and have big, fancy meals planned on
someone else’s expense account, or if
you and your partner are splurging
on late-night dinners, it’s inevitable
that sometimes on the road you just
won’t know when and where your
next meal is coming from. This is why
I try to keep nuts on me. Almonds,
cashews, walnuts, Brazil nuts. They’re
like supplements. They’re high in
healthy fats and help you feel nour-
ished. Think about it like this: People
on the road are constantly charging
their phones or their laptops so they
won’t die. Take a half hour to grab a
snack. People will walk around with a
Mophie but won’t walk around with a
piece of fruit. New habits!
TREAT TRAVEL LIKE
A FITNESS CLASS.
A lot of us, when we’re at home, live
a very comfortable existence. That’s
great. I’m a big fan of comfort. But not
all physical stress is bad. In fact, low
doses of stress can be good for you.
(That is, after all, what a workout is.) I
find that on the road, opportunities to
move around are everywhere. Here’s
an easy one if you’re able-bodied:
Handle your own luggage. (It’s like
a mini workout.) Try to always take
the stairs. Or use a bike share to get
to dinner.
These micro challenges can change
the way you think of a “workout.” And
that’s important when you’re on the
road and may not be able to hit your
usual gym sesh. But when you think in
terms of challenges, then you always
have a gym. Just do things your body
can naturally do, which is typically
run, jump, crawl, and climb. Now, I’m
not going to crawl or climb. I’m not
that crazy. But I will run and jump.
This is also why I almost always bring
a jump rope with me when I travel.
LOOSEN UP (AND NOT
JUST YOUR BODY).
What I said above is true about run-
ning too. Don’t be so formal about it.
You don’t need to pull up MapMyRun
and plot out that perfect six-mile loop
and do it at an exact 8:30 pace.
Travel and physical exercise are
already putting stress on your body—
don’t add mental stress. You’re in
a new place! Just get out and jog
around the streets for half an hour.
Run a few blocks, then walk a few
blocks. (Sometimes I’ll run with the
green lights and rest on the reds. It
turns running into a game.) On the
road, the key is simply to exercise
for the love of fitness. It’s also a great
way to sightsee if you don’t have time
in your busy schedule. If you see a
nice shop, stop in—or star it on your
Google Maps to come back to later.
Go run some stairs—there are some
near the Ei≠el Tower that I like. It
doesn’t have to be so complicated.
Just move.
BE SOCIAL—BUT NOT TOO SOCIAL.
When I’m in Paris, I’m often there
to support friends and see people.
That means going to dinners or par-
ties. They can be real fun—they can
also be not that fun. Here’s one of the
most valuable lessons I’ve learned:
Don’t lose sleep for mediocre leisure.
Sometimes people feel like they need
to party harder or stay out later just
because they’re somewhere new or
cool. But if something isn’t that fun or
you have work to do, it’s okay to leave.
There will always be more parties.
FIND SOME STILLNESS.
I always tell my clients who are work-
ing during PFW—models, editors,
designers—that they should treat this
week the way athletes treat a game or
a playo≠ series. You know you’re going
to be overloaded for a week. That
means you’ve got to take advantage
of the breaks when you have them.
When you have a moment to yourself
during your hectic schedule, try to
locate some stillness. Use your time-
outs. In Paris, sometimes I’ll just walk
into one of the city’s churches. They’re
everywhere, they’re beautiful, and
they’re quiet. A guaranteed peaceful
and welcoming space in the middle of
a busy city. You can just sit for a second
and not be bothered.
DO YOUR BEST TO MAINTAIN
SOME STRUCTURE.
Even when I’m away, I keep the begin-
ning and the end of my day the same.
In the morning, I try to stay o≠ my
phone (you don’t want to be overstim-
ulated), drink a glass of water, take a
minute to think about what I need to
get done that day, and if I have time,
get in some light stretching. At night I
try to stay o≠ the phone, take a warm
shower, reflect on the day, and then
go to bed. And look, not every day
is going to be like that. Sometimes
your phone will go o≠ and you’ve got
to deal with it. Sometimes you wake
up later than you wanted, or more
hungover than you wanted. But those
morning and nighttime bookends are
within your control and help keep
you stable. Rituals aren’t there to help
you avoid stress. They’re there so that
you’re better equipped to handle it.
APRIL 2020 GQ.COM 43
The
Fix
Fitness
GRO
OM
IN
G: KH
ELA AT CALL M
Y AGEN
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