Fitness tips for frequent fliers
MALAY DESAI
Is it possible to stay fit while your work makes you travel most days of the month? Some frequent fliers tell us ...
So you’re on the right side of 30, and after making a resolution on your birthday to ‘take charge of your fitness’, you renewed your gym membership and replenished your kitchen shelves with healthy stuff. However, while you are in town, you are so busy with social commitments over food and drinks that it is practically
impossible to keep track of your diet and fitness.
Hotshot frequent fliers lead a different life. One that’s all about hotel reservations, eating-on-the-move and tackling jetlag. Some, however, manage to stay fit despite the chaos. We asked four such high-fliers how they streamlined their diet and exercise regimen as they zip across the world.
Dr Swati Piramal
As director of a healthcare company, Dr Piramal goes to Delhi from Mumbai, or to other metros, at least once a week, apart from flying abroad once every quarter. But then being a doctor herself, she knows how to eat right.
Diet mantra : “I have developed my own eating system over the years,” she tells us. Apart from having fruit salads wherever she goes, she chooses Chinese cuisine and its variants as the important meals of the day. “I am a vegetarian and also run high blood sugar levels, so assorted greens and clear soups work perfectly for me,” she adds.
Exercise regimen : Piramal is an active swimmer, and the habit often supplies much-needed energy on business trips. “Waiting at airports and transit lounges can be draining,” she says. “And it’s not advisable for women travellers to go out walking in many foreign countries!”
Tip : Put on a good moisturiser before you take a dip.
Neha Bhasin
Singer, performer and self-confessed fitness freak, Bhasin travels to most major towns of India regularly, taking at least eight to nine flights a month, and has foreign shows towards the year-end.
Diet mantra : Thanks to the recent recession, food on the flights has gone from bad to worse, Bhasin feels. “Even in business class, they serve you ragda pattice which, even when it’s edible, is unhealthy!” she says. She only sticks to drinks - the lemon tea type - and fruits. “For long flights, I avoid caffeine... it’s a common habit, but ends up disturbing your sleep,” she adds.
Bhasin is a vegetarian but swears by eggs while staying at hotels. “I also opt for brown bread and cut fruits,” she tells us. And she never forgets to have a banana each time she leaves the hotel room or home.
Exercise regimen: Bhasin’s job not only involves looking good, but also feeling energetic each time she takes to the stage. “Twenty minutes before the show, I do a power workout of sorts. Some stretching and 200 skips does the job.” Her skipping ropes travel with her and she tries to complete her five-days-a-week workout wherever she is. “If not anything else, I at least do my ab crunches,” she says.
Tip : “I feel very disoriented in hotel rooms, no matter how lavish the beds are! I always catch up on sleep on flights.”
Dinesh Maurya
Country head of a fashion company, Dinesh has been a ‘gym person’ for the last nine years. However, with a weekly trip out of his hometown every month and a Euro trip every three months, here is how he continues being one...
Diet mantra : “One can’t possibly have a controlled diet with this schedule,” Maurya says, adding, “There can just be regulations like avoiding sugar and oily food.” However, he has devised habits which keep his fitness intact - “While out on a tour, I ensure I have four-five small meals a day. Since I can’t dig into desi food everywhere, I have a fresh sandwich or two,” he says. He always carries a handful of dry fruits whenever he’s stepping out.
Exercise regimen : “I work out four times a week when at home... and try to do the same while out of home,” Maurya says. He finds early morning jogs a healthy and intriguing way to explore towns. “Also, not all hotels have good gyms, but I can always go for some stomach exercises in my room,” he adds.
Tip : Don’t smoke and have four-five litres of water every day.
Jaideep Sinh Parmar
As executive director of a sports/travel outfit, Parmar flies thrice a month within India and six to seven times overseas, every year.
Diet mantra : Despite a hectic travel schedule, Parmar’s diet hasn’t fluctuated much of late. “Healthy eating is a lifestyle choice and not restricted to trips,” he says. Nevertheless, on a trip, he makes it a point to eat fresh, local produce from the region. “It is important to stay hydrated too,” he tells us.
Exercise regimen : Parmar’s sporting business is perhaps the biggest motivator. “I relish playing squash and cricket. While I’m in Mumbai, it’s power yoga and tennis thrice a week,” he tells us. But is the regimen still followed while on trips? “I always carry my kit and choose hotels that offer tennis courts - I could name the ones with courts in India since there are so few! Overseas, it’s easier as people are more sporty,” he explains. So does he always need a tennis/squash court to stay fit? “There will always be a swimming pool... where you’ll find me if there’s no racquet sport option.”
Tip : Self-discipline is the key. Nobody’s going to police my routine, so I’ve got to be honest with myself!
