head outdoors instead. Grab a local map from the concierge, ask what there is to see in the local area, and start exploring. The fresh air will do you good, you'll improve your geography, and you'll have something to talk about in the office next day.

4. Exercise in your Room. Forget blocking large chunks out of your working diary to go find the hotel gym, only to learn that you need to pay for the priviledge. Instead, learn what you can do in the way of exercise in your hotel room, that will revive and challenge you in as little as 15 minutes. It will cost you nothing, take minimal time and allow you to focus on your work, bringing value for money to your client or the business that you represent.

A few subtle cutbacks here and there will help you reduce your expense account, become a favourite employee with the Accounts department, save your business money, and in turn get you promoted quicker!

OK, maybe not, but at least you'll feel good about contributing to stabilising the business economy right now. :-)

Comfort Zones = Fat Zones

2009-10-29T07:34:00.003Z

Following on from my last post about comfort zones, it got me thinking a little more about why so many people refuse to take responsibility for their bodies and actually get to grips with fat loss.

It all comes back to people's fear of making change, and finding it uncomfortable to do so.

We all steer towards what we know and what makes us feel comfortable and safe, but more often than not, this supposedly safe place we find ourselves is a breeding ground for weight gain, poor health and stress.

For example, you might not enjoy your job and it may involve long hours, but it brings the money and the lifestyle you are used to. Changing jobs or careers may cross your mind, but in reality, you often convince yourself that taking that first step is daunting, insecure and downright madness!

While a change could be just what you need, you vow to stick to the same path, telling yourself that one day you will make a change, break free and be more successful. Most people stick with the same career their whole lives, and sadly very few people actually enjoy what they do.

The same can be said for our health. Going to the gym, working out, pushing ourselves physically and eating more healthily all demand change. Change is good, but in your head, something is telling you that change is BAD:

BAD because it will make you boring
BAD because it will mean that you ache and feel sore
BAD because you will have to change your daily routine
BAD because you won't be able to go drinking with your friends
BAD because it will mean hard work and determination.

In reality, you need to start looking beyond your short-term fears and focus on the longer-term, more positive things that will come from being brave enough to change:

A fitter, slimmer, more able body
Better fitting clothes that let you wear what you want
More energy, get-up-and-go, and a better frame of mind
Less stress and more positive thinking
More strength, better recovery and more confidence
A feeling of not being held to ransom by food and drink

You see, change is hard, don't get me wrong. We all need to make changes to our everyday lives that we put off time and time again. But by slowly addressing our underlying desire to change, even if we find it hard to admit that we want to, we will start to see the positive come out of the preconceived negatives.

Fat loss takes the courage to make that first step and stick with it.

It needs a plan.

It requires preparation, and in my next post on this subject I will lay out the process for making that change...

You can do anything you set your mind to...

2009-10-28T14:34:00.003Z

I know, sometimes it's very easy to sit in your hotel room or on a flight, stare into space and get down about where your life is taking you or the lack of free time and opportunities that present themselves to you.

People often see where they'd like to be in life and then reflect on the huge mountain that seems to be standing in their way, seemingly insurmountable and treacherous.

Whether it be endless business trips, long working hours, chasing that next promotion that never seems to come or just having time to rest, we are all guilty of inwardly reflecting sometimes and feeling sorry for ourselves.

I've done it many times, and I'm sure you have to.

It's very easy to make excuses for why we haven't done things, but more often than not it's simply down to FEAR...

A FEAR of stepping outside our comfort zones, taking life by the scruff of the neck and directing it to where we want to go.

Whether it be fat loss, a lack of money, poor eating habits or a job that gets you down, the TRUTH is, we all make our own path, and deviating from that path can be hard to do.

Sometimes you have to just take a risk, take a lateral leap off the path you are following and head out to explore new opportunities.

One of my Personal Training clients did just that.

Last week she stepped out of her comfort zone and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, some 19,000 feet.

She was nervous, but she took on the challenge and she completed it.

We can all do the same.

Take some time to think about what it is YOU would like to do and how you are going to achieve it.

CONGRATULATIONS Caroline - you are an inspiration to those around you!

Time for Back-Up

2009-10-20T23:25:00.006+01:00

Have you ever lost your laptop away on business? I thought I had recently, and I can tell you, the stress was unbelievable!

I was on a flight back from New York which was overbooked. As a frequent flyer I had no problem getting my seat, but the overhead hand luggage bins were fit to burst. Someone must have done some serious shopping in the Big Apple!

The air stewardess was up and down the aisles, trying to deal with the overflowing bins and fit everything in before take off. I was shattered, so I settled into my seat and fell asleep.

When we landed in London, I went to pull my laptop bag from the locker and it wasn't there! I immediately panicked, thinking that someone had run off with my laptop and all it's vitally important work documents! I felt a cold sweat and nauseous.

Luckily, the stewardess saw the blood drain from my face and came to my rescue, telling me that she had moved it an aisle or two down, to make way for an over-sized bag in my overhead bin.

The relief was huge, but it did teach me a lesson. ALWAYS back up your work and keep a copy on a USB memory stick, close to your person!

That way, if your laptop should go walkabout, you still have all of your major work safe and sound. If I had lost my laptop that time, I would have seen a lot of hard work disappear down the drain.

Please pack a memory stick on your next trip and back up your work daily.

The security of safe work will give you peace of mind, and save you hours of rewriting!

Are you held to ransom by flight delays??

2009-10-20T23:13:00.007+01:00

There's nothing worse than breaking off a productive meeting and rushing to the airport, or getting up long before you feel ready in the morning, to catch your flight, only to find that it's been cancelled or delayed.

We've all been there!

Well, save yourself wasted time and lost sleep by logging onto flightcaster.com.

This new website is designed to give you odds on whether your flight will be on time or not, a good six hours before official airline notifications.

Considering that 75% of flight delays are posted within 30 minutes of take off, when it's too late to make alternative arrangements or sit it out at home or the office, this site could well save you a few wasted hours, sat at the airport, wishing time away.

Before you head for your next flight, try typing in your flight number and see what the verdict is...

www.flightcaster.com

Bring your Business Trip to Life!

2009-10-20T23:11:00.003+01:00

Let's face it: When you get home from a business trip, no one except your work colleagues want to hear about sign-offs, quotas, deal-breaking, profit sharing or new working relationships that were formed while you were away.

I hate to break it to you... While you may be excited or motivated by the dollar deals you made, your family and friends are more interested in the other, more exciting parts of your trip; the sights, the location, the flash cars, the funny avenue and road names, the street entertainment and the view from your hotel room (if you're lucky enough to get a decent room!).

If you have kids, they only want to know that you might have passed a toy shop, saw a statue of Buzz Lightyear or watched the latest blockbuster movie on the plane. Kids are fickle like that... :-)

So, bring some excitement and laughter back home with you.

Pack your camera or videocam on your next trip and have it to hand, to capture those funny or interesting moments. Yes, you are on business, but that doesn't stop you opening your eyes, looking at what is around you and noticing the lighter side of life.

On my last trip, I was walking down Ocean Drive in Miami, when I saw this beautiful Lamborghini parked up outside a restaurant. Knowing my friends would love to see it, I took a photo and emailed it across the globe to their inboxes. It took seconds to capture, and it made them smile - a welcome change to the spreadsheets, figures and daily work tasks that they were already dealing with.

So, pack a camera and be aware of what's going on outside your working bubble - instead of burying your head in your blackberry or iphone!

Could Swine Flu lead to a ban on hand shaking?

2009-10-07T11:47:00.004+01:00

My jaw literally dropped when I read a rumour in the UK pressthat the favoured form of greeting and deal making could soon be frowned upon, in an attempt to stop the global spread of swine flu!

If rumours are to be believed, the Corporate Business World could soon be forced to adopt the Japanese custom of bowing, as a preference to the risk of spreading germs via our greeting hands.

If you ask me, the world's gone mad, and this nanny-state culture we are heading towards is getting out of control, but that can be the subject of another post, another day.

Instead, if we are to bow instead of shake hands, I have the perfect exercise solution to ensure that you carry out the Eastern greeting with style, control and grace. It's called the 'Waiter's Bow' and it will not only put you in good stead for adopting the correct bowing technique, but it will also strengthen the backs of your legs, your abs, your low back and your butt.

DOUBLE bonus!

So, with the imminent demise of the handshake, let's get to work on the 'Bow':

1. Stand tall, with right palm on stomach and back of the left hand on the lower back, as shown (a).
2. Start the movement by sitting the hips back and bowing forward, bending the knees slightly.
3. Feel a pull in the back of the thighs as you focus on keeping the back straight and hips back.
4. Pause at the stretch and then push the hips forward, tighten the butt and stand back up to straight.
5. Pause at the top and then repeat.

Repeat this exercise 10-15 times and feel the backs of your legs work!

Once you have the correct technique, you should have no problems getting to grips with Swine Flu customs, and if the handshake ban never materialises, which I suspect it won't, you at least have stronger legs, abs, lower back and butt to be thankful for...

