As many of you regular readers know, I grew up an obese child and young adult, stuck in a cycle of binge eating and self-loathing. Finally in my 20s, I discovered that the key to a healthy body and happy life was learning how to love myself, warts and all. I shed 100 lbs of excess weight (and countless lbs of low self-esteem) and am proud to say I’ve keep myself healthy for the 20+ years since. But not without dedication and diligence.

A big part of self-love is self-care, which includes exercise. For me, that’s getting at least an hour of activity a day, either at the gym, hiking near my home, sometimes even yoga. And as is true for many of my students, I have to stick to it or I fall off the wagon; once I don’t work out for a few days, I can easily stretch that (through those self-justifying tricks we all have) into weeks. And that’s just not good for our bodies, minds or souls.

So, why self care on the road?

Yes, vacation is a time to take it easy, and sometimes traveling for work is so much of a hassle that getting exercise falls to the bottom of the list. However, traveling is when your body and mind need exercise the most!

* General health guidelines from both private doctors and government health officials recommend at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day. Unfortunately, there are no allowances to take two weeks off because you’re just taking it easy on vacation.

* The importance of routine in maintaining a healthy body weight and image is crucial. For your long-term well being, don’t let travel interfere with that routine more than it has to.

* Numerous studies show that exercise helps our bodies recover from jet lag more quickly.

So, how to?

Don’t get me wrong – we are all entitled to taking it easy. Don’t beat yourself up for sitting by the pool for a day or indulging in some delicious (if not totally healthy) local cuisine. But follow these tips for getting exercise and eating well on the road, and then getting back into your regular self-care routine when you return will be so much easier.

1) Do your homework: Investigate on the good ol’ Internet

Although many of us may curse the Internet for sucking us into its black hole of wasting time, it does have many wonderful things on it!. It is a great resource for information on exercise opportunities and good food options. Happy Cow is a particular favorite of mine; it’s a vegetarian website that chronicles healthy spots far and wide. Even if you’re not a veggie, this website recommends good organic restaurants and places that are dedicated to healthful eating.

Check out your hotel’s website or even use that old-fashioned phone to learn if it has a gym and/or pool on-site. Swimming is a great form of exercise, so take advantage of having pool to use, especially if you don’t at home.

This is just one tip of many to create a healthful traveling experience and set yourself up for success.  Next week I will offer more great tips on how to stay healthy and keep up a routine in part 2 of this blog post, so check back in.  In the meantime, what do you do on the road to honor your body?  Please comment below. Blessings!

Happy over the half way point!

Love your claiming your success. RIGHT ON!

So proud of you!

OK, I am so moved and touched by some of these letters to Glamour, I have to put aside my post today and share what India had to say.

WHOOOAAAA, She is amazing, Ken?  Yes in Hebrew…In honor of Leanne who shared her heart out on our Thursday call. She is moving through some major stuff and leaping off of cliffs. I am so proud of her as I am of you.

O.K.

India’s letter to Glamour and more are coming.

“Dear Editor,

When you published your photo of a “real” woman, I jumped at the chance to support your decision to show women of all shapes and sizes! And when you said the word “REVOLUTION”, I knew that I had to write to you! I am a member of One Pinky — Body Image Revolution, the brainchild and creation of Laura Fenamore, a woman with a mission and commitment to empower ALL WOMEN in loving who they are, no matter how they look on the outside. I am a 54 year-old woman that has battled with self-esteem issues and yo-yo dieting my entire life. Not until I met Laura did I realize that it has NOTHING to do with weight or eating, but it has EVERYTHING to do with LOVING YOURSELF from the inside out. Laura’s One Pinky has given me the tools and support to take control of my life and to feel REALLY GOOD about who I truly am!

I wrote in my blog on our site [OnePinky.com], something that pretty much sums up my feelings about Laura and what she is trying to accomplish…

“Who is Laura to us? Have you ever visited an area that you were unfamiliar with? A foreign country, perhaps?

Of course you have. And in preparation for your visit, you probably Goggled hotels or sites or talked with other people about what you might want to see or do. Maybe you even purchased a book to try to learn the language.

And then you go… it’s interesting, a little scary, but all in all, you get around okay and see some cool stuff.

Then you come home and someone says, “Did you see such & such? or Did you eat THERE? or I hope you went to that spot!” and suddenly your trip seems to have missed the mark and you feel a bit discouraged or at least miffed that you missed out on something that could really have helped you to have the trip of a lifetime.

My point is, Laura has been on that journey. She has figured out so much of it. She has marked the pitfalls. She has learned the ins and outs and knows where the locals eat! And she revisits it often and stays on top of it and relishes others experiences and learns from them as well. The journey is into the world of Loving Yourself. It’s a world that we thought we knew (have you been to Barnes & Noble lately?) but it’s a journey that we can be happier and more successful with if we have…

A TOUR GUIDE!

From now on I’ll picture Laura with a name tag that says, “Hello, I’m Laura” and giggle to myself when I imagine her saying, “We’re walking, we’re walking… No flash photography please.” Because until now, I thought I really had a handle on this foreign country business… but now I know that I did need an interpreter and a guide to really have a wonderful, creative experience!”

If you want a pioneer for your Revolution, Laura is someone that you need to know!

Most Sincerely Yours,

India Redman

Cerro, New Mexico”

To send your email, go to www.glamour.com, Contact Us, and then “You Said it! Comments And Questions!” Just add your comments right into their format and off it goes..directly to them! I just sent mine and feel GREAT about putting something out there that might reach other women who are suffering.

email: letters@glamour.com

fax: 212-286-6922.

Leah, thank you for allowing me to use the blog to share this moving testament. India and so many of you have sent letters that speak from your heart. I am touched and honored.

Keep up your great work Leah. Your weight release, time management, Live Trading Account…all great work…

You are living your life full out, learning, leading (through your leadership) and letting go.

A winning combination.

Miss you gal, feels like forever since we spoke. :) We must do that soon.

XO, Laura