Staying Healthy While Traveling

In less than two weeks I will be hopping on a jet plane on my way to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for a family vacation. Words cannot express how excited I am to spend time together with my family and to have a whole week away from work! I love my patients, but everyone needs a break every once and a while. Yesterday my mom called me and said "can we be healthy this vacation?" How many of us like to let go on vacation? I'd say likely everyone. I'd also say that quite a few people worry about sticking to their diet or health plan while on vacation. I've been there and will be there. 

To help you (and myself) out, here are some key pointers for staying healthy while traveling:

Photo by Leslie Nicole

1. When possible, get a condo so that you can make your own meals. You will spend a little extra on where you are staying, but a lot less on meals! 

2. Pack snacks for the car/flights. Apples, oranges, carrot sticks, healthy snack bars, nuts, etc. are great for traveling with. Opt to by water and keep away from sugar filled drinks. Make sure you stay hydrated! I know it is not fun to keep stopping on a road trip or to go in the small tiny airplane bathroom, but your body does need water! And when you stop at fast food, choose wisely :-).

3. When you do eat out, be conscious about what you are eating. Allow yourself that one cheat night, but don't keep cheating. Be aware of how much alcohol you are consuming and remember that alcohol temporarily turns the liver into what is called a "fatty liver" which slows down your metabolism. Slow down on the free bread or chips and salsa.

4. Make it a goal to be active for at least a half hour each day. Even if it is just a walk down the beach, just get your blood pumping!

5. Have healthy snacks around like broccoli and hummus, carrots and gauc, healthy protein powder, greek yogurt not packed with sugar, nuts, etc. so that when you have the munchies you have something healthy to grab!

6. Don't get over hungry. Plan your meals out and eat around your normal times. Also, research ahead of time restaurants where you will eat.

7. RELAX. Let your rest and the stress hormones come down to normal levels!

Happy summer travels everyone!

- Erica

Run, Ride and Relax

Hello everyone! I'm Courtney, a social media publicist, exercise nut and healthy eating (re: food-loving) twenty-something contributor/behind the scenes girl for Erica Smith Fitness and Lifestyle. I live in downtown Indianapolis, IN and enjoy all kinds of physical activities - especially those that take place outside. I'd consider myself a runner and a cyclist, but I'm also a TurboKicker, a spinner and a wannabe weightlifter.

As a contributor (and good friend of Miss Smith) I felt compelled to share a bit about myself and my story. 

Without further ado, a VERY little bit about me: 

Some call them goggles, I call them bug deflectors.

I was overweight/borderline obese most of my life. I attribute it to lack of knowledge regarding nutrition and exercise. I grew up playing volleyball and softball, but because of our busy schedule (both of my brother also played sports), meals were generally on the road/from the freezer section.

After college/circa 2011, I decided I had had enough of being "the big girl." I started counting my calories and exercising every day. I was amazed to see how simply being conscious of what I ate and consciously exercising changed my body. Within a year I lost 75-80 (+ or - depending on the season/what I'm training for).

In the place of the 80ish pounds came an addiction to exercise and a very disordered eating mindset that I still battle every day. Physically I looked amazing (to a point) but emotionally I was crumbling. Through the help of friends and family (particularly Erica) I was able to find the strength to get myself out of that pit and recognize that my worth isn't in my body, but in my heart and actions. My biggest fear was becoming fat again. Now my biggest fear is not living a life worth remembering.

I still work out most every day - because I love working out. I'm still conscious of what I eat - because my body is my future. A few weeks back I did the Spartan Race in Laural, IN and came in 6th among women, second in my age group! I went home and had a cookout with some friends and cocktails - there's balance! I also attempted my first 100 mile bike challenge last weekend (The Three State Three Mountain Century in Chattanooga, TN - it was cut short because of the weather). I run half marathons and finish sprint triathlons. Exercise is a joy to me. I love to have something to train for, and to be honest, I still have trouble treating my body well (nourishment and rest don't come easy...yet). It's a process and I wouldn't be where I am today without Erica's help.

I also LOVE encouraging, coaching, supporting, helping/butt kicking anyone who needs it. If you're feeling down or need a boost, please feel free to friend me/message me - sincerely!

-- Courtney Skells, Publicist and adventure junkie

Being Healthy on the Night Shift

This Sunday morning ended my year and a half of being on and off night shift.  I can't say I'm sad to see it go, but I am incredibly thankful for the things it allowed me to learn.  Until the night shift, I would consistently go to bed at one time and wake up at pretty much the exact same time every day.  Before I worked night shift I had only slept past 1030 AM a very few times in my life.  Until I worked night shift I did not realize how incredibly hard it is to stay healthy on a night shift schedule.

As a nurse, I learned so much in my career by being on night shift.  It allowed me to work more autonomously. I definitely learned the wonderfulness of Ambien.  I transferred far too many patients to the ICU, but not a single one of them coded in my care for which I am thankful. And I got to know some really incredible people and learn how to be a nurse without all the people around.

As a nutritionist I learned that working the night shift means that those regular meals are not going to happen. That when you stay up all night and are stressed, as nursing as a career makes you stressed, you crave those high fat foods.

As a personal trainer I learned just how hard it is to get in a regular work out routine when you walk an average of 6 miles a night at work and you are never actually awake consistently at the same time every day of the week, let alone have the consistency to work out.

As a person, I learned that my body much prefers a day schedule and I'm not the nicest person on night shift.  I learned that there were times I could sleep for almost 24 hours. And I was definitely able to sleep past 10:30 AM.