When you’re in another city or a different country for that matter, being away from home throws off all your routines. You have to create new ones to keep yourself sane. Similarly, staying fit and healthy while working as a digital nomad isn’t easy. Maybe your fitness buddy stayed back home and now you’re doing it alone. Also, without friends looking over your shoulder, you might indulge in tasty local food more than you should and see the pounds start to show on your once slender frame.
Don’t worry. We’re here to help. Here are some tips on staying fit and healthy when living as a digital nomad.
Drinking Right to Live Right
If you’re Stateside and using a co-working space, then there might be some kind of office sparkling water machine there. Or, if that’s not available, the co-working space might at least stock some bottles of still water in their commercial water cooler. That goes down well to quench the thirst.
When you go to the same co-working space regularly in the States, ask about them about getting a flavored water dispenser. They’re available from Bevi which provides flavored, healthy waters that help office workers (and co-working space users) avoid unhealthy sodas as a quick solution.
Also, if you’re spending some time abroad, get to know what’s added to the drinks that are sold. For instance, in south-east Asia, the fruit juices have only a small amount of fresh fruit, questionable ice, condensed milk, and a large spoonful of sugar too. Along with being twice the price of a bottled fruit juice in a convenience store, you don’t even want to know how many calories are in a single serving.
Fit Exercise into Each Day
Sitting down to work at the laptop, it’s not long before you become a couch potato. It’s easy to forget to stay healthy by working out, especially if you feel self-conscious in gyms and don’t wish to go.
Every different country messes up your routine as a digital nomad. So, be adaptable. The important thing with exercise is increased movement – not the type of movement. As much as the fitness industry likes to promote the latest, greatest exercise routine, the reality is it’s just to sell the newest training and equipment.
Instead, figure out what exercise you can do given any set of circumstances. Sure, a set of dumbbells cannot travel with you as they’re too heavy, but bodyweight exercises work fine from anywhere. A yoga mat can be attached to a backpack without difficulty too. Walking or jogging works almost anywhere. And most places have access to a swimming pool even if you need to pay to use a local hotel’s swimming pool for the day (if you’re not staying there).
Pay Attention to the Local Cuisine
Read up about the local cuisine. Not every country’s cuisine is all that healthy.
For instance, several countries in Asia use a lot of sugar and salt in much of their food instead of herbs for flavoring. As a result, there’s an increasing issue with diabetes due to the food.
It’s necessary for nomads to make smart choices about what foods they eat and those that they skip. There are increasing choices throughout the world due to tourists requesting healthier food options. Western-style cafes and restaurants also have European or Western food choices that might be better when there’s nothing else available to tickle your taste buds.
Watch What Hours You Work
A regular working routine is going to be better for your body than one that’s all over the place.
For example, if you are most productive in the evenings, this makes it difficult to eat right. You’ll tend to load up on food in the evening to provide the energy necessary to get things done but then won’t have enough time awake to burn off the consumed calories.
Try to establish a regular routine as you’d have at home. Eat a decent breakfast to provide enough fuel at the start of the day. Don’t overeat at lunch, even if that’s customary in the country you’re staying in. Eat lighter to avoid getting into a ‘food coma’ where blood rushes to your stomach after eating and it’s difficult to think clearly or be productive after that. Also, get into the habit of taking a walk in the evening. You’ll see more of the local sights, stretch your legs, and rest your eyes from the computer screen too.
Being a digital nomad can be healthy when you set things up right. Avoid spending so much time in front of the laptop that you neglect the types of healthy lifestyle choices that support your body. And ensure you get sufficient rest from the work. Your mental health is important too. It’s easy to burn out creatively when you do too much and don’t find a balance.
can be healthy when you set things up right. Avoid spending so much time in front of the laptop that you neglect the types of healthy lifestyle choices that support your body. And ensure you get sufficient rest from the work. Your mental health is important too. It’s easy to burn out creatively when you do too much and don’t find a balance.