Fran Cosgrave DJs around the globe with Futuristic PolarBears.
Whether he’s out in Brazil at Tomorrowland or smashing it up in Hong Kong, he’s always in incredible shape. He told JOE exactly how he does it in his own words…
We’re all travelling more than ever before these days – whether it’s for work, a holiday, or even an adventure.
You could say that I’ve been luckier than most, because I’ve actually managed to have the amazing privilege of travelling around the globe, not once, but twice – and you’d be 100% right.
The funny thing is, on my first go-round, it was party-central the whole way; drinking hard, partying hard, barely sleeping and eating badly with no thought to my health.
That was until I woke up one morning, bankrupt, five stone over weight, on antidepressants, jobless, on the dole and on the verge of becoming homeless – in short, the most miserable I had ever been in my life.
The second time around is a totally different experience because this time I’m doing it with my eyes wide open and you know what? It’s a million times better.
That moment we dropped Back To Earth at Creamfields 🔥 @FPBofficial pic.twitter.com/M5sBERxiiO
— Fran Cosgrave (@FRANCOSGRAVE) May 31, 2016
There’s no drinking, no partying, I’m eating well, training and exercising at every port, meditating and making sure that I get as much sleep as possible (even though in some cases that might mean only three hours, but hey, every little helps).
I’m soaking up the wonders of every country I have visited in the last two years: Hong Kong, China, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, India, Oman, Dubai, Russia, Kazakhstan, Brazil, America, Canada, Switzerland, Italy, Norway and Ibiza.
I am very fortunate to have an amazing job – one that allows me to travel the world for free and share my passion for music, while living a life that I always dreamed about when I was just a teenager – and getting paid in the process.
I DJ and perform to thousands of people all over the world most weeks and still manage to operate a successful life coaching service from my hotel rooms, catering for clients all over the world.
https://twitter.com/FRANCOSGRAVE/status/732991048629293058
Some clever person once told me that success isn’t about the end result, it’s about what you learn along the way. Wise words indeed, and so true because I’ve become quite expert at staying healthy, fit and energised – all while constantly travelling.
People are always asking me how I manage to stay so healthy on the road, so here’s where I share with you some simple, yet powerful practices which I’ve developed during my time on the road, that help me stay in peak physical and mental condition.
Sounds good, right? These are my top tips….
No airline food
When you are flying a lot, you’re exposed to aeroplane food and drinks more than most. Most people don’t stop to consider exactly what is in these extremely processed meals, but they’re full of salt and other additives to keep them fresh and make them tasty at 35,000 feet when our taste buds are not working as normal.
So limiting yourself to as little aeroplane food as you can be a major bonus. Try to get a healthy meal before the flight, or where possible, pack your own food. Even if you have to eat the aeroplane meal for whatever reason, just have the main meal, avoid the bread, cheese and cake or sweets that are sitting on the tray winking at you.
Also avoid drinking alcohol and coffee when flying; instead just drink water as this keeps you hydrated and helps you to keep your energy levels high. That way when you land you won’t feel wiped out.
Exercise on arrival
When you land, the first thing most people want to do is sleep, but I have found that when you get to your hotel or wherever you’re staying, it’s best to hit the gym for even 30 to 40 minutes.
Doing some physical exercise will massively minimise any jet lag or fatigue you may experience. I have in the past been travelling to, let’s say Hong Kong, which is an 18-20-hour trip, but the minute I get to the hotel I hit the gym for a workout and never have to deal with jet lag.
The other week I was playing at Tomorrowland in Brazil and had been travelling for 23 hours, I landed at 6.30am and got to the hotel at 8am, dropped my bags in my room and hit the gym, got breakfast, had a meeting, then went to the festival till 12 pm that night, without any kind of energy slump.
So no matter how tired you are, do some exercise, even if its only push-ups, sit ups or burpees – just get your metabolism firing and it will help you to feel amazing.
Cut out the booze
When you travel a lot, it makes sense to cut out as much alcohol as possible; this is quite easy for me now and I have only had a drink on three occasions in the last five years.
But if you’re someone who does like a drink, try to remember that it is a depressant and it will play havoc with your body’s natural systems.
