Say No to Sedentary Lifestyles!

By Sam Guiragossian

Obesity is on the rise due to poor dieting and sedentary lifestyles.  Exercise is a great way to help combat this problem.  Staying fit while on the road can be a daunting task for travelers.  Hotels are coming to the aid of road warriors by offering state-of-the-art fitness centers as well as healthier food and beverage options for guests.  Westin Hotels & Resorts have implemented Westin WORKOUT® facilities powered by Reebok which offer top-of-the line exercise equipment.   These modern clubs feature Life Fitness treadmills, Elliptical trainers, recumbent/upright bikes and a complete line of strength training machines. 

In addition, The Westin Chicago River North offers a No Excuse Workout regime where the hotel provides freshly laundered work out clothes (t-shirts, shorts and even sneakers) for guests who ‘forgot’ to pack their workout gear.  This No Excuse Workout is perfect for travelers looking to pack light, but still wanting to stay fit while on vacation.  Everything is provided including a free personal training session with me or one of the other on-property certified personal trainers.

Remember that any form of physical activity is better than nothing.  If you’re crunched for time, a quick set (or two) of good old fashioned push-ups or squats is a great way to increase the heart rate while strengthening the lower body muscles.  Skip the elevator/escalator and take the stairs to improve cardiovascular endurance.  Always remember to use caution when doing any form of exercise and pay close attention to what your body is telling you.  For some, you may need to consult with your physician before beginning any form of physical activity.

After your daily physical routine, try the Posterior Shoulder Stretch.  Gently pull on your elbow with the opposite hand across the front part of your body until you feel a stretch in your shoulders.  Hold this position for 0 – 15 seconds and repeat three times.

Comments

[ed bernacki]

There is another option to standing on some machine in a small stuffy hotel gym. When I lived in New Zealand, I was introduced to a different type of aerobics than I had experienced in North America. It was fun, hard and lots of guys were doing it. The best was Body PUMP, a program that sets weight lifting to music. You lift light weights but with very high repetitions. It is like seeing a motivational speaker who helps you have fun. This beats the drudgery of riding the typical machine! Look for programs by Les Mills. You can find gyms that offer this by searching on www.LesMills.com In Canada, look for any Goodlife Fitness gym.

[Juno888]

..If you’re crunched for time, a quick set or two of good old fashioned push-ups or squats

[Matt Carter]

If you're wanting a more definite and progressive plan to follow-through with from one hotel training session to the next, then Vince DelMonte's weight training program may be worth a look and consideration.

You can get a synopsis and summary of what it's about via the link.

Very best,
Matt
http:www.honestmusclegain.com/weight-training

[Matt Carter]

Oops! Didn't quite get the URL right that time. Here's a corrected version!

http://www.honestmusclegain.com/weight-training

[Tim]

Why not try going for an evening stroll along a promenade; taking the stairs instead of the elevators in hotels; or going on a brisk morning walk before breakfast? Vacation excursions are an ideal opportunity to marry sightseeing with a workout. With a little planning and ingenuity you can get the best of both worlds and you’ll also work up an appetite for your evening meal.

http://darkhollow.org

[Fitlady]

Perfect article. You can acheive anything that you would like if you put your mind to it!!!! Good Luck:) Tracey