Hyatt announced the opening of its StayFit@Hyatt 24/7 gyms, guests at properties across North America and the Caribbean are now able to access the gyms, which feature state-of-the-art Life Fitness® equipment, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  To celebrate the launch, celebrity fitness expert Gunnar Peterson will host Hyatt's "Escape the Rat Race" Stay Fit 24/7 Challenge and share tips on how business travelers can maintain their workout regimes while on the road. The challenge kicks off with a tag-team fitness obstacle course at New York's South Street Seaport.

"My clients are always traveling and have demanding schedules, so my goal is to offer fitness strategies they can employ no matter where they are or when they find time to exercise," says Gunnar Peterson, whose clientele includes Jennifer Lopez, Penelope Cruz, Ben Affleck and Debra Messing. "It's common for my clients to be working out late at night or before sunrise when on set, which is similar to what other business travelers encounter when traveling across time zones or after a long day of meetings.  That's why the convenience of 24/7 facilities like StayFit@Hyatt gyms are ideal."  

Gunnar Peterson is the expert when it comes to knowing the workout challenge woes that his clientele face while they're on the road for business and/or on the set.  In fact, nearly one-half of travelers polled by USA Today felt that they were in worse shape because

they lack the time or the means to exercise properly during travel.  However, it is possible to keep in shape while traveling with Gunnar's simple travel fitness tips:

Schedule Your "Fitness Meeting":

Maintain your wellness routines when on the road by planning ahead and scheduling workout times as you would a business meeting.  If it's in your PDA calendar, you'll be more inclined to find the time for the gym.  Be sure to plan ahead and ask about your hotel's fitness and dining offerings, and pack your exercise clothes. 

Find Your Rhythm:

Got jet lag?  Research has shown that exercise helps to reset circadian rhythms and is one behavior to help your internal clock get back in sync.  And when done earlier in the day, exercise can even help you sleep better at night. Taking melatonin a few days before your trip has been shown to be effective in overcoming jet lag, but ask your doctor before trying anything new.  Also, when crossing time zones, be careful with your caffeine intake.

The Time Zone Challenge: Business travelers' workouts often suffer from the impact of crossing different time zones as that can change their usual exercise schedules.  If you're not used to exercising early in the morning or late in the evening, try to stick as close to your normal exercise schedule as you can, even if it means reducing the intensity of the workout because you have to be able to meet your work commitments.  Also, the benefit of staying at a hotel with a 24-hour gym, like Hyatt's StayFit@Hyatt 24/7 gym, is that it allows you the flexibility of working out whenever you need to.

• If you're working out in the morning, try multi-joint exercises to wake up your body and your brain and to get the most done when the majority of people have less time. Multi-joint exercises include squats and dumbbell lunges followed by an upper body move, such as a dumbbell curl or lateral raise.
• Make sure you don't exercise too close to bedtime and also allow yourself time to eat post-workout so that your body has something to work with.

Take 30: Make a deal with yourself to go to the gym for at least 30 minutes.  Chances are, after 30 minutes, you'll feel better and stay longer…especially if you know you're exercising off that client dinner you just consumed.

• If you only have 30 minutes, try this mini-routine: start with the Life Fitness chest press, followed by the Life Fitness Leg Press, followed by crunches on a stability ball. Repeat that sequence three to five times. With your remaining time, do the elliptical cross-trainer. Two days later, invert the order and start with the elliptical cross-trainer, then move through your exercises.

Keep It Safe:

Another advantage of a 24-hour hotel gym is the safety and convenience when in an unfamiliar city.  Runners can log their miles indoors on the treadmill in a climate-controlled, secure environment, especially if you want to run in the dawn or dusk hours.  If you are more familiar with the neighborhood, but may need a little assistance, StayFit@Hyatt gyms provide GPS-tracking that not only monitors your heart rate, but also helps guides you back to the hotel to avoid getting lost. 

Exercise Experimentation:

If you don't have a gym membership at home, take advantage of your hotel gym facility and experiment with new routines that you would not get to do otherwise.  You may even adopt a new love for fitness!

• Try a machine that you may not have access to at home. This way both your muscles and your mind get something out of the new setting.

If You Can't Beat 'Em, Join 'Em:

Consider moving your business meeting into the gym!  There's a growing trend of business meetings at the gym, so why not kill two birds with one stone?  It's the healthier version of the business meal or cocktails. Hey, it's just an idea! 

Make sure you hydrate:

You're losing water while you read this! To get the most out of your workout and the most out of your business, I want you to think about keeping your tank on full. 

The "Escape the Rat Race" competition is modeled after obstacles business professionals can encounter while traveling. Each team will go through a series of travel fitness scenarios as they race against the clock to be crowned "the most fit business travelers." Scenarios include: sprinting through the airport when their departure gate has been changed, crunches to keep their waistline slim after an over-indulgent client dinner and climbing the stairs when the elevator is out and the meeting is on the tenth floor.  The winning participants will each receive a $1,000 Hyatt gift card, and all competitors will receive Samsonite black label Pro-DLX business essentials travel bags.

"At Hyatt, we understand the stress of business travel and the importance of upholding one's daily routine even when away from home," says Gordon Tareta, assistant vice president of spas for Hyatt Hotels & Resorts. "Now, with 24/7 StayFit@Hyatt gyms, no matter what time guests arrive at their hotel, they can still enjoy the great workout theyhave at home and have access to state-of-the-art Life Fitness equipment anytime, any day."

Survival of the Fittest - StayFit@Hyatt

Hyatt's new 24/7 gyms are an extension of the dynamic StayFit@Hyatt program launched in late-2005, which caters to fitness-conscious business and leisure travelers.  In addition to offering 24/7 gyms featuring the latest high-tech cardio and strength-training equipment from industry leader Life Fitness, regularly scheduled exercise programs, and knowledgeable support staff on-site, StayFit@Hyatt also offers guests in-room, on-demand yoga videos through an exclusive partnership with Yoga Away; a 24-hour-a-day, seven day-a-week StayFit concierge service that provides workout attire upon request in under an hour; and complimentary GPS forerunner armbands to help runners and walkers easily monitor their heart rate, course and distance as well as provide easy navigation back to the hotel.