How to Keep Fit on the Fly

By Patricia Nakache, MBA '91

Remember those glory days at the gsb when you kept fit effortlessly? Whether you were riding your bike to classes or running regularly to the Dish, extra pounds stayed delightfully at bay. Well, if you're now a frequent traveler, chances are they no longer do. According to GSB alumni/ae, staying in shape on the road, while certainly possible, requires considerable planning and discipline. Here's their advice:
IT'S THE HOTEL, STUPID! Alums agree that carefully picking the hotels where you stay is essential to keeping fit. Choose hotels that have their own gyms or agreements with nearby full-service health clubs, preferably ones with long hours. Says Harry Chang, MBA '90, "After price and availability, I base my hotel reservations on health club facilities." Gregg Marshall, MBA '94, suggests another benefit to staying at hotels with fitness centers: "You'll generally find a good massage in the health center--highly recommended along with melatonin as a cure for jet lag and travel blues."
Andrew Krainin, MBA '92, is a proponent of swimming while on the road: "Running is theoretically a great way to stay fit and see the places you're visiting but takes too much time and effort. I prefer swimming: Swim trunks require less space than sneakers, 20 minutes of swimming is a good workout, and there is the thrill of walking through public places wet and scantily clad." Mmmm. Thrilling maybe, chilling definitely.
A word of caution on selecting your hotel: "Never rely on what the hotel itself says. Too many of these so-called fitness centers are holes in the second basement level with too few machines and 7-foot ceilings, smelling like old sweat," says Ellen Lapham, MBA '77. So for starters, try out these hotels in cities around the world recommended by your fellow alums:
Chicago : The Hyatt on Wacker. "It has an agreement with an amazing gym around the corner--four levels including rock climbing wall, pool, basketball court, sauna, etc." (Andrea Williams, MBA '94)
New York : The Sheraton Towers. "An excellent facility. Large, airy room with a variety of weight and aerobic machines in good condition. Attendant on duty." (Harry Chang, MBA '90)
London : The Carlton Towers. "Has a very good gym on the top floors overlooking the city. It also has great smoothies." (Williams)
Dubai : The Hyatt Regency. "This is almost a resort-style facility. It has a large exercise room with a good selection of weight and aerobic machines. An attendant is on duty at all times for guidance and assistance. Also has showers, sauna, swimming pool, and excellent squash courts. Very impressive." (Chang)
Seoul : The Hilton Hotel. "The most terrific fitness center I've used; the machines are in the pool room, a large glass-topped structure with a great outdoors feeling. It is also located next to Mt. Namsan Park, a great place to run." (Lapham)
Hong Kong : The Royal Garden Hotel. "The pool is open to the stars, there's a putting green the size of a large pool table (and just as incongruous), and the fitness equipment is in a building out on the roof next to the pool. It has windows with wonderful views." (Lapham). Or try two other hotels in Hong Kong that are recommended by Alexander Muromcew, MBA '93: The Island Shangri-La and the Grand Hyatt.
Singapore : The Shangri-La. "The hotel is out of the noise, bustle, and pollution of the commercial streets, and it is a great run from the hotel through exquisite residential neighborhoods into the Singapore Botanical Garden. You take your run at 6 a.m. when the locals are out walking and doing tai chi." (Lapham). Or try Muromcew's favorite in Singapore: The Ritz-Carlton.
Anytime, Anywhere, Exercise . Several alums suggested ways to get exercise regardless of your hotel, like walking to appointments rather than taking cabs or taking the stairs rather than escalators or elevators. Says BJ Hardman, Sloan '94, "Forget the nonexistent gyms--go for the stairwells. Many hotels will have no gym, but they nearly always have stairs to climb that are better than a Stairmaster. Probably even a better cardiovascular workout."
Remember those good, old-fashioned floor exercises? "When watching TV, I do sit-ups or push-ups during the commercial breaks. This is a great way to keep fit without hauling extra clothes or missing Seinfeld!" recommends Asaf Farashuddin, MBA '94. Says Elise Bauer, MBA '88, "In the morning after my shower, I do yoga stretches and strengthening poses, using all available floor space in the hotel room. I lay towels on the floor if I'm doing poses." Jack Fuchs, MBA '91, even does crunches in the aisle of the airplane on long flights.
Want to feel like a kid again? Admits Williams, "I recently bought a jump rope to take with me on my business trips." Imagine, fitness may be just a hop, skip, and a jump away.
When Opportunity Knocks . Whenever possible, schedule your trip so that you can enjoy local outdoor activities, recommends Derek Brown, MBA '84. "A trip to Europe in the winter absolutely should be structured around a day or two (or three) of skiing in the Alps. A trip to Australia should have a side trip like diving off the Great Barrier Reef or sailing. Having fun is the best way to stay healthy and sane (not to mention professionally productive). Otherwise, international business travel can quickly become the ultimate mental and physical grind--once the thrill of getting lots of passport stamps wears thin."
Marshall has the same idea. He writes from Asia: "If you can do it, meet your business partners away from the bustle of big city centers. Try the Four Seasons-Regent resorts in Bali or Chiang Mai. Or meet in Langkawi or Phuket, where you can jog or walk a luxurious property, shoot some golf, go windsurfing or diving."
Another creative, if slightly less exotic, way of combining work and play comes from Marshall: "San Miguel beer is served in little brown bottles that take, on average, 17 sips to drain. Over the course of an evening's workout, you might heft your hand above your shoulder up to several hundred times, which could account for the outsized bicep on your favorite arm." Or for your budding beer belly. Alternatively, Marshall makes another suggestion: "If you like to dance, go to a disco. In Manila, where ballroom dancing is the rage, find a locale like Equinox and spin the night away."
There you have it. If the sedentary life of a frequent traveler is, quite literally, weighing you down, don't despair. There are a number of ways you can squeeze in a workout. It simply requires forethought and a dash of creativity. As one of our fellow alums would surely say, just do it.