So, what did I come up with to stay on point for my first week long trip away from my home in Miami since I’ve gotten in the best shape of my life? To answer this, first I need to tell you all a story.
Two years ago this month, I was struggling with severe knee pain. Walking was alright but it really hurt the most when I took stairs - up or down. It was excruciating! Well, my naïve ass booked a month long trip to Positana on Amalfi Coast in Italy. Ever been?
In preparing for the trip a couple weeks before Lori and I wee to depart, I read some brutal reviews. Were tourists complaining about crime? No. Were they saying the beaches or views were overrated? Nope, epic views reported everywhere! Were there too few great food options? Heck no, there were 12 Michelin restaurants in less than 5 mi.² my kinda town!
What were Tourists only complaint? The steps! Hundreds of them to get down to the waterfront. And you should’ve seen how much they complained about walking back up too!
So, here I am with a knee that barks just going up the stairs in my house and I’ve booked a month long vacation in one of the most vertical places in all of Europe! 🙈
I reached out to my health guide Christopher Kidawski for suggestions. I asked him what I could do to reduce the pain that was surely in my very near future!
This is when he asked me, “What healthy habits do you have when you travel?”
I looked at Chris like he was crazy. All that could come to mine is that upon check in, I typically make my way over to the concierge and him/her for reservations to the best restaurants in town as well as who carries the best sipping tequila! Priorities!
When I told Chris this, he suggested that we start small. Babysteps! He gave me three exercises to do every day. They consisted of 25 air squats, sitting on a softball and rolling my hamstring over it for two minutes, and using a roller on my abductors. Easy peezy!
Before my trip started, I began doing this every day for two weeks so it would become a habit while I was on my vacation. And would you believe it? We got to Positana, the steps were indeed plentiful, and I experienced absolutely
no pain the entire trip . I took those stairs every day like a champ even though I still weighed a whopping 275 pounds! 
This is when I learned that despite visiting 50 countries and getting on planes over 1000 times in my lifetime, I did not have one single habit for my health when I travel.
Well, I do now! Twenty-five years experience as an event producer had taught me how to make a great itinerary. So, for the first time ever I made one for my health.
Anal as heck, but locked in! Instead of wishing me luck, how about wishing me discipline?
