What do you do after you’ve won the Ironman and then the Ultraman title? You organize Pinkathon, India’s biggest women’s run, of course. Supermodel, actor, entrepreneur Milind Soman has been constantly raising the bar for fitness and now his focus is on raising awareness about women’s health in India. Organizing this multi-city initiative sees Milind on the road for extensive periods of time. To ensure he’s able to stay fit, Milind prefers to stay at Airbnb homes when he travels for work or vacations.
So how does Milind ensure that his extensive travel schedule does not hamper his fitness? Here are 5 fitness mantras that Milind practices and recommends to stay fit, even when you are on the go:
1. Eat right: Eating right is the first step. Once that is in place, you need to back it up with exercise. While traveling it’s easy to be tempted to eat unhealthy junk food. To avoid this, I prefer staying at Airbnb homes with well-equipped kitchens so I can rustle up a healthy snack or meal whenever hunger pangs strike. In fact, I enjoy cooking myself a light and healthy khichdi (porridge) for lunch on most days I’m traveling using my mom’s special recipe.
2. Make fitness a priority: Fitness is a lifelong pursuit and it should be something you enjoy. You don’t need to follow a strict regimen or routine. Besides, it’s usually difficult to hit the gym regularly while you’re traveling. The best workout is whatever activity fits into your schedule even if it’s a 10-minute brisk walk or a quick jog up the stairs. As long as you’re getting some activity and prioritising fitness, don’t worry about how much or how often you’re exercising. I usually fit in 3-4 running sessions a week. I also try to choose Airbnb homes with swimming pools to get in a few laps whenever I feel like a swim.
3. Practice mindfulness: Be it running or yoga, try practicing mindfulness, that is, being completely conscious and aware in the moment. Doing this gives you a strong sense of freedom, calmness and focus. Whether I’m vacationing in beautiful Hawaii or Norway or traveling for work across India, I ensure I select Airbnb homes that have a space, and, ideally a beautiful view, for yoga.
4. Get adequate rest: Sleep is essential for the body and mind and restful sleep is the foundation of good health. Getting sufficient sleep is essential to overall well-being. One reason I prefer staying in Airbnb homes is they feel like a home away from home. The cosy, comfortable home-like environment lets me get restful shuteye no matter which part of the world I am in.
5. Keep challenging yourself: I ran my first Mumbai Marathon in 2004 and have been setting myself new challenges ever since. In 2009, I ran my first full marathon. I took on the Ironman challenge a few years later and then the Ultraman title last year. Pushing yourself to achieve new fitness targets is an exhilarating feeling. It keeps you motivated and achieving difficult goals gives you an incredible high.