5 ways to stay fit and healthy on the Road

2009-09-27T14:56:00.011+01:00

Without a little prep, being good and sticking to a healthy schedule can be hard work, as so many other things vie for your attention, away from home.

To help you out, here are my top 5 tips for staying fit and healthy while travelling:

1. Write down your fitness goals
Just like you would write important meetings and deals down you need to attend, write down a few key objectives to strive for while you’re travelling. For example, do 50 push ups, go for a run, use the hotel pool, take the stairs instead of the elevator, cut down on your coffee and drink more water. Set a handful of small goals and aim to stick to them.

2. Pack some fish oil
Buy a quality fish oil supplement at home and pack it in your case. Take one 1000mg capsule daily with a glass of water to ensure that you have enough good fats in your diet, which in turn are good for your heart, improved brain function and lower depression.

3. Eat vegetables and some fruit whenever possible
At lunch, dinner and with your snacks. Always aim to choose fresh over fake or packaged foods. That way you get more vitamins and minerals, and you don’t deprive your body of what it needs in the way of goodness.

4. Vow to explore
Don’t just spend your down-time sitting in your hotel room, checking emails or watching the TV. Instead, get outside and explore the place you’re staying. See the sights, walk the streets, find a park or a cafe and relax. Don’t be a hermit, be an active explorer!

5. Always eat breakfast
No excuses now, even if you do oversleep! A healthy breakfast with fruit, oats or eggs will set you up for the day ahead, give you renewed energy and less chance of going off the rails mid-morning and reaching for the coffee or the sugary chocolate snacks.

So, next time you’re away on business, bear these 5 pointers in mind and come home feeling a little healthier.

If you want to test your fitness even more, and make up for a lack of gym in your hotel, consider an effective workout programme you can practice in your hotel room, and see your fitness levels rocket!

Switch OFF from Work

2009-09-27T12:42:00.004+01:00

The weekend is YOU time - time to recharge your batteries, get outdoors, see friends and family, but above all, have time to yourself.

After a busy working week, it's important to have quality down-time, away from iphones, blackberry's, email accounts and fax machines (does ANYONE still use a fax?!)

The perfect way to relax and unwind is to book yourself in for a treatment;

A massage, a facial, a manicure, a pedicure, a barber's shave...

Girls, I know that the idea of such pampering is heaven!

Guys, embrace the whole grooming thing! You need to look well-groomed and styled out there in the business world and these kinds of treatments will make you feel like a new person.

This weekend I had a facial and a massage. Last night I slept like a baby and today I feel like a million dollars!

If you live, work or are visiting London on business, I can highly reccommend Cucumba in Soho - an Urban retreat from the noise, stress and pollution of the City!

Girls, you don't need to be told twice that booking such self-indulgence is the perfect medicine for a stresful working week.

Guys, why not treat your partner to a bit of pampering, and have a treatment yourself while you wait, like I did with my girlfriend?

So, make a note in your diary or on your blackberry:

MUST book in for a treatment this weekend!

Let me know how you get on...

That spark of nostalgia...

2009-09-27T12:21:00.007+01:00

This Saturday, after a busy week working, I had the morning to myself.

My girlfriend and I decided to be self-indulgent and do our own thing.

She had a sports massage appointment booked and I decided to do a bit of shopping, indulging in one of my favourite hobbies; buying music.

There really is nothing better to make you smile and feel good than a little nostalgia.

Back when you were a child or teenager life was far simpler. You had little pressure, no job to worry about, no children, no money worries...
Life was good when you were younger!

OK, you might have been awkward, spotty and no good with the opposite sex, but all in all, life was fun.

Mine was, I hope yours was too!

As I thumbed my way through the 7" vinyl singles in the second hand record shop, remembering all of the great music (and not so good) of the 80's, it made me think about people and their fitness.

We can all look back on things past and remember them with fondness and nostalgia.

All of us were, at some time, more active and fitter. Maybe lately things have slipped, you have less time to go to the gym or play your sport, or you're more busy with work, family life and chores.

But, like buying second hand records that you used to own years ago, it's very easy to relive those better days. I took a trip to the record shop and flicked through the racks to get my fix.

To get your exercise fix, maybe you could phone a friend or arrange a game of tennis, golf, football or some swimming with a family member, even the kids.

Perhaps you could take up a sport or activity you haven't done since you were young.

Anything you like - archery, horse riding, squash, even paint-balling!

Exercise doesn't mean you have to succumb to the gym when you're back from your business travels.

It means doing more physically than you currently do.
It means enjoying what you do and feeling good for doing it.

So, invest in a little physical nostalgia, and feel GREAT for doing so!

By the way, if you're intrigued, here are some of the singles I bought:

Icehouse - Hey Little Girl
Steve Winwood - Valerie
Heaven 17 - Come Live with Me
Marillion - Kayleigh

And there were a few cheesy singles too, but I won't embarass myself in front of thousands of people by nae-checking them! ;-)

How many calories do you drink in the name of business?

2009-09-24T22:45:00.004+01:00

I know you like to think that the alcohol you drink on business is just 'sociable' calories that can't be avoided, but if you want a RUDE awakening to the amount you actually consume, try using this great interactive alcohol calculator....

CLICK HERE to find out how many alcohol calories you REALLY consume to oil the wheels of industry!

BE honest...

Add up your business trip intake.
In fact, add up your weekly intake, both away from home and at home.

To lose 1 pound of bodyfat, you need to burn off 500 calories a day.

Drink a couple of glasses of wine and that 500 calories you hoped to lose - BOOM! - has just been added back to the equation.

Try this calculator HERE and, if you're brave or honest enough, please leave a comment at the bottom of this page.

HOW MUCH are YOU drinking and was it as much as you thought?

Fit Business Trip - Exercise Challenge 3

2009-09-22T16:43:00.007+01:00

Ok, here's one for all you Business Travellers who can't live without a cup of tea in your hotel room...

You know how they say 'a watched kettle never boils'?

Well, keep busy while it does.

Fill the kettle with cold water, flick the power switch, and start a set of Jump Jacks.

Jump slightly off the ground as you step both feet out to the sides, and raise your arms up and out your shoulder height, as though flagging down an aircraft... :-)

Keep the rhythm going as you continue to move, waiting for the kettle to boil.

Aim not to stop until the kettle switches itself off or you hear the water boil.

That should give you a good 2-3 minutes of heart-raising exercise that will have you wide awake, and no longer needing that cup of tea or coffee!

Give it a go, pass some time, get some exercise and feel GREAT!

Why VERY FEW people use the hotel gym...

2009-09-21T08:43:00.004+01:00

If you've ever taken a look around the hotels you've stayed in, I'm sure you've poked your head around the door of the hotel gym every so often, just to see what's on offer.

Chances are you weren't particularly impressed. More often than not, these supposed areas of health, fitness and vitality are little more than a customer service afterthought, a spare area of space that would no doubt have been a store room in it's former life.

The trouble is there is NO life in these places! They are soulless, underpopulated, uninspiring areas.

If someone installed a treadmill in your closet at home and told you to exercise for 20 minutes in there, would you?

Of course you wouldn't, so why would you bother using the small and airless hotel gym either?

At your health club at home you get greeted at reception, given a fresh towel, you start to recognise your fellow regulars and you pass the time of day with people.

NOT in a hotel gym. You're like every other person there - travellers passing in the night, not interested in making friends, striking up conversation or feeling at home. You're there to exercise, and most people in there look pained for doing just that.

Do yourself a favour and escape the norm. Don't become the hotel gym regular who moves aimlessly from one piece of prehistoric equipment to the next, unsure what he or she is meant to be doing, but thinking that 'a little bit of everything' is better than nothing at all.

Have a plan and don't leave your hotel room. Workout in privacy and comfort.

Be selfish...

Set the air-con to how YOU like it...
Watch or listen to the TV Channel of YOUR choice...
Do the exercises YOU want to do, without waiting for other people to finish...

"But how do I get the equipment in my hotel room?", some of you might ask...

Equipment?

You donʼt need it. The only resistance you need is gravity, and youʼre already carrying your bodyweight around with you.

Put it to good use and save yourself time.

Depending on your fitness and ability, perform bodyweight exercises that force you to move your whole body.

Forget crunches, sit ups or leg raises.

Instead, focus on exercises that force your abs to work while working your whole body - push ups, squat variations, lunge variations, floor exercises.

In the time it would take you to get to the hotel gym, you could complete a fast and highly effective workout circuit in your own room, that hits many areas of fitness - cardio, strength and endurance - with the added bonus of fat burning.

A programme like Fit Business Trip offers you an unending variety of exercise options that you can mix and match to create your own challenging workouts, without ever stepping foot in the hotel gym again.

So, save your soul and your time - stay in your hotel room!

What are your experiences of hotel gyms? Do you like them?
Do you have time to use them? Do you wish you did?
Please leave your comments below...

Fit Business Trip - Exercise Challenge 2

2009-09-18T15:12:00.004+01:00

Here's another little challenge for you, on the road, to help keep you fit without eating into your daily schedule.

