Business Travel: My New Pledge
January 31, 2011 § 2 Comments
“Where’s my Dainty Dot?”
I heard that a few times from Jennifer last week. Not only was I absent in the house, Dainty Dot was absent in her inbox (she’s my most loyal subscriber). “I want my Dainty,” she lamented.
Dainty was off on a business trip. I travel an average of about once a month. This last trip is an annual pilgrimage to Louisville for an INTENSIVE 3+ days of management programming. Sessions begin early and run late, with must-attend “hospitality suites” (i.e. crappy hotel food and lots of alcohol) running late into the night. I didn’t breathe non-hotel air for nearly 72 hours at one point.
Now, Jennifer and I eat and live pretty cleanly. We have very few heavily processed foods in our cabinets. We limit most everything in the “white food group” – potatoes, bread, pasta, mayo, you get the idea. Our plates are typically quite colorful with greens and fruit and lots of veggies. And when we dine out, we go places that have the same food philosophy we have—i.e., definitely not fast food.
So, when I head out on a business trip my body is a bit shocked by what I put in it. It’s not completely the fault of the host hotel or the meeting organizers. They aren’t force-feeding me. Ultimately, my health and my well-being during a business trip is up to me. I mean, come on – there’s no reason I had to eat 3/4 of a horrible room-service pizza at 10pm – except for the fact I hadn’t taken time to eat much of a lunch or dinner.
Considering how horribly disgusting I felt during this last trip, I’m making this new Business Travel Pledge:
- I will walk outside for at least 15 minutes
- I will exercise first thing each morning
- I will limit coffee to just two cups w/no dairy
- I will drink at least three glasses of water
- I will pack protein bars and fruit for snacks
- I will limit alcohol consumption to two beers or two glasses of wine
- I will NOT chose the unhealthy alternative to save time
- I will eat three meals a day
- I will NOT eat sugar-filled gooey desserts (ice cream is ok)
- I will sleep at least six hours each night
It all seems pretty basic, uh? But so often it’s not. Eating three meals a day – I failed at that TWICE last week! Not sleeping six hours—again I failed! Exercise? Are you kidding?
My next business activity isn’t a trip out of town – it takes place right here in Boston. I have three business dinners scheduled this week. Will I be able to stick to my pledge? The reward system works for me, so if I stick to this plan this week, I’ll buy myself … I’ll buy a ScotteVest that I’ve had my eye on.
Wish me luck.
The Dainty Dot 
welcome back!!! i missed you!!
Me too! Me too!