The energy your body needs to regulate itself is massively depleted by the alcohol. Not only does it dehydrate you, but it can make you quite moody which is a bad combination when travelling.
Sometimes we can be on the road for four or five weeks at a time and if you’re not careful, it’s a prime time to put on weight from comfort eating and losing track of your daily habits.
Maintaining control of your actions is so important to creating success in all areas of your life. Most people, when they’re hungover, have no drive, so keep this in mind when you are going to have that extra glass of wine with your dinner, or that final drink at the hotel bar before bed – just have a water instead, you will feel much more energised the next morning.
Think about your diet
Eating in hotels and restaurants all the time can be like playing a game of chicken with a train. It’s all too easy to just eat what you want, starting with just a small treat and then another.
Before long, after a week or two on the road, you have been eating chips with every meal, smashing the bread bowl and having dessert.
The key to staying healthy on the road is to keep asking yourself what do I want to achieve? How do I want to feel?
I have experienced that dark side to eating and drinking anything I wanted and felt the pain of waking up one morning, feeling like holy shit how did I get so fat?
Eating well on the road may seem tricky, but it’s not. Avoid as much fried food as possible, ask for boiled or steamed options, get rice or sweet potato instead of chips, leave the bread and just say no to desert.
Drink water and get a serving of fruit wherever possible after dinner.
Mediate
Take time to meditate, or just sit in quietness for 15 to 30 minutes before you start your day or leave for your next flight.
Taking the time to calm your mind and relax can really help to ease any stress that you may be experiencing from work or fatigue.
Do some research about your destination
It can get a little boring eating in hotels or in your hotel room, so where possible get on-line and check out what organic or fresh food eateries are close to your hotel.
Last time I was in Amsterdam, the party city, I found an incredible organic cafe around the corner from my hotel.
The food was absolutely outstanding and the fresh organic smoothies were out of this world. While my travelling companions had burgers and beer for dinner, I had organic carrot wraps and green smoothies. I also found a great gym around the corner from the hotel, where I trained both mornings. While everyone else got Amsterdamaged, I left feeling even better than when I had arrived.
Scope out the local gym
When I was younger, my mates used to laugh at me because they just couldn’t get their heads around me joining a gym while on a lads’ holiday.
I was only 18 at that point but now, 20 years later, I’m feeling fitter than I was then. The world has changed and now I believe that being healthy is the only way forward; even if you do enjoy a good night out, looking after your body and making sure that you understand the effects of what you put into it has never been more important.
First goal of 2016 achieved
Start the 38th year of my life ripped #focus #determination #passion #38yearsyoung 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/cnVQZcs3x8— Fran Cosgrave (@FRANCOSGRAVE) January 3, 2016
Explore
Whenever possible, stick your head out the door of your hotel, walk five minutes in either direction and see what is on offer or make it a point to have a quick look online before leaving.
I love this, as it’s an adventure all of its own and it allows me to feel like I experienced some of the local vibes (albeit somewhat briefly).
Keep Calm and Carry On
We all know that air travel can be a bit wearing, especially when things aren’t going according to schedule, so it’s very important to learn how to manage the potential stressors.
Okay, so you’ve just been informed that your flight has been delayed and you can feel the agitation start to rise; what if you miss your connecting flight, or end up being late for an important meeting?
This is when you need to take a step back and put it all in perspective. Learn to take these surprises in your stride because when it’s beyond your control anyway, what’s the point in giving it any energy?
It’s been my experience that when these unexpected events occur, that there’s always another way of looking at it. You wouldn’t believe how often a delayed flight has led to me make the acquaintance of someone who goes on to be a new client and all because of a late flight.
So, start looking at this type of situation with new eyes, learn to laugh a little more and take a few deep breaths, because you simply don’t know what’s just around the corner.
Use your travel time constructively
I always have a book, or two on the go, so when I am sitting around in airports, or stuck in traffic pile-ups, I am still learning and growing. Using your time productively can make a massive difference to your energy levels and your future, if you’re growing and expanding your knowledge. Get some great books and audio programmes that can replace the habit of just sitting on your phone, staring at Facebook or Twitter for hours.
