The man responsible for Jennifer Hudson’s body transformation tells YOU how to keep the weight off while traveling

Traveling is my favorite thing to do in the world, but there has always been one downside: it really screws with my daily workouts. You never know if your hotel is going to have a gym, or if you’ll be safe running around outside by yourself. Luckily, I acquired some expert advice recently — and this isn’t just any expert, either. No, Harley Pasternak – the man responsible for Jennifer Hudson’s staggering body transformation and keeping both Lady Gaga and Katy Perry fit on their respective tours — revealed how to stay in shape while on the road. Time to break out the gym clothes, ladies…

“What you want to ideally do is live an active lifestyle in a way that you can do all around the world,” the New Balance spokesman told me at Access Hollywood‘s Golden Globes “Stuff You Must” gift lounge. “Eat sensibly and don’t be idle.”

But I wanted specifics, as, I’m sure, do you. So read on, LoveTrekkers – and learn from the best how you can stay in shape so you’re looking svelte and feeling good when you meet the perfect man on your travels!

• YOU DON’T NEED TO TREAT YOURSELF EVERY DAY OF YOUR VACAY. “Don’t indulge every day. Not even Italians indulge every day! Keep your snacking to a minimum.”
• PACK SNACKS BEFORE YOU GO ON THE ROAD. “Bring a snack for the two hours you’re sitting at the airport before you take off. If you remember to pack your bag and your passport, remember to pack a snack. It’s a much healthier option than what you’re going to find in any airport.”
• THE WORST AIRPORT FOR SNACKING IS….“JFK [John F. Kennedy in New York] is a real challenge. There’s a pretzel place, an ice cream place and a pizza place. You’re in trouble if you don’t bring a snack there.”
• IF YOU’RE STUCK EATING AIRPORT FOOD THE HEALTHIEST OPTION IS…MCDONALD’S?! “McDonald’s will do a salad with grilled chicken or a bag of sliced apples. Otherwise, look for stores that sell bags of dried fruits and nuts. It’s better than anything else you’ll find.”
• IN FLIGHT, EAT VEGETARIAN “The very nature of airplane food is so sapped of any freshness that, by the time you get it, it’s been cooked and sealed and cooked again and frozen again. I usually order a vegetarian dish or vegetable dish because it hasn’t been frozen yet.”
• THE HEALTHIEST COUNTRY AWARD GOES TO…“Japan is the healthiest country with the longest lifespan in the world. They’re the largest consumers of fish and soy and they don’t eat much meat; instead, they eat green, leafy vegetables. They believe five colors need to be present at every meal: white, red, yellow, dark purple or brown like eggplant and green.”
• BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THE BEST EXERCISE YOU CAN GET ON THE ROAD IS…“Walking! The World Health Organization says you should take 10,000 steps a day. The average person in Beijing takes 14,000 a day and in Houston, 2,200, so you see the difference in our respective countries. Walking first and foremost will burn more calories than running. Manhattan [New York City] is a great city to walk in.”

For an extra body-building boost, Harley advises you travel with the “Harley Bar”, his convertible 3-in-1 traveling workout bar. Yup, Jen, Katy and Gaga all have one — and just look at THEIR bodies!

Good luck, ladies. Here’s to looking good on the road!

Laura xo