travel apps for fitness

At the airport, but don’t have a clue about healthy meal choices?  Check out Fly Smart and Gate Guru Apps, they’ll point you in the right direction when you’re on the fly.

Not sure how much you are really eating…Here’s an app that can help you break it down – by taking snapshots!

Meal Snap: $0.99 (iPhone, Android)
Meal Snap lets you take pictures of everything you eat and gives you an idea of the nutritional breakdown.

Vegan & Vegetarian
VegOut: $2.99 (iPhone, Android)
Happy Cow.net, an online community, helps travelers and people find vegetarian, vegan and healthy food choices in over 90 countries.

Veggie Passport: $0.99 (iPhone, Android, Blackberry)
When traveling abroad, people who are vegetarians and vegan need to communicate their specific needs to service providers, and there are often language barriers. Veggie Passport helps you express your veggie lifestyle in 33 languages.

When you’re serious about pursuing a fitness regime while traveling, technology offers a lot to help you keep up. Here are some of my favorite sources.

Running, Walking… Keep track while your away to make yourself accountable

RunKeeper: Free (iPhone, Andriod)

My favorite fitness app, hands down (and I have tried tons of them)!

I am a runner, so this app helps me track my time and pace, while my iPod is running in the background. It uses a GPS to track my run and calories burned, and then it allows me to store and/or share the information.

This app can be set up to work with any activity.  Just changing one button on the app will monitor a wide range of activities, including walking, hiking, cycling, mountain biking, downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, snow boarding, elliptical machine, skating, swimming, rowing and wheelchair activities.

I also like MapMyRide, to track biking and cycling, and MapMyHike and MapMyRun to track hiking trails, running and walking maps.

Also GymFinder.com, as well as the app, if you are looking for a place to work out.

Workouts
TRX Exercises With Pocket PT: $4.99 ( iPhone, Android)
Use this app with a TRZ portable bodyweight training tool that weighs under 2 pounds.

TRX Suspension Trainer: $189-220
This app presents friendly expert instruction to help you maximize the benefit from your TRX. Personal Trainer, David Petersen, demonstrates all the routines. It’s easy to perform the exercises by yourself; each comes with a written introduction explaining the aim of the exercise and how to set up your TRX. TRXTraining.com also has downloadable workouts ($9.95-14.95).

P90X: $6-$60 (iPhone)
Downloadable workout with iPhone app: taking your P90X workouts outside your basement or living room, you can now download the actual routines in either a full 12 workout bundle for $59.99, in a five workout bundle for $29.99, or a single workout for just $6.

Yoga & Pilates

Hatha Yoga: $9.99 (iPhone)
This is a great way to bring your yoga workout along with you. Use pre-programmed or customized yoga classes.

Pilates Interactive: Free (iPhone, Android)
Get a Pilates workout session with detailed explanations, custom routines and a comprehensive mat repertoire led by master teacher, Rael Isacowitz. This app has 50 individual poses and multiple Pilates workout videos with detailed descriptions and explanations The Pro version has more workouts and unlimited customized routines for $3.99.

Stress relief
Ambiance: $0.99 (iPhone/iPad, Android, Blackberry)
Ambiance is an “environment enhancer” designed to help you create the perfect ambient atmosphere to relax, focus or reminisce.” It has a large library (over 1,000 sounds) of free content to enhance your yoga, meditation practice, stretching or stress relieving routine.

Here is a collection of interesting and effective health, fitness and outdoor lifestyle apps for people that travel for a living:

Nature & Outdoors

National Parks Maps HD: Free (iPhone/iPad)
I love National Parks and this app has high-resolution trail maps for 15 different national parks across the United States, including Yellowstone, Yosemite and the Grand Canyon. Users will find news, access and reservation information, directions to visitor centers estimates of hike lengths, endangered species lists and park history. It provides information on park wildlife and plants, including ones that are dangerous or poisonous. Tip: Information should be downloaded ahead of time, since cell phone coverage is unavailable in all parks.

Playgrounds

Playground Finder: Free (iPhone)
There are tons of great apps for kids or if you are looking for a place that probably has a drinking fountain to hydrate on a power walk or run. Here is a great list and online source for parents from the Apps for Healthy Kids challenge.

Restrooms

SitOrSquat: Free (iPhone, Blackberry)
We have all been there. You (or your kids or travel companions) have to go the bathroom, and there is no toilet in sight. This app can help find you a public toilet anywhere around the world. Just enter an address, zip code, city or intersection for your next pit stop. Over 100,000 toilets around the world come with ratings. Users can share and upload additional information and photos, such as changing tables for baby, tampon machines, handicap accessibility and pay per use option.

