There's an App for That: Limeade Health Challenges Help Road Warriors Bypass the Hazards of Business Travel

BELLEVUE, WA--(Marketwire - Sep 27, 2011) - As recently reported in The Wall Street Journal, road warriors lead lifestyles hazardous to their health. Henry Albrecht, CEO of Limeade, stated, "Long layovers, airport food, redeye flights, and a few too many 'road sodas' take their toll." Limeade is an online corporate wellness platform that builds happy, healthy, high-performance workforces.

According to The Wall Street Journal article, people who travel extensively for business:

• are 92% more likely to be obese than counterparts who travel less frequently
• have higher diastolic blood pressure
• have lower levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (the 'good cholesterol')
• have high or very high stress levels
• experience sleep deprivation, sleep disruption or insomnia

"Even the 'easy' trips take people away from their families and friends, and include other hidden health hazards. For example, most business trips carry the expectation of a full day of work on top of the travel time. Then there's the rich restaurant food, the sneezers on the plane, the lower-back killing middle seats in coach, the sagging beds, etc. It's stressful. And the exercise or family routine most of us use to de-stress with at home is at best a hassle on the road; usually it just doesn't happen," Henry continued.

Limeade enables employers to target healthy travel with social challenges for their employees. They also created Travel Craze, The Airport Explorer, and 2 Manhattan Max, challenges specifically directed at countering the multiple threats to road warrior health and well-being.

"No doubt, the health hazards of frequent business travel are numerous. Increasingly, employers are paying more attention to all travel costs -- not just the airfares, but the recovery times, health issues, and productivity hits associated with heavy travel. With these new challenges, we're introducing simple, fun, mobile ways for road warriors to feel connected to the folks back home, spend the extra hour walking an airport while closing their deals, and spend a little less time hunched over the mega cheese fries. This isn't about companies playing Big Brother. It's more about helping road warriors make conscious decisions, exercise a little self-leadership, and enlist some help from friends," Henry concluded.

Henry offers the following suggestions to help road warriors own their travel well-being:

Make One or Two Good Choices per Day
Fitting exercise and good nutrition in while on the run isn't necessarily easy, but it is doable. Both reduce stress and contribute to a good night's sleep. So just be aware. Which of the following will you do this trip? Take the stairs rather than the escalator or elevator? Use the hotel gym (your dress shirt is dirty anyway, who cares if it gets a little sweaty on your walk)? Make healthy choices at mealtime? Skip the alcohol and/or caffeine at dinner? Skip dessert? Walk the length of the airport terminal?

Pay Attention
Track the days you made great well-being choices on the road. Journal your travel experience. Give yourself credit for avoiding the easy way out. Being able to see how those difficult choices are contributing to your well-being will spur you on when you're tempted to lapse. Also, take a look around you, and try to note the shape your fellow warriors are in. (Note: this can be scary.)

Stay Connected and Competitive
Just because you're out of the office doesn't mean you have to be out of touch. Connect with other road warriors and/or colleagues committed to staying healthy -- and stay in touch. You'll be invested in one another's success. (A lot of road warriors are sales people, so expect some healthy competition!)

Being a road warrior is a marathon, not a sprint. Make sure you finish it in the same size clothes, with more energy than your competition.

About Limeade
Limeade is an online wellness company focused on building happy, healthy, high-performance workforces. Limeade provides a refreshing alternative to traditional, antagonistic wellness approaches, and connects all wellness programs in an integrated, cohesive user experience. Limeade clients include FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For®, healthcare providers, and large, high-performance employers. Additional information about Limeade may be found at www.limeade.com.