You’re solid on your routine at home. You have your trainer, your Sakara food deliveries, and your whole glam team to keep you looking good. But the moment you step on a plane, it’s over. No worries though; our health and wellness expert Hilary Sheinbaum has these top tips for staying in shape while you travel.
You’re the author of The Dry Challenge. What inspired you to write your book?
Hilary: The inspiration for my book was an accident, if I’m being honest. In 2016, I was a red-carpet reporter, covering events ranging from movie premieres to Super Bowl afterparties. Events always had top-shelf spirits and champagne. I was also in my 20s, living in New York City, and super social — not to mention writing about food and beverage for media outlets too — so needless to say, there were a lot of alcoholic beverages in my path.
In late 2016, I had dinner with a guy friend — his name is Alejandro — and we were chatting about New Year’s resolutions, which I don’t believe in. The topic of Dry January came up, and I changed the subject because it seemed so far-fetched given my work life and my lifestyle at the time. A week later, on New Year’s Eve, I tipsily sent him a text and proposed a Dry January bet — we would both go a month without alcohol. If someone sipped, they would be responsible for buying the winner dinner at any restaurant in New York City.
Spoiler Alert: Alejandro lost. I won. In addition to a lovely — free — dinner at Momofuku Ko in Manhattan’s East Village, I gained so many benefits simply abstaining from alcohol for 30 days. The tradition stuck. I’ve done Dry January ever since. In Dec. 2020, HarperCollins published my judgement-free, fun, how-to guide on how to go without booze for a month.
Galavante: We saw that your book was recently translated to German. Congratulations. We imagine that you’re on the road a lot, on the promotion circuit. What are five key tips to staying in shape while you travel?
Hilary: Oh my gosh, thank you! Speaking of Germany, and my book, I actually went to Germany to get the German-translation book in-hand, and I was lucky enough to visit Adidas Headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany, which was such a cool experience. They gifted me their new Adizero SL running shoe, and I’m obsessed. They’re so lightweight — which is not only great for running but also travel, as it doesn’t weigh down your suitcase or carry-on.
My five key tips to staying in shape while traveling:
1. Avoid alcohol in-flight; try the nonalcoholic drinks.
This might not be surprising, but I don’t ever drink on airplanes! That said, I did try a delicious nonalcoholic bubbly on Qatar Airlines en route to St. Regis Maldives (a resort that also has an extensive list of nonalcoholic beverages on its cocktail menu). I love trying new non-alcoholic drinks wherever I go. They typically have fewer calories and sugar, and they also don’t inspire tipsy munchies.
2. Schedule a local workout.
When I travel, I love booking classes at fitness studios or reserving exercise instruction that I ordinarily wouldn’t have access to (read: not available in New York). On my last trip to Charleston, I tried the Works Cycle (I highly recommend Carter’s class) and in Oahu, when I stayed at Turtle Bay Resort, I learned how to surf (which was a great full-body workout). In West Hollywood, I recently tried Training Mate, a high energy HIIT class! Of course, if I’m missing New York, I can usually find a Barry’s wherever I go — they’re across the globe now.
3. Walk around town
Granted, not every destination is walkable, but if it is, I highly recommend seeing your new surroundings on foot (or booking a walking tour to get acquainted). I literally walked 10 miles one day in Rome. It was great.
4. Take a rest day
It’s totally OK to take a break from exercise when you’re traveling. Sometimes our schedules don’t allow it or you just want to veg out — and that’s perfectly fine. On days like this, I get my rest so I can show up with more energy in the gym the next day. I also try to drink a lot of water.
5. Pack a snack
Seriously! I know myself well enough that if I don’t eat very often, I’m going to overindulge at meals (which is totally acceptable while you’re on vacation, by the way…but my hanger in between is not.) That said, I usually pack Sakara Energy bars, Aloha bars (chocolate peanut butter is my favorite), or I’ll pick up a local snack.
Galavante: These are amazing tips. Thank you for sharing. What’s next for you?
Hilary: Travel-wise: I’m hoping to go to Wailea this year and not just because I’m a White Lotus fan. It looks like a postcard. I attend the Charleston Wine and Food Festival every year, so I’ll be there in early March again. I love how they’ve incorporated low-ABV and no-ABV events into the festival, so I’m very excited for that… not to mention oysters, demos, and a drag queen brunch. They really do have everything.
Work-wise, I have some fun projects that I’m working on that will come out in 2023 — I can’t say too much yet.
And maybe this year, I’ll knock off some bucket-list things, such as learning to fly a plane or hiking Machu Picchu. Check in next year: hopefully that’ll be on my next list of fit travel tips.