Record Your Adventure

One idea is to make your own private site for you or a group of friends and record your favorite healthy options you find in each city, hotel, airport etc.
Trip Journal: $2.99-4.99 (iPhone, Android) Friends and family can follow your traveling routes, photos, videos, comments and blog entries, or you can opt to keep it private. Google Earth is integrated to record stats such as distance, time and geography traveled in real-time. You can also upload photos directly to Flickr, Picasa, Twitter and Facebook.

Health & Safety

Smart Traveler: Free (iPhone)
Smart Traveler, the official State Department app for U.S. travelers, gives you easy access to frequently updated official country information, travel alerts, travel warnings, maps and U.S. embassy locations.

TravelMed: $9.99 (iPhone, Android, Blackberry)
TravelMed gives you water safety and disease information for countries. There are also links to other travel safety sites, like the WHO.

Pocket First Aid & CPR: $3.99 (iPhone, Android)
The American Heart Association’s app offers clear instructions for basic first aid emergencies, including videos, images and emergency information.

GotoAID First Aid: Free -lite or $4.99 (iPhone, Android)
This app is a great resource of disaster preparedness and first aid. With a database of over 400 topics, interactive tools and report generators, GotoAID brings immediate access to first aid information for you and your pets.

Now that you have all the resources you need to travel fit this year, are you ready to add some adventure on your next vacation?  How about a transcontinental bike tour with our expert featured in this series?  Join Tracy Benham on a bike adventure this summer. She is riding across Asia on the Silk Route with  Tour d’Afrique.   Make your next holiday or vacation flight somewhere that will leave you with an experience to share and relive during your next flight delay!

The frequent flier from the Atlanta area says she was told to swallow one of her birth-control pills, asked repeated questions about her shoes and religion and ordered to remove her shoes and blouse, leaving her standing in a “revealing tank top.” Click image to read more about degrading flight experiences.

Clipped from: travel.usatoday.com (share this clip)

We’re back with part 3 of our 4-part Travel Fitness series, courtesy of “How to Travel Fit” author, Tracy Benham.  Our last installment offered cures for what ails you up in the air, this post is going to arm you with tips to put jet lag to rest:

• In general, the more time zones you cross, the more you will be affected.
• Accommodate for your destination by sleeping and eating an hour earlier or later pre-flight.
• In-flight sleep medication works for some people, and if you do use it, plan on sleeping for 8-12 hours if you have to drive later.
• Eat smaller meals and get on local time immediately post-flight.

Air travel can disrupt your Circadian rhythms, leading to jet lag for even the most seasoned business traveler.  Our bodies take in everyday cues, such as sunlight, meal patterns and regular activities, which regulate and maintain our Circadian rhythm. When you cross multiple time zones, it disrupts those cues, and then your internal clock and actual external time are no longer in sync.

Tips To Avoid Jet Lag

Pre-Flight
If you’re traveling East, start by going to bed one-hour earlier each night for several nights before you leave. ( east = earlier)
If you’re traveling west, do the opposite.  Also try moving your mealtimes closer to the time you plan on eating at your destination, eat healthy meals and stay hydrated.

In-Flight
Change your watch when you get on the plane. Though this is mostly psychological, it helps your mind get into the new time zone.
Try to sleep on the plane if it’s nighttime at your destination or aim to stay awake if it’s daytime. But don’t stress if it just doesn’t happen.

Some people like to take sleep medication or over the counter sleep aid options, like melatonin. Some research shows that it can reduce jet lag, but not all research supports this claim. Although I know many people that swear by taking sleep aids, this is a personal preference and should be discussed with your physician. If you do take a sleep aid, take it 1-2 hours before you want to sleep, to let it get into your bloodstream. Plan on sleeping for at least 8 hours (or more like 10-12) if you need to drive when you arrive at your destination.

Eat light snacks and avoid heavy meals. Order the healthiest option ahead of time if you are on a long flight (specialty meals are often better for you). Skip the creamy sauces, breads and mindless eating of snacks or desserts that you would not normally eat anyway.

Post-Flight
Get on local time. Stay up till your normal bedtime hour, no matter what time you arrive. Don’t take a nap and get outside in the daylight to help you adjust quickly.

Start your healthy eating plan right when you land. Eat smaller meals for the first day to let your body adjust and not have to deal with digesting a heavy meal at the new time.

Carnival Disaster - Photo courtesty of The Financial Times

Shares in Carnival slid by about a fifth on Monday as the owner of the cruise liner that ran aground off Italy’s west coast over the weekend estimated the initial financial impact of the disaster to be up to $95m.