Next time you're attending another one of those long, draw-out, uneventful conferences, where
you get a hundred and one coffee breaks for a chance to mingle and network, use your time more constructively.

Instead of standing around, coffee in hand, trying to look busy on your Blackberry or examining
the table of unhealthy, sugar-filled coffee snacks, pop back to your hotel room and getsome exercise done.

Give yourself 5 minutes to do the following:

Push Ups - 10 reps
Squats - 10 reps
Lunges each leg - 10 reps
Front Plank - 30 second hold

Repeat 2-3 times, hop into the shower and skip back downstairs, just in time to see your fellow delegates yawning over their 3rd cup of coffee, STILL trying to look busy and occupied!

Are you game? Give this short circuit a go and tell me how you feel afterwards.

Why jogging for fat loss fitness SUCKS!

2009-09-15T11:02:00.008+01:00

Most people, when they think of doing some exercise away from home or the gym, settle for jogging the streets. They see it as a simple but suitably strenuous way to stay fit, without needing any equipment except a pair of running shoes and an ipod.

I'm sure it all stems from the power-dressing days of the 80's when we were told that aerobics was the best way to stay in shape and deal with business stress.

Not so...

The fact is, if you're looking to get into shape, lose some body fat or just maintain what you currently have, running really isn't your best option, even if you have no hotel gym as an alternative.

For the average tired, overweight, joint-tight business person, running the streets is a disaster waiting to happen, and an expensive visit to either the physio, osteo or chiropractor - take your pick!

You see, running is a repetitive movement, that requires around 1500 repetitions of leg movement for every mile ran. 1500 reps of an exercise that you shouldn't really be doing is too many steps in the wrong direction!

Running also causes you to plant between 2-4 times your bodyweight through your joints with every stride, and if you're used to doing little more than sitting at a desk for 8 hours a day, and you're tired, jet-lagged and stressed already, you can see why I might have a problem with you running, when you're away on business...

And if that doesn't put you off, consider too the fact that jogging a mile only burns 100 calories.

That's it, about the same number of calories you'd find in a 1/3 of a frappachino, in 1/2 a Mars bar or 1 caffe latte. Hardly worth the effort is it?!

Contrast jogging with short, effective hotel room circuits, like the ones found in Fit Business Trip, and you will send your metabolism into meltdown.

Bodyweight circuits will have you torching body fat, burning more calories (even long after you finish your exercise), with less reps, in less time, with less discomfort and less joint stress, while working your whole body.

What's more you don't even need to leave your hotel room, and you're not held to ransom by the weather either.

Don't believe me? Download your free Fit Business Trip workout HERE and let me know hwo you get on...

Fit Business Trip - Exercise Challenge 1

2009-09-14T21:08:00.002+01:00

Here's a quick way to fit some effective exercise into your busy day, and not let it interrupt your work schedule...

Next time you go to fire up your laptop, instead of sitting there watching the blank screen, waiting for your desktop to come to life, work your abs effectively.

NO Crunches required...

Lie down on your front, resting on your forearms. Squeeze your butt, brace your abs as if you were preparing to take a blow to the stomach, and then lift your hips up off the floor, so that you're supported on your forearms and your toes.

HOLD...

Keep an eye on your laptop screen and hold this position until your programs and applications are loaded.

With any luck, you should be able to pass the time quickly, keeping your abs engaged for a good minute or so.

Who said you couldn't pack anything else into your busy working life??

Live the Hilton Lifestyle

2009-09-11T16:15:00.007+01:00

I love the convenience of online hotel booking.

No having to call and be put on hold as the reception staff check room availability, and no flicking through misleading brochures at dated old photos of the hotel, as it appeared in its glory years!

As I booked my hotel for a conference in Orlando, I was pleased to see the Hilton chain ask me what I looked for in a hotel trip.

3 of the choices were:

1. "I like to be able to get work done and be productive when I'm on the road"

2. "I like to relax and rejuvenate when I'm away from home"

3. "It is important to me to maintain my healthy lifestyle when I travel"

All three fit with my philosophy - work hard, be productive, yet find the time to stay fit and switch off and relax.

That is the ideal Business Trip.

Most people only manage the first statement.

They work hard, they have late nights, and for their efforts they come home mentally drained, physically exhausted and disorientated.

Most people don't think it's possible to achieve the 2nd and 3rd statements, away on a business trip.

In fact a lot of business travellers feel guilty for even thinking about these two!

After all, isn't a business trip meant to be serious, focused and high-paced?

NOT always and NOT 24 hours a day.

You have to give yourself some ME time, otherwise you'll burn out!

With a bit of clever planning, you can tick all 3 boxes - work, exercise and relaxation:

Exercise before main meals, in your hotel room, in as little as 10 minutes.
Do the most pressing work tasks as soon as you've had breakfast.
Ditch unnecessary calls, emails and communication with the office.
Schedule the majority of your meetings pre-lunch or over lunch.
Aim to give yourself some downtime between your working day and evening entertaining.

10 minutes of exercise in your room, doing effective fat-burning, metabolism-boosting circuits, and 10 minutes of shut-eye, fiction reading or switching off your cell phone or blackberry is all you need daily to achieve all 3 of the above goals.

The question is this:

Do you REALLY want to achieve all 3 or are you just looking for excuses to make your trip more stressful than it needs to be??

"You've got to love what you do to really make things happen."

2009-09-10T18:53:00.005+01:00

There's more to life than business charts and performance figures...

When I read this quote from British Retail Guru Sir Philip Green, i
t made me think...

It's the kind of statement that should make everyone think:

THINK about your job and what it means to you...
THINK about how you live your life and what's important to you...

THINK about why you're sat in that hotel room, away from home again, feeling tired, rundown, overworked and, if you're really unlucky, underpaid! :-)

You see, life is too short to be sat contained within 4 walls that are not your own, unless you have a passion for what you do, a belief in what you sell / advertise or teach, and a desire to be where you are right now, either promoting your boss's business or your own.

Unfortunately, most people are less than happy with their working lives.

BUT, when it comes to looking and feeling better, the effort needed to succeed doesn't have to take over your life, like a job that involves long hours, constant travelling and overnight stays away from family and friends.

In the space of 10-15 minutes you can do what you need to do, within your hotel room, to burn fat and get into shape, even if the thought of a gym visit brings you out in hives!

It is SO true that you have to LOVE what you do to really make things happen.

When it comes to exercise and health, you have to find something that you enjoy, something that lets you see the fruits of your labour while allowing you to live a life that isn't always restricted to dieting, gruelling exercise regimes and being miserable in the name of shedding a few pounds.

Find your passion, while away on business:

Sightseeing, golf, swimming, yoga, hotel room exercise, power walking, meditation...

Whatever you enjoy, find the time to indulge, provided that it promotes good health.

Once you find something that improves your mind, fitness and daily outlook, you will see great things happen...

Fat loss and a trimmer figure, more energy, less cravings, better sleep, less stress, more enthusiasm and better work performance.

By doing something you enjoy, even if you're not 100% happy with your vocation in life, you can still work on improving your health...

Business Trip Survival

2009-09-10T18:43:00.000+01:00

OK, so maybe a little over the top...!

Business trips can be hectic, fast-paced and run on tight schedules.

Good preparation is vital if you’re to reduce the effects of stress and keep an organised, alert mind.

By thinking ahead and preparing well for your trip you’ll not only be doing your health a favour but also your Company, by turning up at your meetings looking refreshed and focused.

Before You Go

Eat Well: Boost your immune system with good nutrition. Start supplementing your diet with extra vitamin C, to help your immune system fight any viruses that might be hanging around.

Alternatively, get more vitamin C from your diet, in the form of red peppers, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, citrus fruit and sweet potatoes. Foods that will improve the strength of your immune system include mushrooms, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, oatmeal, green vegetables and garlic.

Be Prepared: Packing a first aid kit might sound like over-caution, but even the smallest of cuts or grazes can be a nuisance without plasters to hand. Essentials should include an assortment of plasters, antiseptic wipes and a tube of antiseptic cream. You might also want to include a few painkillers and aspirin, FOR EMERGENCIES ONLY.

Pack Sun Cream: You may not be heading for the beach, but you d be amazed how many people forget to pack this when heading to hotter climates on business! Make sure you know what factor you need before heading off to the airport. Sunburn really isn t fun and it certainly doesn t look good! Depending on the climate you are heading for, you could need as high as factor 30 on the face and neck.

Don t get stressed: Setting off for a trip on the wrong foot is asking for trouble. Staying calm and focused will allow you to arrive at your destination in one piece without feeling like you have travelled half way across the globe. Start by making sure you have all your important travel documents to hand and get to the airport in good time, to check in, have a meal or snack, and relax before the flight. You could also use this down time to go through work documents or prepare for your meetings.

On the Flight

Try to avoid alcohol. As well as dehydrating your body it can leave you feeling sluggish. Drink plenty of fruit juices or water. Choose still water rather than carbonated, as this will keep you from the bloated, gassy feeling associated with carbonated drinks. Avoid any stimulant such as caffeine as this will only leave you with a false sense of alertness that will soon fade, leaving you more tired than before.

Try to move about regularly on the flight. Just a quick walk up the aisle or circling your ankles around can help improve your circulation and leave you feeling less stifled in your seat.

Another trick is not to change your watch during the flight, so that you stick to your own time zone s sleep patterns. If your watch tells you that it is late then try and get some sleep rather than staying up to watch the in-flight movie. Your body and mind will thank you once you get to your destination.

Packing earplugs and even an eye mask are great ways to ensure that you get some much needed sleep on long-haul flights, to cut out cabin noise and light.

Wear loose fitting clothing and take your shoes off if you can. Otherwise unlace your shoes, to allow for the change in atmospheric pressure, which can make your feet swell. Hardly the best way to start a business trip when your stiff dress shoes are feeling uncomfortable!

Make wise choices about what you eat and drink. Try to avoid too much bread or potatoes and instead stick to protein and vegetables, which will leave you feeling less bloated and more alert. On short flights your airline is likely to offer little more than a bag of peanuts and a drink, so make sure that you have a good meal before the flight, or pack a healthy snack bar and a piece of fruit in your hand luggage to keep you going.

Arriving at your Destination

If you have to jump straight off the plane and head to a meeting then ensure you get some sleep or rest while flying. Otherwise try to give yourself a few hours rest when you get to your hotel or accommodation. A warm shower is a good way to revive you A good workout or swim in the hotel gym can also help to give you a lift. Don t head for the hotel bar or reach for a cup of coffee instead

JET-LAG: It takes about one day per time zone crossed to adjust to local time, so bear this in mind when you arrive at your destination.

Get a good deal of sleep before your journey. It’s also important to rest as much as possible during your flight. Planning to arrive at your destination as near to the time when you normally go to sleep will also help with the adjustment. If you are able to plan your itinerary allow time on arrival for this adjustment.

On arrival at your destination get active as soon as possible and adjust your meals and activities to local time as soon as you can. Exposure to light is also a good way of naturally allowing your body to adjust.

Follow these tips and you might just return from your business trip a little less frazzled!

Stay 'wrinkle-free' on business trips...

2009-09-07T13:07:00.006+01:00

As a frequent flyer or hotel dweller, doesn't it drive you mad when you open up your case or bag after a long-haul flight, to find all of your carefully ironed and pressed clothes creased?

Well, forgo that stressor and listen up for 'wrinkle-free' clothing next time you unpack your bags.

First of all, make sure you're not 'over-packing' things. It sounds like an obvious solution, but you'd be surprised just how many business travellers try and pack every last item of home comfort into their luggage, cramming and stuffing socks, underwear and toiletries into every available crack between the main items.

Be realistic - ask yourself if you really need everything you have packed.

Will 1 tie suffice instead of 3?
Can you get away with one less pair of shoes?
Do you really need that jumbo pack of tissues when the hotel will have some?

If you really do need everything in your bag, consider using a larger one...

Then, when you're packing, put the non-business items at the bottom, like workout clothes, t-shirts, underwear and socks or tights. Items at the bottom of the bag or case are most likely to get creased, so make it these under garments or non-important items instead of your business suits and dresses.

The more delicate items, like your suits, dresses, skirts, shirts and ties should all go in the middle of the packing pile, cushioned between your undergarments and any coats or jackets you might need.

Ties can be folded in half and placed between t-shirts for extra wrinkle protection.

Suits and clothing in hanging bags should be carefully folded and placed in the case.

Place shoes round the edges of your case or bag, to protect your clothes, but also to reduce the chances of the sides of the soles digging into clothing and adding further creases and wrinkles.

Finally, to ensure that clothes stay wrinkle-free for as long as possible, unpack your bag at the earliest opportunity and don't just rummage around for what you need, day to day.

Hang everything up, and clothes should be crease-free by morning.

If you do find clothes creased or crushed, you have 3 options:

1. Either call reception and have them send up an iron and ironing board
2. Call Laundry and pay for the items to be pressed or ironed by hotel staff
3. Hang the creased items in the bathroom and let the hot shower run. The steam will help iron out creases with little effort!

One more thing... using a fabric softener in the wash, when preparing for your trip will help keep clothes more crease-free.

Why bother exercising on a business trip?

2009-09-07T09:29:00.006+01:00

Get it DONE before your morning shower and then's it out of the way!

Good question!

After all, you've got a hundred and one other things to worry about:

Catching flights, all day meetings, deadlines, client entertainment, striking deals, drawing up contracts, getting your hands on a cup of coffee, jet lag...

The truth is, fitting exercise into your daily life is hard enough, but juggling a business trip and time for exercise is twice as challenging!

The way to look at it is not how time consuming it can be, but the benefits you will give yourself by actually doing it...

01. A little exercise will help keep those excess pounds off from all the business meals.
02. It will perk you up and give your restored energy
03. It will help fight jet lag and let you sleep more soundly at night
04. Exercise will boost your concentration and hence your work performance
05. You'll look better, stand taller and exude an air of confidence
06. A little exercise will go a long way to lowering your stress levels and taking your mind off business matters
07. It will stimulate your brain, letting you regain your business focus
08. You'll command respect from those around you who see you as 'switched-on'

And the best thing about it is that, using the Fit Business Trip System, your window for exercise only needs to be between 10 and 15 minutes long!

It's fast, it's effective, it makes you look and feel better, and it reduces the effects of business travel tiredness, overeating, bloating and stress.

10-15 minutes is NOT a huge amount of time to ask for to gain all of these benefits!

Plan ahead for your Business Flight

2009-09-05T22:31:00.004+01:00

We already know that Business Travel can be hard work, but how can you make those outward journeys more pleasurable and easy-going?

Plan ahead and you'll be fine.

Do everything you can to make things run smoothly and reduce the stress that might arise from unexpected situations, that are designed to ruin your day!

In your hand luggage pack your laptop, your travel documents, a book, an ipod and a change of clothes.

That way you have something to cover all situations:

Your travel documents safe and to hand
A book and ipod to pass the time if you find your flight delayed
Your laptop, to check last minute emails and to finish outstanding projects
A change of clothes, just in case your luggage goes missing

Have some cash to hand, for tips or small purchases en-route, and if necessary, check with your bank before travelling, to ensure that your bank card will not be swallowed by an ATM or declined by a restaurant or hotel abroad, as a result of a bank presuming the card stolen.

Save yourself time, embarassment and frustration as well, by checking the list of prohibited items on your selected airline. You can usually find this list on the airline websites. That way you don't end up losing nail scissors, expensive toiletries and other useful personal items.

If in doubt, pack them in your main luggage in the hold.

Lastly, make sure you have a good supply of snacks and water packed in your hand luggage.

The last thing you want is a flight delay when you've already boarded the plane. With snacks to hands you can still stay refreshed while you wait.

The perks of Business Class

2009-09-04T16:09:00.005+01:00

The one resounding benefit of business travel overseas is that you get to travel Business Class, unless the Company you represent is making financial cutbacks right now. Hopefully, for your sake, that isn't the case!

Before you even board your flight, you no doubt take your seat in the airline's business class lounge, with snacks and newspapers on offer. Use this opportunity to grab some healthy snacks for the flight, like nuts, fruit and water. After all, you or your business are paying for the privilege, so make the most of it!

Some business lounges also provide showering facilities, so why not seize the chance and work your abs before your flight?

Change out of your business suit, lie down on your front, on the floor, resting on your forearms. Squeeze the butt, brace your stomach, and then lift your hips up off the floor, holding your body in a straight line from your toes to your shoulders. Make sure your abs and butt are tight. Hold for 30-60 seconds and then lower back down to the floor.

Then shower. A simple ab workout that takes less time to complete than brushing your teeth!

Once onboard, you have roughly 60 inches of legroom to play with in front of your seat, compared to the tourists back in economy who have to make do with just 36!

Once again, use this to your advantage... Straighten your legs out in front of you, tightening the fronts of your thighs as you do so. Hold for 10 seconds and then relax as you lower your feet back down to the floor. Repeat 5 times and rest. A brief, but effective leg workout from the comfort of your reclining chair!

And then there's the food. Well, if you make arrangements in advance, chances are you can tailor your meal to your healthy needs. Plenty of fish and salad.

If not, there is always fruit, nuts and fresh food and water on demand, so choose the right foods to fuel your flight and keep you energised.

So you see, the perks of Business Class Travel are far greater than you might have already thought.

Always be on the lookout for healthy opportunites on business, even at the airport...

Save time at the airport...

2009-09-04T16:01:00.004+01:00

Business Travel always entails a certain level of 'dead' time.

This is the time you spend at the airport, dealing with long queues at check-in and security, and then sitting waiting for your flight boarding details to appear on the departure boards.

Take my advice – use this time to your maximum advantage.

First off, once through security checks, find a shop to buy last minute snacks and food. By that I don't mean a double cheeseburger and fries. I mean healthy food options like nuts, biltong, beef jerky, water and fruits. Buy what you need for the flight and then relax.

Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit as soon as possible, away from the hustle and bustle of the duty free shops. Nearly all major airports now have wi-fi access, so this is the perfect time to get some work done, before you start your onward journey.

Respond to last minute emails, and then ensure that you have set up your email auto-responders, so that less-important emails received during your trip can be left alone until your return.

Ensure that your mobile or cell phone answerphone message informs callers that you are absent from the office or other clients. Again, this will let callers know your status, and reduce the need for you to return every call that gets filtered through to you during your trip.

Get any last minute tasks done at this stage, so that once you arrive at your destination, you can rest.

Go over your schedule and mentally plan ahead:

Have you got all your files easily accessible?
Are your presentations loaded and stored somewhere safe on your desktop?
Do you have directions to your hotel, contact details of the clients you are visiting and some loose change in the currency of your destination country for tips, taxis and unexpected small expenses?

Making these last minute checks will free up more time while you are away, allowing you to negate the need for spending more time doing things that really aren't that important or pressing.

With the free time gained, you can relax, sleep, sightsee or exercise, and actually feel like a human being on your return home!

Hotel Gym vs Hotel Room

2009-09-03T17:50:00.007+01:00

How often have you walked into a hotel gym and been surprised by how well equipped, inviting and spacious the facility was?

Very rarely I should imagine!

When you consider that only .000001 percent of guests actually venture into their hotel's gym, it's hardly surprising then that most hotels give very little thought to this afterthought addition to their list of facilities.

Many hotel 'gyms' I encounter are like the spare room at home - small and serving as a dumping ground for random pieces of old exercise equipment that rarely get used:

An Ab roller gizmo
An old, ricketty exercise bike, that was hip in the 80's
An exercise mat, frayed and faded around the edges
A wallchart of old school stretches and exercises
A skipping rope
A few light dumbbells from a mail-order catalogue
A bench
An overused, high mileage treadmill

It's a sad state of affairs, when you consider that most hotel guests are in dire need of improved health and fitness!

Despite many visitors wanting gym facilities, very few actually use them, and who can blame them when the gym is hidden away, down some dark corridor, with no natural light and no atmosphere.

Your hotel room is literally crying out to be used as your own personal gym:

It has air con...
It has natural light through the windows...
You have control of the music or TV channel...
You can start on the spur of the moment...
You can get a GREAT workout in just 10 minutes...
No equipment to figure out or waiting for the treadmill to be free...
No dealing with other people or their often smelly odours...
You can hop straight into the shower afterwards...

What more could you want in the way of facilities?

Provided you have an effective arsenal of exercises to hand, as the Fit Business Trip Programme offers, you can fit an effective and exhilirating fat loss workout into your working day, without ANYONE even knowing or seeing!

To keep things simple, pick 2 upper body exercises, like push ups and flutters, 2 lower body exercises, like squats and lunges, and a core exercise to hit the stomach muscles, like a Wallclimber or Spider Climbs.

Work through all 5 exercises, back-to-back, and then rest for 1 minute, before repeating once or twice.

Within 10 minutes you have completed a total-body workout, while other fitness-minded guests are still waiting for the treadmill to become free.

Makes much more sense working out in your room, don't you think?

15 MORE ways to relax on a Business Trip

2009-08-25T19:13:00.009+01:00

01. Meditate - no need to be spiritual - just shut your eyes, sit in silence and think about your weekend ahead
02. Focus on your breathing - switch off all other distractions
03. Schedule in a movie - either in your room or at the cinema. Why not invite a work colleague to the cinema instead of having another business dinner?
04. Laugh - whatever it takes; funny book, call home, funny film, comedy club, comedy dvd...
05. Ask the concierge - where to go and what to see, away from work
06. Walk the streets and take some photographs - take your mind off work
07. Learn a new language - use your spare time to your advantage
08. Do some online shopping - order surprise presents for loved ones while you're away
09. Grab a pen and some paper and note down a few fun ideas for your weekend return home
10. Write a blog - jot down a few random thoughts or share your travel experiences. It can be quite therapeutic and can help you remember what you've done!
11. Take up a new hobby that you can practice on the road - draw, write poetry, yoga
12. Get some fresh air - even 5 minutes stood outside the office soaking up the sun will make you feel better
13. Power down your laptop - keep away from the emails...
14. Make yourself a cup of green or herbal tea
15. Pick up some brochures before your trip and secretly plan your next family holiday

15 ways to relax on a business trip

2009-08-25T18:57:00.006+01:00

01. Switch off your mobile or cell phone (that includes your PDA!)
02. Have a hot bath
03. Book a sports massage in your hotel
04. Read an enjoyable, non work-related book
05. Go for a swim at your hotel
06. Listen to your ipod
07. Have a lie-down
08. Get up earlier and go for a quiet stroll before work
09. Stretch tight muscles
10. Sit in the hotel bar and listen to the band or piano player
11. Put on your slippers and pad around your hotel room
12. Stare out of a window with a view and daydream
13. Sit and people watch
14. Call home for a chat - think of fun or entertaining things that have happened in your day
15. Do some exercise in your room. Follow the FitBusinessTrip Programme

Keep it all together when you fly!

2009-08-25T14:24:00.007+01:00

Whenever I travel on business, I always seem to mislay my passport or boarding pass at just the wrong time, either as I join the passport control line or as I approach check-in.

How frustrating is it when you have your arms full of luggage, a laptop bag over your shoulder and your mobile phone in hand, trying to search your pockets or bags for that vital missing item??

Here's my solution - SOLVED on my trip to China last month.

Buy a large zip-up travel wallet that is capable of holding ALL of your travel documents - passport, boarding pass, airport parking ticket and any online booking receipts you might need.

I found that when I simply put vital documents in my pockets, they would get moved about at checking point, whereas now, I simply put them back in the one wallet and put that in the same place EVERY time - the front zip pocket of my laptop bag, which NEVER leaves my side, except at security checks.

By keeping all of your important stuff together and keeping it safe, you reduce the headaches I used to have, of blind panic as you convince yourself that something is lost or mislaid.

Remember; business trips can be stressful enough, without thinking that you're going mad!

See the Programme for Yourself...

2009-08-25T10:23:00.004+01:00

Time yourself with i-Tunes

2009-08-24T21:22:00.006+01:00

Here's a tip for fitting in a quick workout in your hotel room, to energise and refresh you, and keep you feeling fit on your travels.

Turn on your laptop and fire up i-Tunes.

Choose a favourite track that will motivate and inspire you.

Choose 2 or 3 exercises that you can do in your room with no equipment.

Let's take, for example:

Push ups, working the upper body...
Squats, working the lower body...
Side Planks, working the core...

Press PLAY and get started!

Keep working through the 3 exercises in sequence until your song has ended.

In just 3-4 minutes, depending on your song of choice, you can pack quite a workout in!

Next time you find yourself twiddling your thumbs in your hotel room, give your fitness and energy levels a boost and do something useful that will impact positively on your business trip.

Where would you like to sit?

2009-08-24T20:51:00.008+01:00

If you're anything like many of business travellers out there, you like your routine.

When it comes to flying, you tend to pick the same airline, same flight and even the same seat...

Well, why don't you make life easier for yourself, and ensure that you get the pick of the best seats, even before online booking goes live for your flight?

Next time you fly, make a note of the seat and row you were in, if you liked your position.

Then, check out www.seatguru.com, run by Trip Advisor.

Believe me, this is a great site, if a comfy seat with all your creature comforts is vitally important.

Not only will you be able to tell at a glance if you have the best seat on the aircraft, but you can see if your seat is too near to the restroooms, too far away, or if it's near the galley.

Of course, if you fly Business Class at all times, your seat's location may not be quite such a concern, but it's always good to know...

Is your Blackberry a TASKMASTER??

2009-08-24T14:16:00.010+01:00

A recent survey found that Blackberry users ended up working an average of 15 HOURS EXTRA each week, caused by continually checking emails and responding to workplace requests, demands and questions!

Now if I told you to put in an extra 15 hours of work for no extra pay, I'm sure you'd tell me where to go, in no uncertain terms!

Don't let yourself be dragged into working more, when you NEED to be finding time to switch off, relax and recharge your batteries.

Here are some quick-fix tips to reducing your Blackberry dependancy...

(And recharging your Blackberry batteries in the process!)

1. Set up an autoresponder on your email account.

Tell clients and co-workers that you will only be checking your email TWICE a day, between the hours of X and Y. Let people know you are busy and give them a rough idea of when you will be able to respond. That way you clear out some of the small, unnecessary emails, and let people know that they will not get an instant response.

2. Switch it off at certain hours.

Avoid taking your Blackberry into meetings and to business dinners. If you need it for making calls, leave it switched off during these events. In many cultures it is rude to use your phone while meeting with others, so be aware of the local business customs. Break the habit, otherwise you will be unnecessarily distracted.

