You remember Jared from the Subway commercials of yore? Well, this year marks the 10th anniversary of Jared Fogle’s famously successful diet, which led him to lose 245 lbs by exercising and eating the sandwich chain’s subs.

While most people talk to Jared about his weight loss and success at keeping it off for a decade, we wanted to pick his brain about something a little different: travel. You see, in our minds, Jared is nothing short of a travel expert. Over the last decade, he has spent as many as 200 days a year traveling around the country, giving talks and sharing his story. And this year, he is commemorating his 10-year milestone by embarking upon a Tour de Pants (genius name on that, by the way). At the end of the multi-city journey, he’ll officially retire his 60-inch waist “fat pants.”

This week, Jared was kind enough to answer some of our burning questions.

Kayak: With Tour de Pants, work with the Jared Foundation and the launch of your plan to fight childhood obesity, you’ve been on the road a lot this year. For many frequent travelers, staying fit and healthy is especially difficult when they’re constantly flying, eating in airports and hotels, etc. How do you stay fit and healthy in the midst of so much traveling?

Jared: I try to prioritize, eating healthy. I eat in moderation, especially when I go out to restaurants. It’s important to not eat everything on your plate. I also prioritize by staying active, even if it’s just taking the stairs vs. an elevator. Every little bit counts. I, of course, still try and eat at Subway when it’s available to me as well.

Kayak: When you head out of town, what’s the one thing you’d never leave home without - besides the obvious (clothes, toiletries, etc.)?

Jared: My cell phone, since it’s my link the world. And, of course, my size 60 pants.

Kayak: On the Tour de Pants, how do the pants travel?

Jared: Usually they go in carry-on bag. It’s easy to replace my new clothes, but not the big pants, so I am far more careful with them. On my first trip to Australia, they had to ship them to me, which made us all a bit nervous. But they arrived safe and sound.

Kayak: This year has been a nightmare for air travelers - tons of “mishandled” luggage and flight delays. Have you experienced any of your own travel nightmares this year?

Jared: I have been traveling extensively for the last 8 or 9 years, and this year has been the worst! As a solution, I try to figure out a backup plan before I even leave for the airport.

Kayak: When you’re stuck in an airport on a layover, how do you fight off boredom and keep yourself entertained?

Jared: I try to become a member of the airline clubs so there’s a nice place for me to relax, get online and check email. Otherwise, I try and find a quiet corner where I can read or text and call my friends.

Kayak: In your opinion, is a Subway sandwich more or less intelligent than the average TSA agent?

Jared: I think TSA agents are intelligent, and I understand that they just have their hands tied on certain issues.

Kayak: Airports are notoriously difficult places to find healthy food. Can you give us any tips on how to eat right at the airport?

Jared: If you look hard enough, you can find healthy stuff. There are more Subways in airports these days, which is also nice. Since there is one at my hometown airport, I can eat there a lot. Almost every airport though these days, you can find a simple turkey sandwich, and the vending machines even have some good snack options - you can find pretzels and baked chips, which I think is great.

Kayak: If you could choose which city you’d visit next, where would you go and why?

Jared: Honolulu, HI. It’s paradise, still in the USA, and there’s tons of fun stuff to do there.

Kayak: In your hometown of Indianapolis, what spots should first-time visitors be sure not to miss?

Jared: Check out a a game at the Conseco Fieldhouse. It’s the best arena in the country to see a basketball game. And Broderville Village - there’s great nightlife, restaurants and boutiques there.

Kayak: Do you have a favorite airline, airport or hotel?

Jared: In general, I love the Four Seasons. Airports, Denver has a really nice airport with a lot of flights in and out. Airline? None of the above!

This entry was posted on Friday, April 25th, 2008 at 5:43 am and is filed under Interviews, Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.