The company, which owns the Costa Concordia through an Italian subsidiary, Costa Crociere, said the ship was expected to be out of service for the rest of the year. Read more about the Carnival disaster…

Welcome back to our travel series with exercise physiologist and author of How to Travel Fit, Tracy Benham.  In part one of the series we learned ways to minimize your pre-flight stress. In this second installment, Tracy offers tons of valuable tips for relieving in-flight stresses, so when you arrive at your destination, your mood and frame of mind will be optimized for work and fun!

In-Flight Stress

First off, I want you to know that I love almost everything about air travel, but there are some pesky hiccups that we all have to deal with.  So, I like to add humor to the travel mix whenever I can.  My best suggestion is to bookmark your favorite humor sites, like The Onion or Dave Barry — afterall, laughter is the best medicine.  Okay, now for some tips:

Dry Air
The Air Transportation Association estimates that the air cabin has an average of about 20% humidity. Most homes have a comfortable 40% to 60% level of humidity. The Sahara Desert has about 25%. Low-humidity environments increase your risk of catching a cold or a respiratory virus. Without humidity, your body can’t trap germs trying to enter your body. Saline spray is a good option to help deal with the low humidity associated with air travel. It also helps prevent nose bleeds, which are more common in environments with low levels of humidity. Other difficulties associated with low humidity are dry or itchy skin, nose and throat irritations and dry eyes.

Travel Fit Tip: Contact wearers should wear glasses or take out their contacts while flying. If dry eyes are a problem, use a lubricating solution.

Water, Water, Water
To avoid dehydration, drink water, fruit juice and non-carbonated beverages during your trip. Make water your 1st beverage of choice before, during and after your flight.

Every time the cart comes by, ask for water, even if you are ordering something else as well. Alcohol is very dehydrating, since it speeds up fluid loss, so I suggest avoiding it or make an absolute limit of 1. Limit or skip having carbonated beverages. Some people notice slight differences in their digestive system, due to barometric pressure changes.

Buy a bottle of water or fill the one you brought with you after you go through the security line. Take sips from it throughout your entire flight. The basic recommendation of 8 glasses of 8 ounces of water should be considered a minimum. I recommend 8 ounces for every hour you’re in the air. This may be hard to do on long flights, but it’s a reference to remember. Never drink water from the bathroom sink.

Get In Motion
Make sure your feet are comfortable. This means getting up as much as possible, aim for once an hour. Or at least wiggle around and do a few stretches in your seat. If you’re self conscious and think random strolls appear strange, pretend you have to go to the bathroom.

Low Pressure
Most airlines have cabin pressure at about 5,000-8,000 feet above sea level. For most healthy people, this isn’t a big deal, but if you have respiratory problems, it’s best to ask your physician for guidelines before flying.

Blocked Ears & Sinus Conditions
Your eustachian tubes have a problem equalizing the pressure difference between outside and inside air. Your swallowing rate slows when you’re sleep, so it makes it difficult for you to get rid of ear pressure. Decongestants can be used in an attempt to overcome some of the difficulties of equalizing your ears. Make sure to stay awake during take-off and landing, and repeatedly swallow to clear pressure changes.

Travel Fit Tip: Chewing gum helps to clear ears, or use a basic Valsalva maneuver. This means pinching your nose while gently blowing air out of it.

air sickness bag

Nausea
If you suffer from air sickness, choose a window seat, focus on the horizon and avoid excess food and liquid. It’s helpful to sit as close to the wing as possible, since that is the most stable part of the aircraft. You can also turn on the overhead air unit and direct the ventilated air to your face.

One technique that I recommend to my friends who are more susceptible to air sickness or are pregnant is to take an over the counter medications like Bonine the night before the trip and the hour before they board the plane. (If you are pregnant review all over the counter medication with your doctor.)

Travel Fit Tip: This technique also works for sea sickness.

Medications
Don’t forget to carry medications directly on the plane with you. If you put it in your luggage and it’s lost, it may be very difficult to get your medications filled on your trip. Have a copy of your prescriptions with you, and store a copy in your phone and online, or with a friend, in case you lose the copy.

Airplane Noise
People sitting in the back row of certain planes are subject to high decibels of noise, sometimes as high as 90-100 decibels. Sensitive individuals should sit away from the engine and carry ear plugs. The loudest aircrafts have the engines mounted onto the fuselage.

Uncomfortable Temperatures
Cabin temperature changes are sometimes uncontrollable. Wearing layers is the easiest way to deal with this. Natural fibers or breathable fabrics help.

Germs
Remember to wash hands with soap and water. If you want to use hand sanitizers, make sure they are alcohol-based. Disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers both kill most germs, but frequent hand-washing is a must.

Tune in to the ExpertFlyer blog next week when we share ways to beat jet lag in part 3 of our 4-part series.