Whether you are travelling for business or pleasure, spending extended time in the seat of your car is never going to be good for your health. Thankfully there are a few simple exercises, along with a few tips and tricks, to help ensure you arrive at your destination every bit as healthy as you were when you left home.
Give your legs a proper stretch
It’s tempting to do little more at a rest stop than use the facilities and perhaps get something to eat, but if you want to avoid aches and pains at the other end of your journey, scientists say you should stroll around for at least ten minutes.
One quick and easy way to make sure you incorporate enough of a walk into your stop is to park your vehicle as far away from the facilities as possible. Not only does this extend you walking time, it also reduces the chances of returning to your vehicle to find that someone has accidentally dented the side of your door.
Pack the car to suit the journey
Keep your car loaded up with everything you might possibly need when you arrive at your destination. Keeping a map book as a back-up to satellite systems, a torch and a set of warm clothes are essentials that should be with you all year round. Make the most of the available storage to keep everything tucked away when it is not needed.
If you’re looking to change your vehicle and plan to take lots of long drives, do some research into the number of storage compartments and spaces within easy reach of the driver’s seat so you’ll be able to take more of what you need to keep you comfortable while you are on the road.
Whether you’re searching the used car listings for a sporty Golf 7 GTI for sale or something more sedate, keeping these factors in mind will ensure you enjoy the time you spend behind the wheel of your next vehicle for as long as possible.
Think carefully about food
One of the least healthy parts of any long trip are the food choices available along the way. The convenience of the many fast food restaurants that tend to occupy rest stops, along with an eagerness to get moving again as soon as possible can often lead you to make choices you later regret.
Top of the list are sugary, highly processed snacks such as donuts and chocolate bars. This may give you a temporary burst of energy, but they will leave you feeling drowsy at the end of your sugar rush. The same goes for coffee. While a little may perk you up, drinking too much can actually have a detrimental effect.
Sipping water on a regular basis throughout your journey is a great idea as it will create a feeling of fullness, so you won’t want to eat as much when you arrive at a service station. You could also save both money and calories by preparing your own food at home to take on the journey with you and then staging an impromptu picnic in a quiet spot.