3 LITTLE THINGS: To make traveling less hellish on your body

I pack these items on every trip. They weigh 1/2 a pound and fit in almost any bag.

Warmup

Tackling a new week after a holiday weekend is hard enough, so we’re going to keep things short and sweet here at N2L.

Today’s post is the first installment of 3 Little Things that can help make movement, health, wellbeing, just life in general a few percentage points better — at any age.

As always, we’re not going to boil the ocean. My 3 Things won’t be the ONLY things that work for a topic. You’ll have others to suggest. And I hope you will in the comments or an email to me.

Special Offer

Before we get into today’s post, here’s a new limited offer if you purchase my new book NOT TOO LATE.

NOT TOO LATE is about the benefits of challenging ourselves at any age in a pastime we love. For me, that pastime is obstacle course racing. It’s a sport that helps you be fit for “life” on multiple fronts: respiratory fitness, strength, mobility, grip.

Spartan Race, the world’s largest obstacle course racing company, right now is offering a free race in 2024 or 2025 to people who purchase a copy of NOT TOO LATE. (Details to get your code in the link below; available while supplies last.)

Given the normal price of races, this is very generous offer from Spartan. So if you’re interested in giving the sport a try, know someone else who’d like to, or have raced previously and are thinking of going again, this is a great incentive to pull the trigger.

Disclosure: I have no financial ties to Spartan Race. They hope the book will encourage more people to try obstacle course racing; I love the sport and also want others to try it.

Summary

Maybe you traveled over the Fourth of July. That might have meant a lot of sitting and screens. (H/T to those of you who’ve read NOT TOO LATE already and get this reference.)

I find traveling, especially now that I’m in my early 50s, to be increasingly rough on my body. Whether it’s…

• Lack of movement.

• Lack of access to the foods I normally eat.

• Lack of access to my own bed.

• Lack of access to my preferred workout equipment.

In a future post, I’ll talk more about tactics I’ve found that can protect you specifically during a work-related trips and outings. (Because those come with very special challenges.)

But today, I’m just going to share the benefits of 3 Little Things that I find dial up the healthiness and dial down the hellishness of travel anytime, anywhere.

Note: I have no affiliation with the companies making these products, nor do I receive any revenue from their sales.

Let’s get it done.

Post

Thing 1: Foot massage ball

Around age 40, we can become more susceptible to a painful foot condition called plantar fasciitis.

If you’ve experienced this, and are grimacing and nodding vigorously right now, I’ve been there. And empathize.

The plantar fascia is a thick, fibrous connective tissue that runs across the bottom of the foot. When it gets inflamed, it can hurt to walk, much less run.

Our anatomy, weight and occupation can impact our risk for this condition. Spending a lot of time on your feet can be a factor. So, if you travel a lot and are trekking through airports, train stations, city streets, it’s probably worth thinking about how you can keep your feet healthy.

One go-to prevention tool for me is a small spiky massage ball that helps keep the feet tissue loose and limber. In fact, the ONLY time I ever wrestled with plantar fasciitis — despite all my middle-age running through rocky, uneven terrain — was when I slacked off using this ball.

There are tons of these massage balls on the market (and a lot of other similar tools.) I happen to use this 2-inch Triggerpoint MobiPoint Massage Ball. It’s mouthful of a name for a very small item.

I like its portable size, which can fit easily in any pocket in my backpack or suitcase.

Plus, its firm enough to really work out kinks in my feet after a long day walking through airports or streets. But the spikes on it are flat, which make it a bit gentler on your skin.

Warning: If you use this every day, like I do, and leave it lying around, the dog is likely to make off with it.

Thing 2: A resistance band

This rubber stretchy band is like a portable mini-gym. I use it in my hotel room if there’s no workout facility or I don’t have time to get there.

It’s also easy to take to a local park or playground and tie around a tree or monkey bars to perform certain exercises. This way, I can get outside and do strength training while also immersing myself in a new city.

Resistance bands come in a variety of sizes, lengths, and resistance levels. Among the many exercises you can do:

• Bicep curl

• Tricep extension

• Leg extension

• Russian Twists (for your abs)

• Stretching & mobility

I keep three of these longer bands made by WODFitters in my home gym. The one I carry on the road is the red #1 version because it serves the most purposes for my needs.

Important note: If you’ve never worked with resistance bands before, be very careful that you don’t accidentally let the band snap back and hit you in the face. This is a common source of eye injury, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Thing 3: Electrolytes (and a good water bottle)

Ok, maybe that’s two things in one, but they really do go together for me.

Dehydration is a risk at any point if you use or lose more fluid than you take in, and your body doesn't have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal, necessary functions.

Traveling often means sitting in airplane air devoid of moisture; a lot of walking outside in the heat; hotel rooms with dry air pumping through vents.

If you are also exercising on the road, which I generally am, making sure you are paying attention to your hydration really matters.

As we get older, underlying health conditions or medications potentially can make dehydration an even greater risk. (Source: Mayo Clinic)

I always carry electrolyte tablets or travel-size powder stick packs. Mixed with water, these help replenish important electrolytes — electrically charged minerals, such as sodium, potassium, and chloride — that we lose, say, when we sweat.

Keeping electrolytes balanced can help ward off headaches, fatigue and dizziness.

I’ve tried many electrolyte supplements over the past six years including, LMNT, Biosteel, and Liquid I.V. Among other attributes, I’m looking for products low in added sugars.

My preferred product right now are the Sports tablets made by a company called Nuun, which was recommended to me by one of my trainers who is a former Olympic runner. I like the flavors and how my body responds (i.e., I never feel any stomach churn). These are the electrolytes I also use when I race so they do the trick when I’m sweating a lot!

I also carry my own water bottle when I travel so I can refill it at airports and at night before bed in the hotel (I often go to the free water dispenser in the gym) — thus always having access to hydration and putting one fewer plastic bottle into the ocean or landfill.

A 24-ounce Hydro Flask generally fits in the side pocket of my backpack or with a carabiner attached inside to keep it upright.

Important note: If you are new to electrolytes, it’s good to start slow (i.e., try one) and see how your body responds. As always, use good common sense and talk with your physician first if you think there might be any issues with you consuming a product like this. My cardiologist originally recommended I consume electrolytes.

Cooldown

A short post. So a quick cooldown.

Shorter read: For some great stretches on a long road trip, read Michael Easter’s recent post here at his 2% newsletter.

Medium listen: In this podcast, I talk with the Emmy-award winning sportscaster John Telich (also an endurance athlete and ultramarathoner) about tactics we can use at any age to embrace movement & wellness — even if we’re late to the party.

Longer read and listen: Physician Peter Attia does a deep dive on the science behind why movement matters so much after age 50. He provides actionable advice to get started with a new exercise program. This can help at home and on the road.

Thanks for reading. Let me know what items keep your body intact when you travel. And as always, find something you love. Dig in. Stick with it when things get hard.

Wendy