As I make my way through yet another after an almost 6 hour flight to the West Coast, I think to myself..."How do people make a living doing this?!?" Jet lag can cripple even the most ambitious traveler and make the first day at the new destination feel like a blur...if you let it that is!

As the physical therapist for the New York Mets for three seasons, I knew a bit about traveling and overcoming road weariness. Traveling with the team, we would often play 10 games or so on the road on an average trip. Three or four games in each city, which meant land, spend a day, pack and leave the next day. These trips could take us through 3-4 time zones and often times have the built in inherent stress of the pressure to win thrown in as well...just for good measure.

That said, I quickly developed a technique for almost instantly overcoming the typical jet lag that would undercut the ordinary traveler! It came in the form of exercise and my watch!

The technique was developed more out of necessity than anything else. The fact that we had 162 games in roughly 180 days meant that I needed to be at my best to help the players physically endure the long haul (considering they had to actually PLAY the games as well!).

So what I did was this. I ate my meals as normal (spread out over every 3 hours) during the time leading up to my flight. As soon as we boarded our plane, I now started to think about how I could quickly and easily adapt that to our destination. So if, for example, we were flying to Arizona from New York after an afternoon game....I would eat a normal breakfast, mid morning snack, and lunch. After the game was over at say 4:00 EST, I would grab something smaller than usual for a snack knowing that when I got to the West Coast I still was going to have a lot of eating left to do!

I'd keep my watch set on East Coast time...so I always had a frame of reference for the schedule that my body was operating on when I left. Seeing as how the flight was one of those 5 hour beauties, I knew I would have to eat something again to tide me over. Again, I'd do that at about the 3 hour mark of the flight (which put it conveniently in line with the last meal I had back East), but again...I ate a bit smaller portion. I would say that TOGETHER these two meals (the one after the game and the mid flight one) combined to equal what I normally would have for a mid afternoon snack.

Then, when we would land at around 10 to 11 PM EST (7 to 10 local time) I would act as if it was the perfect time for dinner. Which it was...at my new destination. So by sticking to a plan for regular eating and meal timing (but extending it out through slightly smaller meals) and then bringing it all back together to blend into the new schedule for my destination, I was able to seamlessly make the transition with my metabolism undisturbed. Key to FEELING your best during the type of hectic globe trotting.

Finally, the next morning...regardless of the time that we arrived the night before, I would get up at around 7:00 am local time and head to the gym. Now, I don't normally work out this early in the morning as I prefer instead to hit the gym later in the day. But what this did was release post exercise endorphins which counteracted any "hangover" feeling that I might have had and reliably reset my body from another angle. Metabolism...check. Energy levels....check. Muscle strength and function....check. Yet another safe landing!

So try this one two combo the next time you fly and see if it doesn't help you to finally overcome the debilitating effect that jet lag can have on your travel experiences. Whether there for business or leisure, you'll enjoy yourself a heckuva lot more if you can actually remain upright and awake to soak it all in.

Stay Strong,

Jeff

Not sure what exercise program you can do that would be quick, effective and "jet lag busting"? Find out more information by reading about the AthLEAN-X Training System developed by me as my secret weapon against road weariness and general lack of gym motivation. It doesn't have to be miserable to workout anymore!

Travel Frame Questions

Hi, well where do I start. I guess is tends to depend on where you are travelling to - but having said that it really probably doesn't matter. I have travelled extensively throughout Europe and when I was 19 I took a rolling suitcase. It was a disaster. My husband and I each purchased a very good (not super expensive but probably middle range) back pack with a zip on/off day pack. (we got ours at Mountain Designs). We usually start our travels with about 7 kilos because whatever goes into the pack ultimately goes on your back..... We have been to Malta and Italy and many other places where we were sooo glad that we had backpacks. We've been on and off trains in record time all because of our packs. We also use the day pack (that zips on the front) as cabin luggage but also when we get towards the end of our trip and have over bought we zip the day pack back onto the main pack and have a small couple of bags that have been stored inside the main pack that we can use as cabin baggage and therefore have an extra couple of bags but still only having one bag in the hold of the aircraft. We absoluely recommend back packs. My parents and friends have tried to work with rolling suitcases and they have had to resort to getting taxis EVERYWHERE because of it. This can become extremely expensive. We just jump off a train/bus and we're off to walk to the hotel/hostel that we are staying at. However, if you are staying in one place for, say 2 weeks, and you have transfers to and from your hotel then a rolling suitcase would be the way to go with maybe a small day pack as hand luggage. That way you can put the day pack on your back which will give you both hands to operate the rolling suitcase (you may need it). They both have their place depending on the holiday you are doing. With regards to how big they are you may need to check with the airline as to how much they will allow as cabin luggage, but be aware it isn't too large and a maximum of 5-8 kilograms for carry on usually applies. It you are moving overseas for a long time and want to take lots of things you could always consider sea freight. It takes about 12 weeks to London so you will need to plan ahead. A good tip! Pack your bag with what you think you will need and then half it. You can always make do with less - trust me - I know this sounds harsh but you will be glad you did. Hope that helps. Good luck and happy travels!

Does anybody know where I can buy a new touring bicycle with a 25" frame for under $1000?

I live in Michigan just outside Detroit.
Could somebody recommend a brand or know of a bike shop in my area that has a decent selection?
I saw some Jamis-Aurora at one shop but the shop refuses to order any of the large size frames (62 cm), and it seems to be the same everywhere I go, just the smaller size frames for kids.
Can anybody help me? Do I have to travel outside the state to get the size of touring bike I'm looking for?
Are there any decent bicycle shops in Michigan or do I have to go outside the state?

If they don't stock it, a reputable bike shop should be able to order anything you need. I have needed special order components on occasion and whichever shop I was dealing with at the time had no problem ordering. They may ask for a deposit, but other than that, I've never had a problem.

Check out this link. There must be one near you.

http://www.findbikeshop.com/state/MI-bikeshop.htm

Travel Frame Videos

Graco Symbio Travel System - Kiddicare

Kelty Redwing 2900 Backpack Review (Part1of2)