Near or far, home or away, Australia or India – well, you get the idea – healthy living knows no boundaries. But let’s face it – healthy eating and exercising on a trip, let alone on an international assignment, can be a pretty big challenge.

But international travel buffs like yourselves can practice good health habits wherever your travels take you. The key is knowing where to look, while soaking up some of the culture along the way. These top tips can help:

Take an energy excursion
You’ve traveled all this way to get to your assignment destination, so why would you merely work there? There are many ways to explore your new world while getting fit at the same time. Consider a bike tour, an ecological excavation, a hike through historical farmland, scuba diving … the list goes on. Seeing a new city is the opportunity of a lifetime, and getting in some fitness along the way is just an added perk!

Cook up a healthy taste of home
Just because you’re far from home doesn’t mean your stomach has to feel the shock! So grab an apron and mix up your favorite healthy recipes from home. But this time, try adding a special spice that’s native to your new destination. Whether you experiment with curry, basil, coriander or cumin, you’ll find that mixing it up not only spices up your commitment to healthy living, but your palate too!

Try before you buy
Since most fitness clubs don’t have worldwide affiliates, settling on the best one while on assignment might take awhile. Take advantage of the almighty day pass — it’s a marketing tool gyms use to impress you with their fitness facilities for a day in the hopes you’ll become a member. But for you, it’s a free chance to get a day’s worth of exercise in — and a start on adapting to your new world of healthy living.

Take your gym with you
The growth of technology is making it easier than ever to pack up our pastimes and take them with us wherever we go. And physical fitness is no exception. So if joining a new gym isn’t on your itinerary, there are plenty of ways to keep your fitness level going strong:

• Jog or dance along with your MP3 player tunes
• Bring along home fitness videos or DVDs
• Sign up for an online weight management program (try Weight Watchers!)
• Find a local television channel with regular fitness programs

Even without technology, you can always rely on the tools of the pros – good old fashioned bean cans for hand weights, jumping rope for cardio and stair climbing for endurance.

Find a top doc
Now that you’re in a new place, finding a doctor that meets your needs is one of the best ways to stay on top of a healthy lifestyle. You’re in luck! You can use the AGB website at www.aetnaglobalbenefits.com to find a doctor internationally wherever you’re assigned. Specialists, too! The site also provides translation for key medical phrases and prescription drug equivalents so you can stay on top of your health.

Choose “fit” fast food
Whether you consider it a drawback or advantage to culinary excellence, the predictability of chain or fast-food restaurants can be a busy traveler’s best friend. Although you shouldn’t eat fast food regularly, these and other locations have sprouted up in many international locations and can offer some lower-fat entrees in a pinch:

• Subway: veggie delite (230 calories, 3 grams of fat); turkey breast sandwich (280 calories, 4.5 grams of fat); roast beef sandwich (290 calories, 5 grams of fat)
• McDonald’s: plain hamburger (260 calories, 9 grams of fat); cheeseburger (310 calories, 12 grams of fat); yogurt parfait (160 calories, 2 grams of fat)
• Kentucky Fried Chicken: tender roasted sandwich (260 calories, 5 grams of fat); mashed potatoes without gravy (110 calories, 4 grams of fat); corn on the cob (150 calories, 3 grams of fat)

The bigger the better
Widening your culinary sights doesn’t have to result in a widening waistline. In fact, the bigger the menu, the better! Sure, a menu with lots of choices can be more of a temptation, but the odds of finding healthy choices are much greater.

And don’t be scared by large portions. One great tip is to ask for a to-go box when your meal arrives. You can halve the portion immediately, and have another meal for later.

As you can see, healthy living isn’t just for living at home – it’s universal!

Eat right while traveling. Accessed August 7, 2008 at http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8858/eat_right_while_traveling.html?cat=51.  

Eating right on the run. Accessed August 7, 2008 at http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/43229/fitness/eating_right_on_the_run.html.