For the past few weeks, I have been attending a training program offered through my employer. In addition to the day-long learning and courses, I am living on-site, and have been treated to amazing cooking offered by the facility. Being away from home for weeks on end can also prove challenging in the change of daily routine. I was initially finding it hard to fall asleep and get uninterrupted sleep in the night, keep up with my usual fitness routine, and of course, stick to a healthy diet when I’m lucky to have chef-prepared buffet meals. In my time here, I have started to research and implement ways to help keep health and fitness a top priority, and I not only feel better but find I am more engaged in my daily learning. Below are some great tips to implement when away from your daily routine and stay healthy and on track.
Portion Control
When you are presented with a buffet of delicious food, it can be challenging to limit what goes on your plate. Before you begin to fill your plate, make a round of the buffet food options to get an idea of what you really want to eat. This technique will help in reducing the amount of food placed on your plate, and furthermore, the food waste that goes on your plate and you don’t end up eating. Buffets are also equipped with 2 plate size options, a larger dinner plate to use, or a smaller salad-size plate. When plating your buffet meal, choose the salad plate size for all meals to have smaller portions. You will notice how you still feel full and satiated, yet will not over consume.
Alcohol Consumption and Hydration
With work events, come many social times and networking. Many of these events are located at bars, or where alcohol is served, and it can be hard to avoid alcohol when you are surrounded by it. Think about setting limits for yourself as you head into these events, and ask for non-alcoholic drink options to reduce alcohol and sugar consumption. Ensure you are staying hydrated by drinking a lot of water or try asking for sparkling or lemon water if you are looking for a more refreshing drink option. A great tip I have incorporated when traveling is bringing my large glass water bottle from home. I fill it up during the day and will add lemons, cut fruit or even cucumbers in the day for flavor.
Fitness and Routine
If you are like me, you have daily and weekly fitness routines you become accustomed to and look forward to when at home in a normal routine. Remember to pack your fitness clothes when traveling to continue your fitness routines as best as possible. Ask the facility prior to attending if they have a fitness center and the hours of operation, and if there is not one on site, as for a recommendation close by. As much as possible try to work out at the same times you normally would if at home, whether before work, at lunch or after work. Utilize any outdoor space for outdoor activities, and take the initiative to motivate others around you to be physically active as well.
Sleep
Many people find it challenging to sleep outside their home and bed, especially for an extended period of time. An easy step to a night of good sleep is to bring your own pillow when traveling. It is something we become accustomed to and will better our sleep patterns. Set your room temperature to the same or similar temperature you would at home, along with keeping blankets amounts and weight as close as possible. Remember you can always ask the facility for more or fewer blankets and they will be happy to help. After a full day of learning, we often have many things running through our head. Try writing burning thoughts down before going to bed, or summarizing your day to clear thoughts. Bringing ear plugs can also help drown out outside noise that you may not be accustomed to from at home.
Learning and networking is a great opportunity we have as working individuals, and keeping our routines as healthy as possible will only enhance the experience we have.
Article By: Sarah Bamber
