Lately I have been spending a lot of time travelling for work and normally, I love it, but lately I have found that I have developed a few bad habits from all the hours spent driving that are taking a toll on my general health and well-being.
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I stopped having regular meals
When travelling you will often find that you eat when you stop, not when you're hungry. This can result in long periods through out the day without food and then poor food choices later because you are starving. Try packing a "lunch box", include a piece of fruit, nuts, fav-va beans and a sandwich, this way you have something to eat on hand if you get hungry. Stop regularly, and prioritise driving breaks to get out, stretch and eat and try to keep to as much of your normal routine as possible.
Exercise wasn't a priority
I often found I was using the excuse "I drove so much today, I'm too tired to go to the gym". To correct this, I started exercising in the morning before work. Exercising in the morning can improve your cognitive performance, mood and energy level for the remainder of the day, not to mention it also gives you a sense of achievement. If you leave your gym session to later in the day, most people find that it's always in the back of their mind, as another thing 'to-do', which can add to the stress of the day.
My caffeine intake sky rockets
The first thing I do before any road trip, is prepare myself a cup of coffee for the drive. This is all well and good in theory but the truth is I ended up having 4-5 cups of coffee a day, which isn't good for anyone's health. To reduce the overload of caffeine, I started swapping to decaffeinated coffee, kombucha, mineral water or herbal teas. It wasn't that I needed the caffeine, it was just that I wanted something to sip on over the trip, so the above options provided me with something a little more exciting than plain water.
I slouch more
I found that being in a car for long periods was playing havoc on my posture. To correct this I spoke to a physiotherapist who recommended placing a strip of strapping tape across my upper back. When I slouch the tape would pull and remind me to correct my posture. I also made sure I scheduled a weekly yoga session, to stretch and strength my body.
- Jessica Ammendolia is an accredited dietitian and nutritionist.