3. Switch off as many updates and feeds to your Blackberry as possible.

For me, there's nothing more annoying than being with someone who is constantly glued to their phone or blackberry, reading the latest news, sports or financial updates. Such content can be very anti-social in the company of others, especially colleagues you are supposed to be building relationships with. Edit your subscriptions and ask yourself if you really need all these time-intrusions?

4. Do something more constructive, instead of constantly checking your inbox.

You need to recharge your batteries away on business and make sure you get enough sleep and recovery. Instead of checking your emails first thing in the morning, why not fit some exercise into your routine instead, just before you hop into the shower?

The Fit Business Trip Programme allows you to complete 10 minutes of highly effective exercise into your busy schedule, without needing to leave your hotel room and find the hotel gym.

5. DON'T use your Blackberry as a boredom breaker!

You know what I mean. Next time you have 5 minutes to yourself, don't bury yourself in the screen, Instead use the time more wisely. Walk round the block, have a quick nap, grab something to eat or drink, stretch your legs... All of these activities will be far more constructive and therapeutic than tapping away on a miniature keyboard, trying to look busy.

So, use your Blackberry wisely and you can manage your workload, see off unimportant requests and still fit in a daily dose of exercise, rest and recovery...

Dealing with Meetings

2009-08-21T11:55:00.005+01:00

Don't look as bored as the Chair of this meeting!

Let's be honest; a high number of business meetings are a complete WASTE of your time!

They repeat agendas, they drag on, they're full of people who like the sound of their own voice, and they're BORING!

Be honest... they are, aren't they?

Well, do yourself a favour, and ask these important question:

"Do I need to be here?"
"Can I get what I need from the post-meeting minutes?"
"Is there someone who would be better suited to attend in my place?"
"Do I have the time for this meeting or will it set me back from other pressing deadlines?"

Many hours lost in meetings could be far better spent getting on with tasks that actually produce a result, increase revenue and help you progress. Time passed is time gone forever...

Here are my top 5 tips for dealing with business meetings:

1 .Ensure that the meeting is structured.

Ask to see, or be emailed, the agenda for upcoming meetings. Make your decision on whether you attend or not on the basis of the meeting's relevancy to you. Many attendees are likely to use the time to air their own concerns or agendas, so try not to get caught up in matters that don't need to concern you.

2. Make your excuses...

Have a get-out clause, in case the meeting over-runs or veers off course. Let the organiser know that you have a conference call, important engagement or other such excuse that will be taking place at a certain time, allowing you to have a cut-off point, should the meeting seem to be going nowhere. Make your excuses and leave without being frowned at.

3. Take notes and listen carefully

With all the cross-talking, fighting to speak and conversations going off on tangents, it's easy to miss the key points that are relevant to you. If need be, record the meeting on a voice recorder, so that you can pick up on things afterwards.
Remember: switch off your blackberry, phone or PDA, and concentrate...

4. Have a fresh water supply

Drink water throughout the meeting and not only will you remain well-hydrated and focused, but you'll also have an excuse to leave the meeting to go to the rest-room, which may well be a godsend in a meeting that drags on for hours!

5. Be selective...

Don't become a perpetual meeting attendee. Attend what is relevant to you, avoid anything else. Being a constant presence in meetings may let you escape work demands for a while, but it will not further your career. Get on with something more constructive.

5 Things you need on your business laptop

2009-08-21T11:50:00.009+01:00

Next time you head off across the globe on business, add these features to your laptop and make working life less stressful and more productive...

01. Skype
Stay in touch with family and friends at low cost. If you're travelling within your own Country, calls are free. Skype is a simple downloadable app that you can have up and running in seconds. You can also use it for instant messaging at no cost.

02. Your important phone numbers
List and store your vital phone numbers on your computer, in an excel spreadsheet. In the event of losing your mobile or cell phone, this will be a lifesaver!

03. Some inspiring, uplifting music
Either use I-Tunes or, if in Europe, Spotify. Both apps will allow you to listen to music while working or in the evening when you're relaxing in your hotel room. A great tune is sometimes all you need at the end of a long day to restore your smile.

04. A good list of web bookmarks
Create a new folder and call it 'business trip'. Store all your vital website links that will come in useful during your trip, like xe.com currency converter, your airline check-in website, your client's websites, online guides to your destination, and anything else that will prove useful during your time away.

If you're using the Fit Business Trip Exercise Programme, make sure you bookmark your links to the exercise videos!

05. A World Clock Widget or Application
Know the time simultaneously at home and on business, at a glance. Toolbars like Yahoo and Google will have apps like this available for download.

Your laptop is your business lifeline, so make sure that if you need information on the move, you have it pre-stored and quickly accessible.

Beat Transatlantic Luggage Allowance!

2009-08-21T11:26:00.007+01:00

As if living out of a suitcase wasn't hard enough, some of the leading airlines are now reducing their luggage allowance on transatlantic flights, so it pays to pack smartly, not go too heavy and only pack the essentials you need.

Here's how to pack everything you need and still be within your luggage allowance limit...

If you're travelling for anything more than a couple of days, only pack enough clothes for half of your trip. Once you have worn some of your business clothes, have the hotel launder them. That way you have fresh clothes to wear for the second half of your trip, and yet only half the luggage.

Go lightweight on the cosmetics, creams and toiletries. I used to just pack my home toiletries into a bag without thinking, until I realised that I really didn't need that full tube of shaving gel, a whole bottle of shampoo and dozens of other items.

Most cosmetic brands now sell tester bottles or travel size products. Why carry more than you actually need and risk losing what you've brought from your home supplies?

Don't bother packing your gym kit. For something that you use so little, workout clothes and sneakers take up a fair amount of space. Ditch these items and instead pack 1 pair of shorts and an old T-shirt. Exercise in your hotel room, get a quicker workout before you hop into the shower, and then you don't have to care whether you look presentable or not to the gym-going crowd at your hotel health club!

Preplan and prepack. I'm as guilty as the next person for packing items that I will never use. Look at your schedule for the trip and work out the following:

How many business dinners do you have booked?
How many days will you be meeting clients?
Will you want to go out and about in casual clothes?
Will you be seeing the same clients on a daily basis?

Men, if you'll be seeing the same people on a daily basis, you'll need to pack a change of ties, shoes and shirts, so that you don't look like you live in one outfit.

Ladies, in the same situation, you'll need different accessories to change your daily look. Just remember though - you're not packing for a 2 week holiday!

Write a list of what you need to take with you, and note on your return home what you didn't use.

Then save that list to your computer, blackberry or mobile phone.

Next trip you take, you simply refer to that definitive list and you will be sure to be within your luggage allowance.

"Snacks on a Plane"

2009-08-21T08:42:00.003+01:00

No, not the Samuel L. Jackson film, but SNACKS!

Many airlines are reducing the quality, size and regularity of their in-flight menus, so be sure to pack your own supply of food for those long-haul, trans-atlantic flights.

Starting a business trip by consuming everything that the cabin crew serve you is a recipe for disaster, not only for your waistline, but also for your digestive comfort. It can get awfully gassy at 30,000 feet!

So, instead, come prepared for your flight.

At home, pack a snack box - a plastic sealable tub with everything you need for the flight. Put it in your hand luggage and you have healthy food on demand.

Pack the following:

Some grapes
A small bag of plain nuts (cashews are great!)
A little cheese - but no smelly varieties please!
Some protein bars - Clif or Trek bars are perfect
Beef Jerky - dried meat
An apple or any piece of fruit that isn't messy
Dried fruit
Cold meats

Don't think you can just buy what you need at the airport.

Chances are you'll be in a hurry, have no time to look at your choices, and end up grabbing a bag of sweets, some packet snadwiches and a coffee.

Be prepared, and then you're safe in the knowledge that you can eat when you like, and then get some sleep without the in-flight food trolley disturbing you.

With the current security measures in place at all airports, you can't prepack any liquids, so always buy water once you are through security, and then onboard, ask for water from the drinks trolley.

That way you stay well hydrated, you eat sensibly, and you eat when you like, not when the cabin crew tell you to.

Enjoy your flight and happy snacking!

Avoid Swine Flu on Business

2009-08-20T22:53:00.005+01:00

Although all the furore about Swine Flu seems to have died down for the time being, you can never be too careful, even if it simply means avoiding colds, infections or tummy bugs, while away on business.

Here are my top tips for avoiding Swine Flu and the like, next time you travel abroad:

1. ALWAYS wash your hands.
No matter where you are, always wash your hands regularly. Travelling on business, you come into contact with germs minute by minute - shaking hands, moving luggage, opening doors... Ok, let's not get too fussy, but the fact is, germs lurk everywhere.

2. Take a multivitamin and some ecchinacea
Give your immune system a helping hand! Daily supplements while away on business will help fill any holes in your diet and keep your body running more efficiently, but only the simple supplements like the 2 mentioned and fish oil. Don't carry a medicine cabinet full of pills and potions in your luggage!

3. Exercise!
Whether you exercise in your room, use the hotel gym, or step outdoors for a brisk walk, get some daily exercise and keep your immune system boosted.

