The Traveler’s Diet 2

Power walk

Here’s another airport tip: Keep moving. So many of us get lazy when we travel and sit around when we could be exercising. So get to the airport early and start walking. Its inexplicable layout is one of the reasons I dislike Miami International Airport so much, but at the same time, getting from Terminal C to Terminal D is a great mile-long walk. Or, at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, skip the skylink train and you can pack in as much as 2.5 miles of walking.

Even better, try to find a gym near (or in) the airport: The Hilton Hotel is located inside O’Hare, and you can get a day pass to its fitness center for $10. At Las Vegas’ McCarran International, a 24-Hour Fitness gym is located just above the south baggage claim. It’s free for members and $10 for everyone else. Want to find out if there’s a gym in your city’s airport? Check out http://www.airportgyms.com.

On the plane

Just because you’re in a confined space doesn’t mean you should stop moving. Not only will that help you stay fit, but it can also help prevent a serious medical condition. Deep vein thrombosis is sometimes called “economy-class syndrome” due to its association with a lack of legroom for long-haul coach passengers. (It can also arise even on shorter flights — anything longer than two hours and you should start moving.)

DVT occurs when blood clots form in the leg, usually from poor circulation; if it isn’t treated, it can be fatal.

The most common symptoms of DVT include:

Cramping or aching in the legs, particularly when moved
Elevated skin temperature in the area
Surface veins that become particularly noticeable
Swelling of the feet and legs

The more mobility you have on your flight, the better your circulation. So, try getting up and walking up and down the aisle, flexing and pointing your feet and rotating your ankles. Another technique is to sit straight up and take deep breaths; focus on a muscle group (such as abs, glutes or calves), and as you exhale, tighten those muscles for a count of 20. Release and repeat 10 times, in between drinking those bottles of water you brought along with you.

Exercising on the road

It’s not easy to stick to a workout routine when you’re away from home, especially in a hotel gym that boasts nothing more than a broken treadmill and a set of dumbbells. In fact, in a survey of 300 business travelers for Westin Hotels and Resorts, 64 percent said that hotel fitness rooms “seem like an afterthought,” and 55 percent said they avoided hotel gyms altogether because of their bad condition.

It wasn’t an easy adjustment for me, but I’ve learned over the years to rely on some easy-to-use, portable equipment that allows me to exercise in my hotel room on my own time. Here are the three essentials:

Inflatable weights: AquaBells (http://www.aquabells.com) are made of heavy-duty vinyl and weigh only 24 ounces when deflated. When you’re ready to work out, fill them with water to make them as heavy as 32 pounds per pair. You can also get lighter ankle weights, which make for a great workout when you’re walking through the airport or around town. A set of two dumbbells costs about $60, and smaller ankle weights cost about $30.

The Stick: This device (http://www.thestick.com) is less about burning calories and more about staying pain-free. It’s made of flexible pieces that help massage sore muscles and knots. Simply roll the stick along your muscles, and if you feel tender spots, keep rolling for 20-30 seconds. If you feel any knots, hold the stick at that spot for 20 seconds or until you feel the knot release.

A jump rope: Take a trip back in time and get yourself this gym-class essential. It gives you an all-over workout, working muscles throughout your body and getting your heart rate up. If you’re not the coordinated type, try something called a ropeless jump rope (http://www.jumpsnap.com) . Its battery-powered handles have balls at the end that spin around, creating the illusion that you’re jumping with a real rope — without getting tangled up in your hotel room.