Travel

Wow! The last few months have been a complete world wind for me. Last month, I packed up my entire life and moved to South Florida to only be evacuated two weeks into my semester due to hurricane Irma. I am currently sitting in my sister’s Alabama apartment thinking about this craziness and waiting to finally drive back to Tampa tomorrow.

In all honesty, the last two months have probably been my worst months of training/nutrition thus far in my fitness journey. I’m not proud of it, but a lot of the circumstances were sadly out of my control. I don’t expect perfection, but I also strive for my best. I may not have gained much strength, but I did gain a lot of insight.

Tips for staying of track while traveling:

• Keep your training gear easily accessible. Don’t pack your gym outfit, shoes, straps, belt, gloves, shaker cups, etc. in the bottom of your suitcase. After a long day of traveling, you’re not going to want to dig it out and make a mess. Find a place right next to your essentials so you are ready for a successful workout as soon as you find the gym.
• Prepack food/supplements. Even if you only have time/space for some protein powder or protein bars, your diet will thank you. Carbs and fats can be found nearly anywhere! Protein? Not so much.
• Research. It is always helpful to know an area’s local gyms and restaurants. Call ahead of time to see which gyms offer day passes or even if your hotel has a small gym included. Also, become familiar with the restaurants’ menus so you’re not caught off guard. Maybe even check into meal prep services for long term stays. Plan if you can.
• Be flexible. You are not going to be perfect and sometimes life just gets in the way (I’m looking at you Irma). I pulled my first all nighter this trip while traveling out of Florida. Was it ideal for my health? Gosh no. But was it the best option for my safety? Yes.
• Training longevity. Please adjust your training for your situation. Let’s say you’ve been sitting in a car for umpteen hours, you’re dehydrated, you haven’t eaten, and your body is aching. Then you get to the gym to find you forgot your squat shoes for your program’s scheduled 5x5. Should you squat? Personally, the risk of injury is too great for me. I would rather spend my training session freestyling what feels good, rather than forcing my body though a lift that may be detrimental to my training in the future. That’s just my take. To each their own.
• Take a step back. Are you going to regret spending hours in the gym rather than exploring a new city? If you’re not in competition prep, maybe that’s something you need to consider.

My school’s gym opens in two days and don’t be surprised when I’m the first one at the doors. This break has me more energized than ever. I can barely contain my excitement. See ya on the flip side.