4. Eat Sensibly
Fish like salmon, mackeral, and tuna are filled with omega-3 fats, which support white blood cells in fighting infection. Foods high in beta-carotene, like carrots, spinach and sweet potatoes are all packed with the stuff, so get eating!

Be sensible, avoid getting rundown and take a few precautions to avoid illness on your travels.

Exercise in Your Hotel Room

2009-08-20T21:29:00.004+01:00

The Fit Business Trip Programme allows you to stay fit, away on business, with challenging circuits you can do in your hotel room, with NO equipment.

Makes perfect sense when time is tight and you're stuck in your room with nothing to do!

So, when you are allocated your hotel room, make sure it suits your travelling fitness needs.

First of all, make sure that you have some free floor space to be able to lie down and move about. A small, cramped room will make things far more challenging.

Secondly, what's in your room, in the way of furniture? Is there a chair, a foot stool or a TV cabinet that you can use for push ups? Look around and see what you have available.

The circuits available to you as part of the Fit Business Trip Programme involve bodyweight exercises that will suit, and challenge, all fitness levels, even the super fit!

Your hotel gym could be your room, so make sure you ask for a suitable room when you check-in, or ask to be moved if necessary.

Remember; the customer is ALWAYS right!

In-Flight Rewards

2009-08-20T21:07:00.007+01:00

In the Fit Business Trip Programme, I tell you all to avoid airline food and instead board your flight prepared with the RIGHT snacks and foods to keep you satisfied during your journey.

But let's face it - sometimes time constraints or an oversight can lead you to forget what you need. Make the best of your situation and reduce the chances of either eating too much or eating the wrong foods that will do NOTHING for your fat loss efforts.

The first thing to do is to make friends with your serving steward or stewardess.

Next, ask them if they have any spare meals onboard, and if so whether you can have 2 starters instead of a main course. Starters on flights are nearly always fresher, with cold meats, salad or fruit, instead of the stodgy processed excuse for a main course.

Skip the dressing sachet with the salad and instead ask for a wedge of lemon to squeeze on your food. The air staff will have lemons and limes for the drinks trolley, so don't feel embarrassed about asking.

And a final, invaluable tip for all Business Class travellers is to help yourself to any complimentary snacks available to Business Class passengers.

British Airways Clubworld offer complimentary fruit and small snack-size bags of nuts onboard, for all top-end passengers to help themselves to.

Grab what you need and save them for snacks once you reach your destination.

Just don't tell too many people - otherwise the airlines might cotton on and withdraw this useful service!

A few little requests can go a long way to a more comfortable and healthy flight.

5 Ways to Restore your energy on a Business Trip

2009-08-19T13:40:00.003+01:00

Business Trips are a whirlwind of meetings, air travel, commuting and client entertaining, which can really leave you feeling drained of energy and longing for that return flight, but I've come up with 5 sure-fire ways to ensure that next trip, you actually come home feeling refreshed!

1.Drink plenty of water

With all those coffees and fizzy drinks, most people are dehydrated at the best of times, so make sure you stay alert and drink plenty of water on your trip. Drinking enough water is vital to getting you through your business trip without headaches, lethargy and the dreaded jet lag we all know so well! Water aids your digestion, helps you to burn fat more efficiently and helps reduce any food cravings you might have, so it makes PERFECT sense to drink water regularly throughout your day.

2. Get a good night's sleep

Inspect your hotel room before accepting it. Make sure it's not near the lifts, the bar or overlooking the hotel loading bays. Believe me, a delivery truck reversing outside your window at 3am is NOT the most welcome of visitors! If you find the first night in your room too noisy, simply ask to be moved.

As a safety back-up plan, ensure that you pack a set of earplugs and an eye mask, to block out all noise and light, and ensure an uninterrupted night's sleep.

3. Eat Sensibly

First off, avoid all boardroom coffees and biscuits. Instead, start your day with a filling breakfast, ideally in the hotel restaurant rather than room service. Grab a few potential snacks from the buffet bar, like yoghurts and fruit, and then ideally pack some healthy snacks before your trip, to take with you during the day and keep you fed and satisfied. Nuts are the ideal choice - just don't eat too many in one go!

4. Give yourself some 'ME' time

Look at your work schedule and factor in some time for you - some 'ME' time. Find as little as 5 or 10 minutes a day, where you can sit down, relax, switch off from phone calls, emails and meetings, and just escape the madness. Turn off your phone and laptop and engage in non-work activity; read a book, listen to your ipod, go for a walk, exercise in your hotel room...

5. Stay in touch with family and friends

Even after the most stressful of days, a simple phone call or text from home can be all you need to feel better. By talking to loved ones you'll be able to relax your mind, forget about work for a while and share conversation that makes you laugh or happy.

Adopt these 5 tips on your next Business Trip, and you will find the time away from home far less stressful.

When your hotel concierge is worth his or her weight in gold...

2009-08-19T13:35:00.004+01:00

Having recently returned from a business trip to China, I discovered that the Hotel Concierge is far more than just a rolodex of restaurant recommendations. He or she is also a godsend when it comes to communicating with the local service industries.

As an Englishman in Shanghai, I did not know a word of mandarin, besides the obligatory 'hello', 'please' and thank you', staples of all good business travel language.

The one thing I soon learned on arrival in this bustling city was the fact that taxi drivers don't understand our guide books, even if you point to a location on a map. Unless the place of interest or business is written in mandarin and Chinese lettering, they are likely to look at you blankly, and at worse, shout and tell you in no uncertain terms to get out of their cab!

If you are travelling in China or the Orient and you need to get about, ask your concierge.

Show them where you need to go and they will write down your destination in Chinese lettering, for you to hand to the taxi driver, instead of trying to thrust a guide book under the driver's nose and hope that he takes kindly to your direction.

Hand the piece of paper to the driver and be sure to take it back, in case you need to use it again.

Asking your concierge for a little written help will do wonders for your stress levels and the uncertainty of whether or not you will arrive at the destination you had asked for.

Of course, you could be unlucky, like me, to choose a destination across town that requires fighting the traffic, in which case no amount of written help will please the driver, as he unceremoniously dumps you back on the pavement to hail another taxi!

How to Get a good night's sleep in a hotel - Part 2

2009-08-19T13:31:00.005+01:00

Although designed as a place to lay your head at night, hotels can be anything but peaceful sometimes, so ensure that you get a good night's sleep on your next visit.

Here is part 2 of my top tips for a good night's sleep.
(For Part 1, click HERE).

1. Have a bath, not a shower, last thing at night

Close to bedtime, a shower will invigorate and awaken you, which is NOT the aim, when you want to get some quality sleep! Instead, opt for a soak in the bath and allow your body to unwind. A bath will actually make you feel sleepy and relaxed.

2. Avoid working into the early hours

Whether in your room on the laptop, or out at business functions and dinners, try and set yourself a cut-off point, whereby you tell yourself that you will be in bed by a certain time. Otherwise the hours will pass and before you know it, you've had very little sleep. If you're working late in your room, set an alarm timer to sound when it's time to pack up and go to bed.

3. Set your room up for sleep

Close to bedtime, dim the lights in your room, or switch off the main light and use the lamps or bedside lamps instead. Tell your body that it's getting darker and induce sleep. If possible, keep the TV off, and instead put some music on, or read a book for a while.

4. Avoid coffee and alcohol in the evening

Caffeine is a stimulant, which will only make you feel more alert and artificially awake. It will keep you awake and give you a broken night's sleep, as will alcohol. Drink water in the evening, and always have a glass or bottle of water to hand, at the side of your bed, so that you can rehydrate in the middle of the night, if you wake.

5. Don't worry, be happy!

Before bed time, start to unwind and switch off from work. Call home or think about your weekend plans coming up. Think about non-work related things and go to bed with a clear mind, not one packed full of questions, business ideas and schedules.

Business Travel is always tiring, so do yourself a favour and make it as stress-free as possible...

How to Get a good night's sleep in a hotel - Part 1

2009-08-19T13:26:00.008+01:00

Hotels can be, quite possibly, the worst places to guarantee a good night's sleep, with the coming and going of residents at all hours, the road noise, the alien bed and pillows and the whirring of the air con unit that seems to have a mind of its own!

BUT, that doesn't mean you have to settle for a night of broken sleep. Treat your room like it was home and you could be sleeping like a baby, by following my top tips for a great night's sleep.

1. Block out the noise

Air con unit, corridor traffic, road traffic... Wear earplugs and all of your noise problems are solved. Wear an eye mask too in case your curtains are paper thin and the light is streaming in under your hotel room door.

2. Avoid the Hotel Movie selection

It's so easy to get engrossed in the latest blockbuster on the TV and stay up beyond your bedtime, so instead of flicking through the TV channels, flick through a book instead or do some hotel room exercises and start to feel sleepy.

3. Do as the locals do...

If you've travelled far to your destination, adopt local habits and get to bed when it's local time to do so. Avoid sleeping according to your own time zone, or else you will lie awake half the night while everyone else is sleeping soundly. Feel tired when it is dark.

