by Allison Neves

People in the know, like medico and fitness gurus, say that individuals should partake in 30 minutes of cardiovascular activity at least five times a week to maintain good health. Beyond that many people have personal fitness goals such as losing ten pounds for a reunion or running their first marathon, that have them committed to an ironclad workout regime. So what happens when life throws a curve ball like a business trip or family vacation in the middle of all of one’s hard work?

While it may be difficult to maintain a fitness program at home, it may be near impossible to establish a temporary yet effective one on the road. The best advice is to have a fitness game plan prior to a trip. That’s right. I said it…. A GAME PLAN, people! While your schedule may be out of whack from company meetings or family activities, it’s important to carve out some fitness time to keep you on track and eliminate the chance of falling victim to the “no workout woes.” If you have a regular workout schedule set up while you’re away, it will make the transition back to your “regularly scheduled program” that much easier. Good point, right? I thought so.

Creating this plan takes research, and sweet Stairmaster, who has time for that? I’ve done some due diligence to help reduce your time in the Google-sphere and provide you with some great fitness resources in major U.S. cities with the cherry on top being personal trainer Bournemouth & Poole, but more on them later! LETS GET PUMPED

Below is a list of fitness resources in New York City but stayed tuned for Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami and San Francisco…

List of gyms in NYC:
24Hour Fitness
Crunch
Equinox
Gold’s Gym
YMCA

Special hotel programs:
Hilton Garden Inn is BIG on helping guests keep up healthy habits on the road. In fact, “Eat Well” and “Stay Fit” are two of their five main promises to guests. At HGI, there are complimentary fitness centers on-property in each hotel and they offer complimentary exercise kits called Stay Fit Kits® that can be used in the privacy of your hotel room.
They also have a commitment to stocking their Pavilion Pantry with healthy food options including Lean Cuisines, energy bars and more. They recently released a new breakfast menu from “Top Chef” star and professional athlete Chris Jacobson featuring energy-packed superfoods such as leeks, sweet potatoes and whole grain breads that are fit for an athlete preparing for competition. Visit www.hgi.com.

The Lowell Hotel has unveiled a host of innovative healthful living options for its sophisticated travelers. From an in-room yoga program and Pilates instruction in the hotel’s fitness center to a new organic Health Menu available around the clock, guests of this Upper East Side Manhattan luxury landmark have a full complement of unique healthy lifestyle choices at their disposal to maintain a daily wellness routine when traveling. Visit www.lowellhotel.com.

Find a personal trainer on the road
During my visit to New York I was fortunate enough to work out with three great trainers: Sara Dimmick, Nikki Fitness and Mary Tedesco.

Sara Dimmick

Sara says, “Before working out with an out-of-town trainer, make sure you fill out a health history and consent form. Speak to the trainer on the phone so (s)he can get a sense of your fitness level and types of workouts you are currently doing.”

Indoor and outdoor sessions available? Indoors at gyms located in Midtown, outdoors in Central Park or West Side Highway Bike Path/Park. Sara will come to your hotel gym in Manhattan or if you summer in the Hamptons, she can meet you at a gym location in Wainscott. She will also to go to private residences.

Sara specializes in strength training, weight loss, triathlon coaching (swim/bike/run technique and program design), pre/post natal, outdoor workouts, as well as older adult exercise.
She is certified in NSCA – CSCS (National Strength and Conditioning Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist), NASM – CPT (National Academy of Sports Medicine – Certified Personal Trainer), ACE – CPT (American Council on Exercise – Certified Personal Trainer), USA Triathlon Level 1 Coach and Pre/Post Natal Fitness from Maternal Fitness
Items of interest: Celebrity client – Hannah Storm, current host on ESPN’s Sport Center, formerly from CBS Early Show. Sara has completed 15 triathlons including Escape from Alcatraz in San Francisco and is the featured fitness expert on New York’s WCBS News
Cost per session: $125
Website: www.physeq.com.
Contact info: sara@physeq.com or 917-744-6627
Payment options: Cash or check only
Book your session at least 24 hours in advance.

Nikki Fitness

Nikki says, “My workouts combine upper body, lower body and abdominal moves all in one, and depending on a client’s goals, I include cardio intervals. I designed a no-equipment workout that works all opposing muscle groups and gives you a total hour-and-a-half workout in half that time.”

