Long-haul flights wreak havoc on your fitness routine. How can you stay in shape?
Traveling long distances by air doesn't have to mean sacrificing your fitness. With some planning and simple exercises, you can maintain your health and well-being even at 30,000 feet. Here's how:
What are your go-to tips for staying fit while traveling?
Long-haul flights wreak havoc on your fitness routine. How can you stay in shape?
Traveling long distances by air doesn't have to mean sacrificing your fitness. With some planning and simple exercises, you can maintain your health and well-being even at 30,000 feet. Here's how:
What are your go-to tips for staying fit while traveling?
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Ankit Singh Chauhan
Supply Chain Management Expert @ Star Air | Strategic Sourcing & Procurement
(edited)Staying fit while traveling can be achievable with the right approach. By integrating physical activity, maintaining hydration, eating nutritious meals, prioritizing rest, and staying mindful of movement, you can turn travel into an opportunity to enhance your health and well-being.
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As an aviation veteran, and having commuted on ultra longhaul trips for over 20 years, I would like to highlight how important it is to have the right hydration by bringing your own water bottles on board flights. NEVER, NEVER,NEVER drink the water from the aircraft water fountains or bathrooms, and I am wary of even drinking coffee or tea on an airplane. Not widely advertised, but cleaning the water tanks on most commercial airplanes is a complicated, time consuming and expensive affair, so it is rarely done. Bring your own.
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Yes we face issues like skin and nose dryness along with body dehydration and muscle aches, sitting in same posture may also increase neck pain . Thus we need can do - 1. Keep yourself hydrated with regular drinks and water intake. 2. Stretch your self in a regular interval and move your body parts or walk till washroom to and from your seat. 3. Carry healthy snacks so that you can assist with healthy digestion. Lastly plan your travel needs in such case if any medication is required.
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I avoid long haull flights more than 8 hours and just long haull. I have the preveliege to chose betwen both only long haull flights and a mix betwen short haull and long haull with A321 Neo Long range. I only have max 2 long haull flights per month and when I fly a long haull flight I choose to bring my own food for the flight. The jet lag feeling does not help also. Waking up in the hotel after a flight does not give you the will to exercise and even if you do go to the gym its not a satisfying work out. The jetlag afects mostly your head. You need to wait untill you feel better. Of course after you fell better you have to fly back home. And there you go again. Two more days to recover and a total of 4 days have passed without exercise.
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To stay in shape during long-haul flights one can follow below guidelines: 1. **Pre-flight Workout**: Exercise before your flight. 2. **Stay Hydrated**: Drink plenty of water. 3. **In-flight Stretching**: Do simple stretches and walking in the aisle. 4. **Bodyweight Exercises**: Perform squats, lunges, or seated leg lifts. 5. **Healthy Snacks**: Opt for nutritious snacks instead of junk food. 6. **Post-flight Routine**: Get moving with a workout or walk when you land. 7. **Avoid drinking alcohol as much as possible.
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Exercise, i always stay in the local time wherever I go, i try to eat healthy, and drink lots of water. But I don't think we ever "get used" to it. 😄
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Well, since I’m not human I just stay up whether it’s 20-70 hours. I can’t sleep on planes anyway. Then I just go to sleep in whatever time zone I’m stuck in, never get jet leg that way
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Our blood oxygen saturation level drops Oxygen levels in the air decrease at higher elevations. Although airlines pressurize the air in the cabins, the air pressure is less than it would be at sea level, which means our blood oxygen levels are reduced (hypoxia). Sitting down for long periods on a flight compounds this issue due to lack of circulation. Blood pools in our lower extremities Due to the lack of circulation in our bodies, blood will pool in our legs and feet. This causes swelling, and can lead to blood clots and deep vein thrombosis, which can be life-threatening. That's why it's important to get up and move around frequently when flying. Our circadian rhythm gets messed up. Jet lag is a mix-up between our body clock.
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To minimize the impact of long flights on your workout routine, stay active before the flight with a good training session, hydrate well, plan light and nutritious meals, and take advantage of moments on the plane for simple stretches and short walks. After the flight, focus on regaining your rhythm with light exercises and proper hydration.
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