The demands of travel can prove perilous, undermining both good intentions and well-established routines. Here's how you can fight back and win — even when you're moving at supersonic speeds.

Most business or leisure travellers encounter some daunting obstacles: finding healthy food at odd hours in unfamiliar cities, and carving out some time for exercise and stress-relief — even in the face of a rigid and time-compressed schedule.

The ironic part is, exercise and healthy eating can go a long way toward making our travels — particularly our business travels — more successful.

A 2004 study commissioned by Hilton Hotels and Resorts reported that people who exercise during their trips performed 61 percent better than non-exercisers on reaction and alertness tests.

Not as tough as you think

Staying active and eating right on the road may require some resolve, but it's probably not as tough as you might think. The following travel tips are possible and they can make all the difference, both in how well you fare while on the road and in how well you look, feel and function when you return.

Air travel puts your body through the wringer. You're perpetually cramped, dehydrated by the bone-dry air and fed food that is not the healthiest — or none at all.

Worse yet, prolonged periods of immobility decrease blood flow to the legs and increase muscle stiffness, swelling and the likelihood of a condition called deep vein thrombosis.

You can't change the airport or plane environments, but you can shift your response to them. Instead of succumbing to the siren scents of cinnamon buns or devolving into a seatbelt-bound lump, keep your system sitting pretty from the start of your trip. Here's how:

  • Never go to the airport hungry and don't plan to eat what the airlines serve you on the plane. Pack your own healthy snacks and meals.

  • Carry an empty water bottle to fill after you've cleared security.

  • Speed walkthe concourses while you're waiting for your flight.

  • Request an aisle seat so you can get up to walk around. Spend some time standing, doing toe raises and stretching what you can.

  • In your seat, point and flex your feet roll your shoulders and neck, and clench and unclench your thighs, abs and glutes.

  • Make a point of getting some exercise as soon as you arrive at your destination.

The last point made is particularly important if you travel internationally. When we fly across three or more time zones, we're far more prone to interrupted sleep, mood changes, irritability, digestive problems, decreased mental acuity and a dip in athletic performance. Walking or running, especially in bright sunlight, helps our bodies readjust more quickly to our new environments.

Have a plan b

What if you're visiting a place with no decent fitness centre, or what if the centre is packed? No problem, I recommend packing a workout kit in your suitcase and have a personal trainer design an in-hotel room fitness plan for you. Skipping ropes and rubber tubing make excellent portable equipment. And, of course, you can go with the old standbys — push-ups, sit-ups, squats — that require no equipment whatsoever.

Hotel-room cardio can be as simple as downloading your favourite tunes onto your iPod and dancing. Or think of the outdoors as your personal cardio gym. Search for local running clubs or scenic routes in the area. Consider walking to appointments instead of taking a cab. If you have enough time, why not rent a bike and pedal the area?

Maximise your motivation

Of course, a fitness-ready suitcase doesn't mean much unless you use what you pack. Work pressures, unfamiliar surroundings and lack of control can all sap your exercise resolve. If your will is flagging, heed this advice:

  • Exercise first thing in the morning. The activity will bolster you all day.

  • Accept a compromise. People figure that if they can't put in their 45 minutes on the elliptical trainer, they shouldn't bother. Be willing to pare down your workout, but keep its essence.

  • Make an exercise appointment with a travel companion so you won't blow off your workout.

  • Substitute yoga or stretching for watching late-night TV.

The healthy travel checklist

Planning ahead ensures you'll remain resolved to exercise and eat right.

  • Locate a hotel with a good fitness centre or a health club nearby.

  • Research healthy restaurants in the area you'll be staying in, check menus online and pre-select a light entrée so you won’t be tempted by rich food later.

  • Keep a bag packed with your workout clothes if you travel frequently. Then you'll never be unprepared.

  • Invest in a travel fitness kit, so that you will always be able to exercise in your hotel rooms.

  • If you're flying to a different time zone, shift your home bedtime and waking time closer to what they'll be at your destination a few days prior to departure.

  • Get a good night's sleep before your trip — don't start out exhausted.

  • Schedule time for exercise. Let your travel companions or business associates know that your workout is important to you — they might even join you for a run or bike ride.