IVE YEARS AGO, I went
to Paris Fashion Week
for the first time with
a simple mission: I
had one client who was
training for a half marathon, and he
flew me out there to make sure his
training stayed on track. I’ve gone
back every year since.
These days, my schedule is a little
more hectic. Now I’m not only going
to the shows, but I’m also helping
some model-clients sneak in work-
outs, reconnecting with friends, and
doing stu≠ for Nike—all while trying
to keep myself in shape. Though I’m
grateful that I get to travel for work,
that increased slate has helped me
understand why people sometimes
lose sight of their health on the road.
You’re in a new place, you’ve got a
lot going on, you’re out of your rou-
tine. When I was younger, I might
have thought the solution would be
to try to get in as many workouts as
possible. But I’ve learned that road
time is actually better spent focusing
on your wellness, not your fitness.
That’s not to say you shouldn’t work
out on the road. But people fall into
the trap of getting their workouts
in at the expense of everything else:
their diet, their sleep, their mental
well-being. So I want to share some of
the things I’ve learned about how to
treat your body right while traveling.
It’s bigger than just being, or staying,
in shape. It’s about understanding
how all the various stressors of the
road are impacting your body and
realizing that sometimes if you need
to miss a workout, that’s totally fine.
As long as you stay well, you can get
back to being fit.YOU CAN’T BEAT FATHER TIME.
BUT YOU CAN MINIMIZE JET LAG.
Let’s start with that mortal enemy
of every long-distance traveler: jet
lag. First of all, don’t compound your
problem by worrying. You’re about to
jump into a new time zone, so don’t
be upset that you might be tired. That
just means your body is doing what
it’s supposed to do! But there are
some steps you can take to prepare it
for its new terrain, like putting snow
chains on your tires ahead of a storm.
It comes down to two things that
most a≠ect your circadian rhythm:
food and light.
First, food. You want to align your
eating schedule with the time zone of
wherever you’re going. If you board
a plane bound for Paris at 10 p.m. in
New York (like I did) and eat dinner
immediately, well, that’s a 4 a.m. meal
in France. You’re not setting your body
up for success. So if you’re taking an
overnight flight, try to fast.
As for light, if you arrive early or in
the middle of the day, try to stay up
until it’s a normal time to go to bed.
(Maybe this is your chance to finally
go to sleep by 8:00!) If you need to
nap midday, by all means nap. But
when you get back up, go outside.Expose yourself to some sunlight.
That wakes the body up and gets
you in sync with local rhythms. Then
as the day winds down, if you think
you’re too awake, I have some good
news: You should eat carbs for din-
ner. They’ll help make you sleepy.YOU NEED FUEL TO TRAVEL.
SO TAKE THAT FUEL SERIOUSLY.I’ve been on a plant-based diet for
six years now. And the only way I
can be plant-based on the road is to
look up places to eat ahead of time.
Otherwise, I wouldn’t have lasted
this long. I’d be like, “Fuck this, give
me some chicken!” But once I know
where I’m staying, I keep an eye out
for nearby Indian, Mediterranean, or
Middle Eastern spots. Most of those
menus are at least half vegetarian.
Also: Take some time to enjoy the
local cuisine. If you’re in Paris, get a
croissant! Just don’t go overboard.
What often happens to people
when they’re somewhere for work
is they get caught up in work—and
I get it, you’re busy! But then you
don’t eat. Or you eat fast, processed
foods and you’re chugging co≠ee, so
now you’re dehydrated and you’re
undernourished. Even if you’re luckyF
The
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