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Previously,
I shared how
to use SMART goal setting to help you maintain
your fitness and diet routine while on the road.
You'll recall that SMART goals are: Specific, Measurable,
Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. For a particularly
hectic trip, I defined several SMART goals for myself,
and I promised you a follow up article to share my lessons
learned.
1. Get at least 60 minutes of
cardiovascular exercise during the trip.
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When
traveling, take advantage of unexpected downtime
to get in a quick workout.
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This
turned out to be a no-brainer. The first day's client
meetings ended early, leaving me with an unexpected time
bonus. I successfully avoided the work pressure of email
and the peer pressure of happy hour. I let the rest of
the group go to the bar, while I went to the gym. This
early workout got my trip off to a good start and set
the tone for the rest of the trip.
Lesson Learned: Take advantage of unexpected downtime
to get in a quick workout.
Lesson Learned: Early successes can set the stage for
continued success throughout the trip. Look for ways to
achieve small goals on your first day of travel.
Lesson Learned: Your personal time belongs to you, even
when you're on the road. Use it wisely to achieve your
priorities, not someone else's.
2. Eat no more than two cookies
during the trip.
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Just
because everyone else is ordering a high-calorie
dessert doesn't mean you have to; opt for a more
healthful dish after dinner.
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By
packing healthy snacks, I ate well during the client meetings.
What I didn't realize, however, was that I was going to
be eating dinner every night with people who ordered drinks,
appetizers, AND dessert. As I said last month, my resolve
evaporates if others are eating and I'm not, so dinners
proved to be my downfall for healthy eating.
Finally, on the last day, I realized that just because
my coworkers were having 400-calorie desserts didn't mean
I had to also. Although not on the menu, I ordered a small
scoop of sorbet with a couple of berries. Perfect!
Lesson Learned: Think about the people with whom you'll
be traveling and how they might negatively impact your
plans.
Lesson Learned: Devise coping strategies ahead of time,
such as how you'll say "No, thanks."
Lesson Learned: Sometimes the best things at a restaurant
aren't on the menu. And you'll never get what you want
if you don't ask for it.
3. Do at least 15 minutes of stretching per day.
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Try
to get in at least 15 minutes of stretching per
day. |
I
had mediocre performance on this goal, finding these 15
minutes about half of the time. I simply did not have
the ability to plan appropriately for this time. For example,
I used up all of my bonus time on the first day of the
trip doing cardio, and didn't leave myself any stretching
time. I failed to follow my own best advice and schedule
this activity on my calendar.
Lesson Learned: Schedule time blocks on your calendar
for all activities, even short ones.
Lesson Learned: Don't schedule every minute of every day.
Although I got a fabulous time bonus on my trip, we all
know that travel is usually fraught with delays.
Lesson Learned: Review your calendar often and stick to
it!
Achieving Success
Remember that you can't achieve success if you don't define
it.
So the next time you're traveling, put a pencil to paper
to define your SMART travel fitness goals.
(Source: healtytravelenetwork) |