4. Switch off all electrical equipment

Before you jump into bed, make sure that your cell phone, your laptop, your Blackberry and any other communication device is switched OFF. If you leave them on, chances are you will be woken by text alerts, whirring hard drive fans and appointment alarms.

5. Check who is staying on your floor

If you know that you find it hard to sleep well away from home, do yourself a small favour and ask reception if there are any large groups sharing your floor. The last thing you want, at 3 in the morning is the visiting soccer or hockey team coming back to their rooms, and having a party. Likewise, a young family with a baby up half the night crying is also no remedy for a good night's sleep either.

Follow these simple tips and I guarantee you will sleep like a baby on your next hotel visit.

For part 2 of this article, CLICK HERE.

6 Ways to ensure a smooth business flight

2009-08-19T13:23:00.006+01:00

Setting yourself up for a stressful time before you even arrive at your business destination is highly unadvisable. The number of times a seemingly well-planned business trip can become a disaster-in-the-making is not worth considering.

Make sure you do everything possible to ensure a safe and stress-free trip.

From personal experience, here are 6 MUST-DO things that you should check off your itinerary before reaching your final destination, and the official start of your business trip:

1. Check-in online

You wouldn't believe the hassle this one step saves. As soon as you can, usually 24 hours prior to flight departure, go online to the website of your airline carrier and book online. Have your flight number to hand, as well as either your booking reference number or the name on the ticket.

Choose where you want to sit, ideally opt for an exit row, where you gain more legroom and the ability to stand up and use the wash facilities without disturbing the person in the seat next to you. Once your preferred seat is chosen, and you have confirmation, all you need to worry about is checking in your luggage at the airport.

2. Travel light

Let's be honest: Unless you intend to tack a vacation to the beginning or end of your trip, you want to travel as lightly as possible. If you plan on staying at your business location for more than a few days, consider using the laundry service at the hotel, and only carry what you need for half that time.

Men, you don't need a selection of suits. One, maybe two, are all you need. Simply change your daily look with fresh ties and shirts.

Ladies, do you really need a change of clothes for every occasion? Remember, this isn't a holiday. You'll be working...

Travelling light also makes transition to and from the airport far simpler, not to mention reduce the chances of injury from hauling a heavy case around with you. Ideally, purchase a case on wheels with a retractable handle, and spend as much as your budget will allow, ensuring a long life.

3. Arrive at the airport early

Beat the queues, check-in in minimal time, and allow yourself time to gather your thoughts and buy any last minute things you might need on the trip. Always remember to check that you have travel plugs, adaptors and batteries.

Get to your departure gate in good time and then relax. Please avoid racing through the corridors, trying to reach your closing gate in time.

4. Eat light, drink little during your flight

Studies show that eating lightly onboard a long distance flight will reduce the chances of jetlag. Airline food is never known for its culinary enjoyment, so do yourself a favour and eat before you leave home or the office.

If you are hungry, don't be tempted to eat everything on your tray. Avoid the bread, the dessert and the coffee. Only eat the main course and then get rid of the tray.

Instead, focus on drinking plenty of water and staying well hydrated.

5. Use the time to exercise or sleep

Instead of sifting through paperwork and worrying about meetings and business deals, relax. Get some sleep, make yourself comfortable and try to get up and about every hour, just to stretch and move around. Do some exercise in your seat. Brace your abs, twist your torso and lift your bodyweight up out of your seat.

It may not be up to the intensity or variety of your hotel room workouts, but it will still keep you active and stop you from sitting in your seat for hours on end.

6. Re-set your body clock

Once onboard, behave as though you were already at your destination. Reset your watch to local time and act accordingly. If it is 3am at your destination, try and get some sleep. Allow your body a chance to slip gently into its new time zone.

By following these 6 tips you are far more likely to arrive at your destination more alert, less tired and ready to jump right in and get down to business.

How to survive your next Business Trip

2009-08-19T13:18:00.004+01:00

Business Trips can either be a joy or a downright pain. Either way, being prepared for the trip ahead can make or break your time away.

Before you get close to heading to the airport, grab your schedule or your diary and mark out what you'll be doing for the upcoming days. Mark off meetings, flights, dinner appointments and deadlines. Leave any down- time blank. Now look to see where you have gaps in your days.

Plan to give yourself some 'ME' time. Everyone needs time to relax, especially on a business trip, where the pace can be hectic, relentless and hard work.

Pencil in time for you, to recharge your batteries, get some sleep, have a massage, exercise or even take a wander and do some sightseeing or finding your bearings.

This down-time needs to be used carefully, otherwise you will simply find yourself lying on your bed in the hotel room, flicking through the TV channels, trying to fill your time. Speak to the concierge, do your research before leaving home and know what there is to do in your new neighbourhood.

You also need to keep an eye on your eating away from home, because this where most business travellers come unstuck. They have new foods to try, business lunches and dinners to attend and so an abundance of excess calories.

Be sensible. Watch your intake and go easy on the breakfast buffet. Start your day with eggs, natural yoghurt and fresh fruit or oats, to fuel your morning. Skip the coffee first thing and continue the trend throughout your day. Instead drink water, and keep it coming!

Continue to eat regularly throughout the day - small, healthy snacks that you should aim to pick up from a supermarket or health food shop close to the hotel. If in doubt, speak to the concierge or hotel reception. I'm talking nuts and fruit, in small portion sizes.

Pace yourself with business lunches and dinners, by only ordering a main course or 2 starters as a starter and a main course. If you're drinking alcohol, be sensible and remember you're on business! Drink 2 glasses of water for every glass of alcohol and be sure to wash your food down with water. Use the alcohol as a social accompaniment, not a thirst quencher.

Stick to these rules and you will find yourself thinking more clearly, sleeping better, reducing your stress levels and performing better at your job.

Have a good trip!

Bodyweight is King!

2008-12-11T12:25:00.003Z

You all started out using your bodyweight - DON'T stop now!

That’s right! Bodyweight exercises should be the making of most peoples exercise programs, but far too many people, particularly guys, start lifting weights long before they can actually handle their own bodyweight.

As my clients will attest, I love putting bodyweight exercises into exercise programs. I believe them to be the best way of working the whole body and burning plenty of calories!

Bodyweight circuits are great because you can literally do them anywhere and very little, if any, equipment is required. By taking 3 to 4 exercises and creating your own circuits while away on business, you can get an awful lot done, and lots of muscles worked, in a very short period of time, without stepping foot in a hotel gym. All you need is your own imagination.

Many of my clients travel for work and bodyweight exercises are what keep them in shape when they’re away from home. By using your own body for resistance you can also break up your routine into several pieces, grabbing 1-2 minutes here and there to do a variety of exercises throughout the working day.

How about a set of squats while you wait for your hotel room kettle to boil?
A set of lunges before you jump into the shower?
A set of push ups before heading out for lunch?
A few abdominal contractions, sat on the plane waiting for takeoff or landing?
Even a few glute squeezes as you wait in line at passport control?

You see, far too many people complain that they don’t have time to exercise.

BULL!

Even 30 seconds, 10 times a day could mean a full body workout fitted into your busy schedule, lasting just 5 minutes in total. And that’s not even a straight 5 minutes! EVERYONE has 5 minutes!

Simply move; squat, lunge, push up, step up, climb, squeeze, lift, pull, turn, rotate, bend… all these movement patterns can be practiced throughout the day, with barely an eyebrow being raised by those around you.

Use your bodyweight before your bodyweight abuses you!

Are you LIVING for the Weekend?

2008-12-11T12:19:00.002Z

DON'T spend the weekend living in the fridge!

I see it time and time again... Clients who follow a fairly healthy eating plan during the working week, only to 'mess it up' at the weekend, by eating ALL the wrong things in the WRONG amounts!

You're not alone... Saturdays could soon be renamed 'Faturdays' as a recent survey shows that us Brits (and I'm sure the rest of the working world) seem intent on ruining our good weekday behaviour by consuming vast amounts of saturated fat over the weekend.

Fry ups, croissants, ice cream, buttered white toast, pizza, chips, chocolate and cake ALL go toward keeping that weight on and cancelling out all the good behaviour you've managed to stick to during the week.

A typical saturday breakfast of bacon, eggs, toast and beans can contain the daily recommended amount of saturated fat, and that's before those takeaways, snacks and treats you might consume while watching a DVD on a Saturday night.

And let's not forget the alcohol that might go with all that too!

Of course, the choice is yours. You can either be sensible and drop body fat, or you can kiss caution to the wind and remain disillusioned as to why you can't shift that excess weight and why your body doesn't seem to change shape.

A little compromise will go a long way, and still allow you to enjoy the finer things in life;

Trim your bacon - cut off the fat
Grill your breakfast instead of frying it
Add protein to your croissant, in the form of cheese and ham, instead of sugar-filled jam
Save those snacks and treats for one weekend occasion - a meal out or a movie night
Drink lots of water after a night out drinking - DON'T suffer because of dehydration!

BE SENSIBLE - moderation instead of overkill will get you far better results...

Focus on a healthy business lifestyle as much as you can.

After all, you work 5 days out of 7 - a lot of time to slip up!