I often get emails from people asking for tips – and wondering how to go about the most ‘simplist’ actions in the most healthy way. One of the things we don’t often think about is flying…and how to get the least bang from your butt (literally!) when stuck in a situation when food choices are limited, space is confined and time is not on your side.

Here are Top 6 Things I perform religiously before and during any air travel:

1. Even if my flight leaves at 6am or only has 2 hour travel time – I ALWAYS workout beforehand. I know that the change in scenery, time and fatigue from sitting will prevent me from training later. I also like knowing that I ‘earned’ my food intake when I’m noshing on peanuts after about an hour of trying to avoid the craving.

2. I pack my first and sometimes second meal. Before I stopped eating animal meats, I used to bring along chicken breast and some fruit. I also keep my favorite protein bar and a bag of natural almonds in my travel bag.

3. I ALWAYS have water on hand. The itty bitty cups they give you is almost a joke in my book – Usually I travel with a large waterbottle (It was pitiful when they took it away from me when the airline rules were very strict!) but it’s soooo key to stay hydrated throughout the flight.

4. Believe it or not by sometimes I ‘tighten my core’ by pulling in my belly button towards the small of my back and often squeeze my glutes to ‘exercise’ my muscles when I’m sitting for prolonged periods. Every hour I get up for a stroll around the airplane to circulate some blood and stretch my legs out.

5. Stretch! In your seat it is easy to stretch your neck and ankles – but I suggest you stand up ever so often and stretch your legs and elongate your body. You may look funny – but believe it or not, most people who stare wish they had the guts to get up and do it themselves!

6. To keep my mind occupied (so I don’t get bored by eating bad foods and drinking some wine to keep me happy) I take out one of my journals and start documenting goals – reflecting on the past few weeks and whether progress has been made or halted. I tend to write when I have down time and am forced in situations where the only thing I can do is either write, read or think. Most of the time, I can’t sit and reflect as often as I’d like – so long or even short, airline flights are the best times to do it.