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With the busy Holiday travel season and New Year’s resolution time around the corner, I thought it was a perfect time of year to look at the challenges of keeping up the fitness routine while traveling. Sticking to a fitness regimen is hard enough when you are at home, add thousands of frequent flier miles and it gets that much harder. We have all been there: You arrive to your hotel late at night, eat at the hotel bar, spend the whole next day working with unhealthy snacks mixed throughout, only to conclude the trip with airport Chinese food en route to home. Yikes…this is a recipe for disaster for any person trying to get in shape, or keep up with their regular routine.

A recent Wall Street Journal  article asked “The Biggest Loser” trainer, Jillian Michaels, how she maintains her healthy lifestyle when she is on the go more weeks than not. Jillian travels with fitness DVDs that she can easily pop into her laptop for a quick workout wherever she is. When ordering out while traveling, she recommends being even more strict than usual since you are probably not getting your allotted amount of cardio for the day. That means grilled chicken and fish with brown rice or veggies, people.

For extended stay trips, she recommends heading to the local grocery store and stocking up on fruits and veggies. A genius tip I had never thought of is calling ahead and asking the hotel to clear out the mini bar for you. Goodbye M&M’s, hello carrots and apples! As for working out, bring your running shoes and you can take a brisk walk or run in whatever city you are in. If you prefer the gym, the hotel concierge should be able to recommend day passes at local gyms, or make it a priority that you stay at a gym with a health club.

While that cheesy pretzel at LaGuardia might be tempting before you hop on the plane, think of that warm weather destination you will be escaping to for a much needed vaca later this winter. While wearing sweaters and puffy coats makes it easy to forget about the waistline, thoughts of Mexico, Miami and L.A.  in February should keep you on track. In the meantime, follow some of Jillian’s expert advice and safe travels!

Anyone who has seen the movie “The Holiday” with Cameron Diaz, Jack Black, Jude Law and Kate Winslet knows how the home-exchange works. Upon experiencing small personal trauma you look online for attractive place to escape current problems. Next, you stumble upon person (who happens to have extremely attractive, single brother) in the exact same situation as you and make the switch. The results: save money on travel accommodations, immerse yourself in local culture and fall madly in love with said attractive single brother.

All joking aside, home exchanges are a growing trend in the travel world. To many people the thought of swapping houses for a week with total strangers is absolutely terrifying. To others, it is no different than renting out a second home during peak travel times, or even staying at a bed and breakfast. During this time of economic uncertainty, it is especially attractive to people looking to still travel and experience the world, but now on a tighter budget. With airfares at record lows, and then adding in free house swap, one could come up with a very economical vacation package.

What do you think about this? Are you willing to give up your bed for a free week in Maui? I suppose the only kicker is that you have to live in a location that people want to come visit, equally as much as you wanting to visit their place. For example, my family in Omaha, Neb. might not be able to switch with someone in Maui…but I guess you never know, you could always be on the better end of the deal! Do I sense a Wife-Swap-esq reality show in the works?!

If this is something that interests you check out the full article that appeared last month in the Wall Street Journal for popular Web sites and other tips and tricks. While you may not fall in love with a Jude Law lookalike, or hang out with the funny Jack Black neighbor all week, you will have an insider’s look into the culture of a destination, without giving up all the things you love about home.

It was the week of the much anticipated 2016 Olympics announcement. Obama, Oprah, President Lula da Silva of Brazil, Pele and all of the other greats gathered in Copenhagen to make their final pitch, and await the decision. Given the stakes, it was no surprise that Cophenhagen – even if just for 48 hours – was the celebrity capital of the world .

It was also no surprise that the odds makers had Rio (the first South American country to come close to hosting the Olympics) and Chicago (ironically the Second City) as favorites.

And again it was no surprise that the front page of every major newspaper in the world had images of Obama on his way to Copenhagen, Oprah in full media-mogul sell mode and the beautiful beaches of Brazil as the primary backdrop for the country.

But for all the lack of surprises, there was one thing that shocked us all … when in the first round Chicago was eliminated. Gasps filled the crowds watching in Chicago (yes, I actually believe there was an audible city-wide gasp). Due South from Chicago some 5,000 miles cheers filled the crowds in Rio with their impending victory. Copacabana Beach was decked out in the colors of Brazil with crowds comparable to their famous Carnival, or their legendary New Year’s Eve celebrations.

What’s followed since is endless analysis of what went wrong. That’s not the point of this post. As fans, we are excited to watch along with the rest of world in 2016. As believers in the Olympic spirit we recognize the importance of grace in the face of defeat. And as Chicagoans, we are so proud of the efforts and commitment so many people in this great city have made over the last several years – to even get this far is truly remarkable. Our thanks cannot be conveyed in a blog post, but it’s a start.

So folks its caipirinhas, samba dancing, Havianas and thousands of miles of coastline for 2016. We here at Ogilvy PR know Brazil well – we’ve worked with their tourism department for years. If 2016 is your first time visiting, get ready for the lush landscape of green mountains mixed with white sand and blue seas. Get ready to meet people who graciously welcome you to their country, their restaurants and their stores. Most importantly, get ready to drink a real caipirinha on the beach, or induldge in a pão de queijo for breakfast. I have been fortunate enough to experience all of the above and am currently whistling to the tune of “The Girl from Ipanema.”

Congratulations Cariocas!

It’s that time of year again. Fantasy football teams are finalized, college football TV packages are purchased, predictions are cast and baseball is a sport of the past. Fall is here and so is football.

All summer we have heard about the latest and greatest trend of staycations and roadtripping. Why not carry this trend into the fall? A recent Wall Street Journal article suggests getting off the couch and heading back to college, don’t get too excited though, it’s only for the weekend…

I have to agree with this article in stating that no one is too old to enjoy the traditional fall football game and tailgating festivities at their alma mater, or any college in proximity to home. Regardless of whether you are a die hard fan of the team or not, partaking in this quintessential college experience for the 1^st or 100^th time is always worth it. Check out the full article here to read about five college football roadtrips in each major region of the country. You now have no excuse not to go.

Make it a college visit for your kid, a reunion with your friends, or an excuse to get out of Dodge. Whatever the reason, put on your hoodie, grab a koozie and become 18 again (remember, just for the weekend…).

“We’re ten hours from the fun park and you want to bail out. Well I’ll tell you something. This is no longer a vacation. It’s a quest. It’s a quest for fun. I’m gonna have fun and you’re gonna have fun. We’re all gonna have so much fun we’ll need plastic surgery to remove our smiles. You’ll be whistling ‘Zip-A-Dee Doo-Dah’…” You probably know how the rest of this quote goes and recognize a few missing expletives from the above…

Sound familiar? Sound like a summer vacation in your family? I recently went on a vacation with not only my immediate family, but 15 other members of the clan as well. The stories from the trip are legendary, and the laughs endless. As much as would love to share the hysterics of the Knowles Family Reunion with you, I will keep it to myself to protect the privacy of my family, and ensure we get back the deposit from the rental house/car and are welcome back to Kiawah Island next year….:)

While every family might not be as amusing as the Griswolds (or mine), we all can appreciate the American pastime of the family summer vacation. With staycations and free entrance fees at National Parks (even President Obama is a fan) the new rage, family vacations are back in style. The “Today Show” did an entire series on “Hitting the Road” inspiring families across the country, while SmarterTravel.com recently cited family vacations, road trips and classic destinations among the top travel trends of the summer.

So what makes a family vacation fun, and what makes it horrible enough to make it the LAST? Is it the people? The wood-paneled station wagon, or a flight to an all-inclusive resort? Is it the alone time with that one relative that never stops talking, the car breaking down, or the tears in the waiting line? Who knows? Just as the late John Hughes showed us in his numerous movies documenting family dynamics on the road; it is a compilation of the good, the bad and the ugly; all three combining to make it truly unforgettable.

I hope you all have the chance to make that family summer vacation this year, whether its to the  local amusement park or Hawaii, make it happen. Make it a quest for fun, just like the Griswold family did…

“The Brazilian Film Festival is an important tool to promote the Brazilian tourism destinations abroad, as it brings about a different view of the complexity of our country, increasing the enthusiasm for getting to know and explore the diversity of Brazil.”- Luiz Barretto, Minster of Tourism in Brazil

I recently had the opportunity to attend the 13^th Annual Brazilian Film Festival in Miami (Disclosure Ogilvy client). While I have been lucky enough to visit Brazil once before, taking a cinematic journey back to Brazil last week at the Festival was a welcomed activity. Just as the Minister mentions in his quote above watching foreign films gives viewers a glimpse not only into the natural landscape of the country, but the culture and customs. While the beauty of the foreign language is often lost in subtitles, the expression and emotion is still very evident to all watching.

Two of my favorite films while attending the Festival were the documentary, “Smoking I Wait” and the feature film “The Little Cowboy.” “Smoking I Wait” was written and directed by one of the founders of Inffinito, the creators of the Brazilian Film Festival. Adriana Dutra takes the audience through her struggle to quit smoking. Throughout this journey she exposes the perils of addiction through personal interviews as well as the complex history of the tobacco industry both in Brazil and the U.S. “The Little Cowboy” is set in the 1950’s countryside of Sao Paulo. This particular film reminded me of a farm we visited outside Curitiba on my trip to Brazil. The film depicts the lifestyle of “gauchos” (traditional Brazilian cowboys) their hard work, determination and simple nature is evident throughout the film.

Both of these films left me with the same conclusions I had while after visiting Brazil. This country possesses one of the most beautiful and diverse natural landscapes I have ever seen and the people exude a warmth and passion you just don’t find everywhere.

It seems what the Minister said is true, watching a foreign film does allow you to experience the gems of another country whether you are in Miami or Minnesota. Although, I have to admit I would take visiting Brazil over watching the movie any day.