So it’s been a while. Although I had a chance to fire off a couple posts last week, I have been busy and away with the military training out of Fort Knox in Kentucky. But it’s time to get back to the grind. Let’s start with 7 lessons I learned from my “vacation”.

1. How to take the midnight train from Georgia

Talk about a long ride. Taking the bus from Ontario to Kentucky took about 15 hours each way. My neck and back didn’t recover for days. But it could have been worse – much worse. So to avoid any pain during long trips, try the following tips:

A. Train for the marathon – It is the strength of your core that keeps you protected through long drives. Start doing planks at home during TV commercials. If you don’t know how to do a plank,  get down on all fours ready to do a push-up, and just wait there. If you can hold your body up for a couple minutes, you are golden.

B. Take breaks – Even if you don’t have to pee, take a break. The bus would take smoke and food breaks every few hours, and I didn’t need either. But I made sure to get up and stretch my legs and my back. Don’t forget to do the same if you are at a desk for eight hours a day.

2. Don’t let the temptation of fast food get you

If you read my last article concerning my bouts with fast food, you can understand how this one was a challenge. Every stop we made was in front of some fast food joint. But I made sure to bring food ahead of time. I loaded my bag with healthy snacks to prepare for the drive and wasn’t tempted once. Even for a short drive, if you expect to be tempted by an unhealthy snack, try to prepare something yourself . You’ll save a couple bucks too.

3. Can’t go to a gym? Find a way.

In Kentucky, I was busy. There was a gym on base but I didn’t have an hour in the day to spend in the gym. So I improvised. In the morning I went through this quick routine before starting my day:

• 20 pushups
• 50 body squats (using the toilet as a bench)
• 20 luggage overhead press (I would stuff all my clothes in there before lifting)
• 20 Bed deadlifts (Andrew at Go Healthy, Go Fit has a good example of a couch deadlift)
• 20 dips (using the toilet again)
• 20 burpees

A full body workout that would have me sweating in ten minutes. Then, I just hopped in the shower, and off I went.

4. Can’t catch a ride? Try walking.

I had to travel quite a bit on base, and it is a big base. I didn’t always have a car when needed, so I decided to try walking as much as possible.  I logged in over an hour a day doing this. If you want the same plan to work for you, try the following:

A. Park at the furthest end of the parking lot. When I had a Corvette, I would park it as far away from anyone as I could. Now, I use that same rule to get in a little more exercise.

B. Always take the stairs. Skip the elevator. Think of it as doing walking lunges on an incline.

C. Unless the weather is horrible, think twice about driving to the gym just to get on a treadmill. Get outside and pound the pavement, or at least, walk or run to that indoor treadmill.

D. For any short trip (i.e. mailbox, drugstore, etc.) that you would normally drive, try walking. In my neighborhood, I try to walk to the coffee shop or 7-11 down the street.

5. With all you can eat, try to divide up your plate

I love army food. All you can eat, no bill at the end, and the dishes are done for you. But, it easy to get sucked into some bad food choices. We had a station that would serve burgers and fries twice a day, everyday. There were potatoes at every meal and all the dessert you would ever need.

If you find yourself at a buffet, use the simple rule of dividing your plate. Give a quarter of the plate to a protein, a quarter to a carb (potatoes, pasta, rice, etc.), and leave the other half for vegetables. Eat as many plates as you want, just as long as you stick to that rule.

6. Water diets work

It is tough enough dealing with the temptations of ice-cream, french fries, and pizza, but don’t forget about those sneaky juices, pops, and alcohols. Those liquid calories can pile up fast. So, cut them out. The only thing you should drink is water. No pop, no juice. Just water. If you have trouble getting started with that, take a lesson from the founder of jiu-jitsu.

7. When you are on vacation. Take a vacation.

Work with the army is almost always my vacation. But, if you’re lucky, you may get the chance to go to a nice, warm beach every once and a while. So, don’t spend that time in a gym, enjoy your vacation. Enjoy some good food, and some good drinks. If you absolutely must get some exercise, spend your time outside getting to know your travel destination.

Your Digital Trainer,

Jeremiah

Images by emmett_ns_tullos, froodmat, and chadrogers24

Comments: Do you have any other vacation tips and tricks?

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