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As I headed from Chicago to Portland for the World Domination Summit ( delivered the keynote), I realized it had been over seven months since I began traveling full-time. It’s been an amazing journey and I realized there have been definite practices that have kept me going.
I thought this compilation of videos and links might help you, too – whether you’re traveling or just living life. Some of it may be common sense, though reminders are always great (I certainly appreciate them)!
I would LOVE to hear what YOUR best tips and suggestions are for nutrition, exercise, peace and travel – be sure to leave a comment below!
PS – No one was traveling with a professional camera crew onboard the train, so I busted these out with the iSight on my Mac – I thought it was more important to capture these where I was rather than to recreate them later with better equipment.
How to Eat
Remember this…
- Nutrition is too important to make an after-thought – make a commitment to do it and stick to it!
- Fruit: go organic, local, or conventional as much as possible. (Check out for which foods to buy organic.)
- Nuts: high in protein and good for you; know that peanuts are on the low end of the nutritional scale
- Vegetables: prep your own or buy the ready-made bags
- Sweets: keep them healthy for you and limit your intake
- Water: always make sure you have a good and clean supply of this
Further items…
- If you haven’t been before, check out Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s, and local foods are great, too – visit a co-op or farmer’s market if they’re in your area!
- Dark chocolate (high % of cacao, which is the uncooked version of cocoa) – I like Endangered Species, Green & Black, or Seattle’s own Theo Chocolate!
BONUS: my train was delayed about 9 hours getting into Portland; as a result, Amtrak decided to offer two complimentary meals to everyone onboard (a nice gesture). Down side: they served fast food that they picked up at stops, with no vegetarian options available. Good thing I had my own (healthy) snacks!
How to Exercise
Remember this…
- There is always room to exercise – you may just need to get creative for a full range of motion
- Find the exercises that work for you and work for the space you’re in; feel free to combine different types of movements/exercises, whether it’s yoga, tai chi, calisthenics
- Walk: the length of the plane or train, or in place
- Stretch: where you’re sitting, or when you stop – get out and feel the burn!
Further items…
- Energization exercises – learned these at Polestar in Hawaii – if you get in touch or go, tell ’em i said aloha!
- There are videos of how to do these on YouTube but I urge you NOT to check them out; while it’s a wholesome intention, the video will have the complete opposite effect of why you would use these exercises
- Tai Chi – I took the free classes at the Nature Museum in Chicago. If you go, tell Jim (the teacher), I said hi! I’ve also seen that most Tai Chi and Yoga studios offer a first class for free, just so you can check it out (and often there are good deals on packages for new students, too)
How to Be at Peace (aka Being Calm When Stuff Goes Down)
There are many benefits to meditation – one of the biggest can be less stress! Certainly a nice item to include on your travels. :-)
Remember this…
- A mindfulness practice does contribute to your overall health, along with nutrition and movement
- If using seated meditation, make sure your hips are higher than your knees
- You will receive tremendous benefit even if you practice for only 60 seconds – length is not nearly as important as consistency. If you want to practice longer, though, feel free to rock out!
Further items…
Here are a few resources to get started with step-by-step instructions, pictures, videos, tips and lots of further links…
- wikiHow: How to Meditate
- Discovery Fit & Health: How to Get Started with Meditation
- How to Meditate.org
How to Travel for Free
I was definitely an anomaly in first class.
Most of the people in sleeper cars were retired – older people who have probably saved up enough money to travel. There was one young couple on their honeymoon – their parents paid for the trip (if it were up to them, they would have just bought seats).
There was a wide range of ages in coach, from younger than me to much older, and all were trying to find a comfortable position to sleep and were paying moderate restaurant prices in the dining car.
If given the choice, I’m sure that all of them would have preferred a bed, a bit of solitude, and complimentary meals – I bet that just don’t know how to do it – and that it takes no money to get started.
Remember this…
- It IS possible for anyone to travel for free – this is not an exclusive club
- Amtrak has a loyalty program, just like any airline
- You can transfer points between Amtrak and Continental at a 1:1 ratio
- Amtrak has a fantastic cancellation policy
Further items…
- Amtrak credit card – 12,000 points
- Continental credit card – 25,000 points
- TravHack 101 – learn the basics and get started with travel hacking right now
Again, I’d love to hear what YOU do for nutrition, exercise, peace and travel along with any other comments you have below.
Until next time,
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Ever since we hung out I’ve become more conscious of what I’m eating and try and snack on nuts/fruits when I’m hungry in between meals and I’m incorporating more veggies now to all of my meals with less processed foods which saves me money!
I hope you have safe travels Nathan!
WOW – that is so awesome to hear Shannyn! Really excited for you! And great to hear you can be frugal, too… ;-)
So what are your favorite healthy snacks – any good recipes or tips?