Indoor and outdoor sessions available? Outdoors in Central Park or indoors at Crunch Gym, if you are a member. She also has a partnership with On the Avenue Hotel at 77th and Broadway on the upper west side. If you stay there, Nikki can be your running partner and tour guide through Central Park or you can ask for her booty-kicking, multi-tasking, muscle and cardio interval training.
Nikki specializes in multi-tasking workouts that combine toning exercises with cardio intervals for a 2-3 hour workout in just one hour.
She is certified in group exercise instruction, personal training and pre-natal fitness.
Items of interest: A line of DVDs (The Military Wife and Destination Wedding Workout) available at Amazon.com and on her website www.nikkifitness.com. She also just wrapped up filming for her NIKKIFITTRAVEL DVD, the no equipment workout for working out on the road. The new DVD will be available June 1st on Amazon.
Cost per session: $100
Website:www.nikkifitness.com.
Contact info: nikki@nikkifitness.com
Payment options: Cash only
Book your session 2 weeks in advance.

Mary Tedesco

Mary says, “Exercise helps reinvigorate you for a full day of meetings. It also helps to combat jet lag and it’s a great way to work off those “on the road” meals. It should be the first appointment you put in your Blackberry or planner…if you do this you will feel more powerful and refreshed all day long!”
Indoor and outdoor sessions available? Indoors or outdoors, rain or shine.
Mary specializes in interval and conditioning training with a combination of weight training, Pilates and yoga all mixed in!
She is certified as an AFAA Certified Personal Trainer and a NASM candidate.
Items of interest: Martha Stewart’s personal trainer. Has done fitness television work on The Martha Stewart Show and Fitness Radio on Sirius XM Radio. Mary owns her own fitness studio in Cross River, NY in Westchester County called Body Fit Personal Training. She has three exercise DVDs available: THE COLLEGE GIRL WORKOUT, THE BODY FIT TRAVEL KIT (sold w/ bands using the MARV handle) and THE POWER CORE WORKOUT (sold w/ a two pound soft medicine ball).
Mary also likes to give back—she has raised over $200,000 hiking different mountains such as Longs Peak in Colorado at 13,500 feet for cancer research.
Cost per session: $225 to come to you, $110 if you go to her studio.
Website: www.MaryTedescoFitness.com.
Contact information: 914-763-1204 or e-mail her at bodyfit4@optonline.net
Payment options: Check, cash or credit
Book your session 3-4 weeks in advance.

Featured product
Created by fitness globetrotters, Kari Eide and Lissa Mueller, The Fit Traveler is the smallest, most effective workout kit for the business or leisure traveler. It includes a practical, fully illustrated guide, travel diet tips, and a free medium resistance exercise band.

The program is simple to use and versatile enough for any level of strength and ability. The use of resistance bands allows resistance in multiple directions and improves strength, flexibility, range of motion and cooperation of muscle groups.

At only 8 ounces, each kit is compact, and has a storage compartment for the exercise band. It fits perfectly in a purse, briefcase, or even a coat pocket! Visit www.thefitnessboutique.com.

Tip
Checkout Active.com for a calendar of local fitness activities such as 5 and 10K runs during your stay. All events are listed by month and state. Community fun runs and races provide a unique way to see interesting areas of the city that you might have missed out on during your visit. Often your participation will help raise funds for a local charity or cause. It’s a great way to get fit while giving back.

Allison Neves has more than fifteen years of public relations experience, providing strategic and tactical PR services for a wide range of clients, from actors and musicians to non-profit organizations and high-tech companies. She currently works as the Communications Director for the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, which works to prevent avoidable blindness in the U.S. and abroad through public service and education. With parents from San Salvador and Hong Kong, Allison has made a personal commitment to reconnect with her roots by traveling extensively throughout Latin America and Asia. When she’s not trying to save the world one press releases at a time, Allison travels, practices Pilates, scuba dives, and hangs out with best friend and husband, Travis. A past recipient of the Bulldog Reporter’s Award of Excellence for Media Relations and Publicity, Allison has spent the last seven years volunteering as the PR Director for Little Kids Rock, a national non-profit music education program. She currently resides in the historic Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco