Well+Good video producer Ella Dove (more commonly referred to as the office jet-setter) is constantly traveling around the country for video shoots, which has given her plenty of opportunity to master living out of a suitcase—while still keeping her wellness on point.
We picked her brain for her top travel tips (and they’re seriously genius)—from how to be the fastest person through the airport security line to her go-to travel uniform, which is actually calculated more strategically than thinking “what will be comfiest for a six-hour red-eye?” (though comfort definitely plays a role).
“Comfy pants that still look chic are essential,” she says (she loves traveling in Athleta Stellar Crop Pants). “My best friend’s mom works for an airline, and its true that the better you’re dressed, the more likely you are to get upgraded, be let into a lounge when you’re delayed, or squeezed onto a flight last minute.”
Because upgrades mean more leg room, and more leg room means more space for her favorite airplane stretching routine (yes, really). That’s what we call travel, hacked.
Scroll down for more of her wellness-infused travel tips—including what she always packs in her carry-on.
What she packs in her carry-on
One of Dove’s top pieces of advice is to keep your carry-on super organized, which is extra important when you pack as many wellness boosters in it as she does.
“I don’t waste space with a gazillion beauty products,” she says. “But I always pack chlorophyll (because it makes me feel great), activated charcoal (for when I don’t), probiotics, magnesium, and colloidal silver.”
Those supplements come in handy for creating her signature immunity tincture (for warding off airplane germs), which consists of water, chlorophyll, echinacea with goldenseal, grapefruit seed extract, and Kick-Ass Immune Activator. “I usually make it when I get to wherever I’m staying,” she says. “Or on the plane if I’m feeling extra Well+Good.”
“I don’t waste space with a gazillion beauty products.”
Also among her in-flight must-haves are noise canceling headphones, a TRTL pillow, a big scarf, two lacrosse balls, a book uploaded to her iPad, a notebook to jot down creative thoughts, almonds and her other favorite BYO snack: packets of oatmeal and chia seeds.
“You can get a cup of hot water in the airport or on the plane,” she says. “The oatmeal is filling, and much healthier than most in-flight snack options, and the chia seeds help you stay hydrated.”
How she stretches on the plane and maintains a workout routine on the road
Spending so much time on an airplane means less time to spend in the gym, so Dove has learned to get creative with her exercise routine.
On the plane, her (less embarrassing) swap for a full-on yoga flow mid-flight is using a lacrosse ball like a foam roller to stretch out areas prone to travel-induced tightness (like her legs, back, and feet). She rolls the ball over the tops of her thighs—or sits on it and moves the length of her leg across the ball—to stretch out the muscles and keep them from stiffening up.
“Where there’s a fitness studio, there is almost always a spot to grab a healthy meal nearby.”
After landing, she’s all about finding ways to get moving. “I often travel alone, but instead of ordering takeout at the end of a long day, I’ll get recommendations for local yoga studios or workout classes,” Dove says. “It’s a great way to gather intel for Well+Good, but also, a nice way to get a sense of the city. Plus, where there’s a fitness studio, there is almost always a spot to grab a healthy meal nearby.”
She’s also a huge advocate for walking, and often opts for traveling by foot over taking public transit or a car. “If I can walk (meaning I have the time and I’m not schlepping tomorrow’s shoot props) I do. The extra steps help me clear my head, appreciate wherever I am, and feel better physically if I missed a workout.”
How she avoids jet lag
Jet lag is the frequent flyer’s ultimate foe, but Dove has a few tricks for fighting it. “I once read that if you jump in water after a long flight it helps with jet lag, so if it’s an option, the first chance I get I’ll jump in the pool, the ocean, or a shower,” she says.
“When that’s not an option (and it usually isn’t) I drink a ton of water, and I try to avoid sleeping on planes unless it’s an overnight or super early flight. That way, bedtime wherever I land feels like bedtime. But really, no one can beat jet lag, it’s the real deal. Listen to your body, rest, walk, eat well, and stretch till you feel normal again.”
See her exact travel uniform below—and click on the hotspots to shop her picks.
$48
$65
$50
$130
$54
$158
$128
$98
In partnership with Athleta
Photos: Tim Gibson for Well+Good