I travel a lot for business, and one of my chief issues is managing to keep up the healthy eating and workout routine when I never know where I’m going to be next.  Still, over the years, I’ve managed to put together some good strategies for healthy business travel – I even managed to shed a few while on the road, all the better for fitting into my summer bikini (well, OK, one-piece . . .). 

First things first:  do not – I repeat – do not give in to the airport newsstand candy temptation.  Yes, the celebrity magazines are right there next to the Hershey bars, but walk away.  Just down the hall in the terminal somewhere is a fresh fruit stand, and you’ll feel so much better when you reach your business destination if you haven’t crashed from all the sugar you ate en route.

Second, check with your hotel before you go about whether the pool is open and where the jogging trails are located.  You’d be surprised just how often they receive these requests and just how ready they are to offer you routes, workout tips, and even equipment to make your workout easier.  Examples?  Some properties now offer jump ropes or hand weights, available for check out to your room; others have maps with jogging and hiking destinations and mileage.

Third, consider this an opportunity to drink lots of water.  I’m normally a big diet soda consumer, but I know that water’s the right choice in the air, as well as in the desert destinations I frequent.  Even better?  Most meeting rooms will be equipped with bottled water or coolers, while the vending machines are probably at the other end of the world.  I like to take along some individual packets of Crystal Light and add them in throughout the day – and the result is that I flush out toxins, sleep better, and feel fuller.

Fourth, prepare for the inevitable heavy deli sandwich lunch that meeting organizers always order in. Ask ahead whether a salad is an option or bring energy bars to get you through the day.

And last?  Stroll through your “borrowed” city for the evening – it’s a great way to get in those 10,000 steps, get swimsuit ready, and see your destination.