I rarely travel with my children, but when I do, I’m often left looking for something for them to “do,” an activity to allow them to get moving and be active, a way to enjoy some exercise and fitness and avoiding sitting in the room watching cruddy television. When I travel, I always find the gym and take advantage of all the activities, so why shouldn’t my kids have the same options?

If I was lucky enough to be able to stay at Trump Towers New York, I think I’d be one of the first to take advantage of their newest exercise program geared toward kids ages six and up. After all, getting kids moving should be a primary focus for all of us, for creating good habits that will last a life time.

On par with unruly behavior or carrying a potential terrorist weapon, we can now add being too overweight as one of the possible reasons for getting booted off of an airplane.

Just this past Saturday, director Kevin Smith was asked to de-board a Southwest flight from Oakland to Burbank, California because, ahem, his bum was encroaching on the seats of his neighboring passengers, which according to Southwest Airlines regulations, posed a safety hazard to his fellow passengers.

Southwest said in an official statement that his removal was for the “safety and comfort of all customers.” The airlines also extended their “heartfelt apologies” to Smith.

To protect against foreign bacteria that can cause traveler’s diarrhea, the doctor suggested that while I recently traveled in Africa, I drink mainly soda. (Beer was also approved, but it is not something I drink. Water was only OK if I personally broke the seal on the bottle, which cannot be guaranteed at restaurants with wait-staff.) I had given up soda, but figured this might be the only health reason to drink soda. I was a bit concerned that I might start craving it or have difficulty turning it down again once I returned to American soil.

It felt odd to order Fanta at the first restaurant. My reaction to soda was not a thrill of return or a desire for more. It felt sugary and heavy. After just a day, I was experiencing nausea, bloating, and low energy. I felt unhealthy. What I was craving was a shower and 64 ounces of water!

Travel is integral to my life. I start to relax when I walk in the airport and immediately relax when I board a plane. As a therapist, though, I know that more than 35% of the population experiences at least some anxiety about flying.

Calm your mind by practicing mindfulness and meditation. Visualize a soothing environment, perhaps your destination, imagine and experience it using all of your senses. After returning from a trip to Bermuda several years ago, I started using this picture to help clients practice visualization. What do you see? (The blue of the ocean and sea rocks.) What do you hear? (The waves crashing, the cars passing above.) What do you smell? (Salt water and sunscreen). What do you feel? (The warmth of the sun, the sharp rocks, the firm sand, sunglasses on my nose.) What do you taste? (Fruit juice.) Choose a setting that is calming for you and immerse yourself in it using your imagination.

Is your wallet weighing you down? Maybe I’m a bit zealous about finding the silver lining, but I’ve even turned losing my wallet while traveling into a life lesson. Without access to more than $6 cash until Monday morning, my diet changed. Although I was with dear friends who were more than happy to feed me, I became more aware of what was actually necessary. I might have ordered something when we stopped at a restaurant between activities, but I realized that I wasn’t hungry enough to really need anything. I listened to rationality more than impulses.