How to Stay Fit While Traveling for Business
The lifestyle of business travel can be glamorous. Seeing different cities, flying business class and staying in luxurious hotels can make for great Instagram material.
But research has shown that frequent travelers have a higher body mass index, higher blood pressure and are generally in worse shape than light leisure travelers. So, while you're enjoying the jet set lifestyle, you might be doing some serious damage to your body.
Frequent business travelers cite a lack of time and motivation to exercise as the No. 1 reason they skip workouts while traveling. Combine this with, often, a poor diet and increased alcohol intake, and you have a health crisis in the making.
There are ways to combat this issue, of course. The next time you're on the road for work, try these three methods for staying active and fit on the go. Even if only one strategy sticks, you'll be laying an important foundation for healthy habits in the new year.
Spend 20 Minutes at the Hotel Gym
Most people aren't using the hotel gym, no matter how nice it is. A recent survey from the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration showed that only 22% of guests used the fitness center during their stay, despite good intentions (46% said they planned to work out).
From an investment perspective, hotels are losing money on their fancy gyms, but that hasn't stopped them from building fitness centers with gorgeous views and more workout options. Many hotel gyms have way more than treadmills and dumbbells now. It's common to find a hotel fitness center fully equipped with heavy weights (including barbells and squat racks); functional equipment such as kettlebells, gymnastics rings and battle ropes; and a complete line-up of fitness classes.
If you have any say in the hotel you stay at, be sure to choose one with a decent gym. And then use it. Commit to working out in the hotel gym at least every other day. You don't have to spend two hours in the gym: 20 to 30 minutes is more than enough time if you're putting in maximum effort and keeping the intensity up.
This can best be accomplished with high intensity interval training (HIIT), metabolic conditioning workouts and bodyweight exercise training.
Develop a Bodyweight Workout
Great workouts don't actually require any equipment. Even if you were counting on using the hotel gym, it could be closed for renovations, or you might get moved to a hotel without a fitness center. That's why you should always have a backup plan for working out while traveling: a routine using only bodyweight exercises.
The great thing about bodyweight exercises, aside from the fact that they're incredibly effective, is that you can do them in your hotel room or anywhere else you choose, zero equipment required.
Keep workouts short and minimal. Maximize your time by performing high-intensity bodyweight circuits designed to help you build muscle; burn more calories; improve stability and flexibility; and get better results in less time.
HIIT is one of the best and most time-efficient ways to lose weight. It's simple, too: just short periods of all-out work followed by short periods of rest.
Select a few workouts and complete them in a circuit, where you cycle through several exercises (usually five to 10) targeting different muscle groups with minimal rest in between.
Remember, exercises like push-ups, squats and burpees can be done anywhere, though pull-ups — which are a great bodyweight exercise — may require some creativity. (Strong tree limbs can work in a pinch.) If you can't find anything to do a pull-up on, try one-arm rows with your suitcase instead.
Try Intermittent Fasting
This might be the best weight loss strategy for business travelers for two reasons. The first is that its simplicity makes it easy for anyone to give it a try. The second is that its basic component is not eating, which is perfect for someone who is already busy with a hectic schedule.
Intermittent fasting (IF) is a term for an eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating. For example, you already fast between your last meal at night and your first one the next day. The time between those meals is your fasting period. Now consider extending that window to make it more effective for fat burning. If you skip breakfast and maybe even lunch the next day, you can now extend your fat burning window to 16 or even 24 hours. This length of time is considered optimal for intermittent fasting.
Research shows that the benefits of intermittent fasting go far beyond fat loss. With no blood sugar spikes and crashes, many intermittent fasters report feeling more sharp at work. As a result, it's also been tied to diabetes prevention.
The Bottom Line
In addition to utilizing the hotel gym, developing a reliable bodyweight workout and practicing intermittent fasting, there are other steps business travelers can take toward maintaining a healthier lifestyle. Don't forget to pack healthy snacks in your carry-on so you can make smart choices on the road (think: nuts; fruit and vegetable chips; and baby carrots). And keeping health and fitness apps loaded on your phone can help you stay on track, no matter where on Earth your travels take you.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees