That's Fit

The days are getting shorter -- just one of the depressing signs of winter's impending doom. Runners, lack of light is no reason to stay home, but stay safe while you pound the pavement.

Traveling is easily one of my favorite activities. Whether it's a short road trip with friends or an across the globe adventure, as long as I can get the time off work and scrape together enough money to go, I'm in. The only thing I don't like, is the dazed and crazed look I often sport after several hours of travel time.

I wrote not so long ago about an article that gave tips on how you can maintain your good looks while on a flight -- drinking lots of water and no alcohol, sleep and movement are all key. This time I've come across an article that will help you prepare beforehand, including advice on what to pack and which beauty treatments to try before you hit the road. Whether you're traveling for business or for pleasure, the advice listed here will make sure that you're looking great as soon as you land.

Fitzness Fiends is a section devoted to you, the reader! We all have learned so much on our path to becoming more fit, and now it's time to learn from and inspire each other! Fitzness Fiends are constantly working to better themselves. Some are perfect, some are not. All have health on the mind. Please send Fitz your answers to these questions with a photo of yourself. Time for you to be the motivator!

Name: Lauren Rinck

Age: 23

Occupation: Consumer Product Sales Representative for Hormel Foods

How often do you exercise? Every day.

What type of exercise do you do? Road Biking, Running, Cardio, Circuit Training, Spinning, Swimming

What gets you to workout, even when you're feeling lazy? Exercising and fitness is just something that is a priority for me, something I look forward to. I love how I feel afterward as well! I can see results as I continue to place emphasis on working out. My ultimate goal is to race in an Iron Man, so I continually strive to push myself in that direction.

I know a few people who are diabetic, but driving is never something I thought they would need to prepare for. If you think about it though, driving with inconsistent conditions like those caused by low blood-sugar could be a road hazard. This article about preparing to get behind the wheel even goes as far to say it's like drunk driving!

Now I'm not sure that is an entirely fair statement, but the point is well-received. Should someones levels drastically drop (or go up), they could feel drowsy, confused, disoriented or exhibit blurred vision. All of those seem like scary combinations on the highway, but are easily avoided by preparing.

A doctor at the University of Washington says that even if a person with diabetes takes insulin, they should check their blood glucose before getting behind the wheel. This doesn't seem like something to scare people off the road, but it would be tragic if an individual blacked out and hit a tree. That's exactly what happened to Mark Lippe when he was 19. If you can relate to diabetes, how do you prepare for driving? Like I said, the diabetics I know have a clean record with automobiles, so this may not be a widespread issue at all.

My husband always tells me to take my cell phone when I go outside to exercise. I know his urging makes sense -- what if something happens and I need help? Surely, it would be convenient to make a quick call for assistance, if I'm able to mutter any words, that is. But I rarely take my phone with me. I limit my gear to clothing, shoes, and a MP3 player strapped to my arm. I don't need anything else in the way as I cover ground in my next-door neighborhood. I suppose I should take my hubby's advice, though, and take my phone along for the ride. A Road ID would be even better.

If you're a runner, cyclist, triathlete, or someone prone to bursts of activity, the Road ID may be just the item for you. This athletic accessory not only looks good -- it saves lives. In the event of an accident, if you can't speak for yourself, your Road ID will do all necessary communicating by making your vital information available to first responders via telephone or internet.

The Road ID, priced at $19.99, was created by a father/son team who saw a need -- read their story here -- and are now chasing their dream: To see the day where wearing ID is as common among athletes as wearing a seatbelt is among motorists.

I was stuck in a traffic jam today on the way to visit my family for Thanksgiving. I and the bazillion others stuck on the Florida Turnpike had our engines off for over thirty minutes while an accident up ahead was being attended to. Most of us just kind of loitered near our cars, but a group of men and boys actually got together on the side of the road to play some football (pictured at right). Hmmm.

I suppose it was safe in that they certainly were in no threat of being hit by a car, but it just seemed a little weird. In fact, since oncoming traffic was completely stopped as well and the lanes opposite mine were completely empty, a group of teenagers spent some time skateboarding in them. Weird. Lesson being, always come prepared for fitness? Keep some sports equipment in your car for traffic jams? I don't know. It was just a little funny to see.

When I write about the merits of nutrition and fitness for the prevention of cancer, I typically have adults in mind. I guess since I'm a grown-up, I write for other grown-ups who might be swayed into eating better and exercising more. I do write about kids now and then but more from an overall health perspective and not so much a cancer prevention angle. This is exactly what I need to do, though. Getting kids to practice cancer prevention now is perfect. Their slates are clean -- well, the damage is minimal, anyway -- and they have so much time to do the right thing. The non-profit organization Road to Life operates on this very premise.

The Road to Life mission is to eradicate preventable cancer and diseases of excess by educating children about the smoking, fitness, and nutrition decisions they can make to lead healthier lives. Free health programs, available for download, consist of a classroom curriculum, an after-school program, a family program, and a Health Care Careers Program. You can also access the Road to Life blog and catch up on the latest news regarding cancer prevention. Some recent hot headlines are: Doctors Urged to Prescribe Exercise and The Skinny on Fat: Good Fats vs. Bad Fats.

It's a noble endeavor, pairing kids and cancer prevention. Don't you think?

I want my sister's car. It's a brand new Ford Edge. It's small, sporty, sleek, and nothing like my seven-year-old, dented and scratched Honda Odyssey mini-van. That's why I want it.

The Ford Edge is not in my future, at least not until my little boys are grown and nearly out of my care. My mini-van is just too practical. For one, we own it. Second, the seats are positioned perfectly and my guys can't touch each other. That's a biggie. Third, it's dented and scratched, and I don't worry at all about what else may happen to my jalopy. Fourth, and most important: My mode of transportation at this very moment contains two bikes, one skateboard, one Big Wheel, one portable potty, hats, sunglasses, and a few tubes of sunscreen (it's still sizzling hot here in Florida). In a nutshell, we are on the road to fitness every time we embark on a road trip. All we need is a location, and we're set.

After school the other day, we headed to a local community college track and logged more than a mile of activity -- my boys on their bikes, me on my own two feet. All summer, stocked with swimsuits, tubes, boogie boards, squirty guns, and more, we were set for a jaunt to the pool at a moment's notice. When we go to the beach, we jam-pack with chairs, umbrellas, coolers, buckets, shovels, and fishing gear galore. Does it get any better than that?

When I travel, I take full advantage of the word 'vacation'. Basically, I use my away-from-home status as an excuse to skip my daily exercise and eat whatever I want. Then I get a cruel wake-up call when I arrive home to find that my jeans are too tight. But now I have a much more flexible schedule, which means more travel for me. I have to find a way to work the workouts and healthy eating into my trips.

So here's a tip we received this morning from reader Shelley. It's called the Workout that Travels with You and it appears in this month's Men Health. It's an easy plan that you can do from your hotel room, or even the guest room at Aunt Mary's. You don't need any equipment but you could pack your exercise band for some added resistance.

How do you stay fit on the road?

For those who love the open road and exploring the best (and often the weirdest) that North America has to offer, road trips are often one of the best possible ways to spend a holiday. The problem is, gas costs continue to rise making things much more expensive for road warriors, and long auto excursions are definitely not great when it comes to aiding our damaged environment.

For those who are concerned about the planet (as well as their cash flow), but for whom a road trip is still the only way to travel, this article lists a few ways to help make your time in the car both more Eco-and wallet-friendly. Suggestions include renting a hybrid or, if that's not possible, a vehicle that is very fuel-efficient. Road-trekkers should try to ensure their own car is as fuel-efficient as possible by making sure the air filter is clean and that the tires are properly inflated.

Other ideas include shortening the amount of overall miles covered in order to focus on the most impressive and interesting parts of a journey, or ditching the vehicle altogether in favor of a more-unique cross-country trip by train.

Responsible adults are careful about not driving under the influence of alcohol, and there's even growing awareness of the dangers of cell phones while driving. Here's another hazard to your driving: Food. How many of us are guilty of eating and driving? I definitely am -- sometimes there's just not time to stop, sit down and eat. But this kind of on-the-go eating is dangerous to your waistline (unconscious eating) and to other driver (diverted attention)

Here's a list of the top 10 things you should never, ever eat while driving, according to eDiets:

• Chocolate: ewww ... can you say melted mess?
• Soda: It sure is sticky when you spill it ... and you will eventually
• Cream/Jelly filled donuts: that cream/jelly is going to squirt all over your dashboard sooner or later
• Fried Chicken: Imagine greasy fingers ... everywhere!
• Barbecue: BBQ sauce will end up all over your lap
• Big burgers: Those add-ons are hard to keep track of when you're driving, huh?
• Chili: Something that requires a spoon takes too much attention from the road ... plus you might burn your mouth
• Tacos: Tacos are messy at the table. In the car? Disastrous
• Soup: Ummm....is this even possible?
• Coffee: This one I am guilty of. If you must drink coffee on the road, save your sips for stop lights.
  

I know you have some interesting food/car stories to share ....

For many of us the summer holidays mean traveling by car across cities and states to meet up with relatives or loved ones for festivities and fun. But with all those cars on the road traveling can be dangerous, with some places ending up more dangerous than others. Wonder if your plans will take you over any of the most dangerous roads this summer? According to elliot.org 57% of all traffic deaths happen on rural roads, and 75% of all public roads in the U.S. are considered rural. So the odds are you'll be doing some rural driving whether you like or not, and according to The Center for Excellence in Rural Safety here are the top 10 most dangerous places to drive:

• Maine
• North Dakota
• South Dakota
• Iowa
• Vermont
  
• Montana
• Wyoming
• South Carolina
• Mississippi
• Arkansas

Obviously many of these states probably landed on the list because they have more rural area than other states, but you may still find yourself passing through. Something to think about, and remember your seat belts!

The holidays usually mean some kind of travel for most people, and long road-trips with unpredictable daily schedules can easily wreak havoc on even the most perfectly oiled workout routines. Most treadmills or elliptical trainers won't fit in the car (ha) and even small free-weights don't make sense to throw in an already too-heavy suitcase. But thankfully, you don't have to have these things to get in a good cardio or strength-training workout!

Your body can provide all the resistance needed for building muscle and burning calories -- push-ups, lunges, and leg raises are all great examples. And to switch things up you can easily add some lightweight, inexpensive, and most importantly easy to pack supplemental equipment -- like resistance bands -- to help you avoid boredom while away from your usual workout.

Check out this article for ideas and an adjustable routine to fit your personal needs and fitness level.

As the holiday season starts to ramp up, traveling around the country may become a stressful task. Anyone that has ever seen Home Alone knows what one extreme example of holiday travel can be like. But between this upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas, we could all use tips for traveling with less stress.

That's why Yahoo has compiled some pointers for getting out the door, in the air or on the road without having a conniption in the process. First and foremost, they say you need to know the rules. Airline security will be long and tough, so know what you can carry on and what needs to be stowed away in luggage. Speaking of baggage, Yahoo also suggests keeping a list of everything you're taking with you because that's what you will need if something comes up missing. Can you guess how many pieces of luggage will be lost this year? Thirty million bags and suitcases will disappear without a trace according to SITA.

But for those of us who won't be in the air this holiday season, it takes a different approach to get ready. Before you jump on the highway with the other 38 million travelers, give your vehicle the once-over. Simply put, check your tires, the battery, and even your roadside assistance policy if you have one. Check out the rest of the Yahoo article for more stress-free traveling tips!