Traveling and maintaining a fitness plan can be difficult. Regardless of the reason for travel, business or pleasure, our normal routines get completely thrown out the window when we travel.
Maintaining an exercise plan while away from home can help you stay motivated, relieve stress, and help you continue your path to a fit and healthy lifestyle.
Plan ahead with these tips to ensure you stay fit while away from home.
Check out what resources the hotel has available.
Many hotels have fitness centers: some are very small with basic equipment to help you get a decent workout. Some bigger chain hotels, boutique hotels, and resorts have extensive gym facilities or arrangements with a gym for guests to drop in.
Change up your usual workout with a hop in the hotel pool. Swimming laps, treading water, deep water running or underwater jumping jacks are all great ways to get your heart rate up while working your muscles.
Take advantage of the stairs. I personally am not a huge fan of the smaller (and usually old and depressing) fitness centers found in many hotels, so I take my workout to the stairs. Alternating laps of one stair versus two stairs at a time with push-ups on the landings is my workout of choice when traveling. It doesn’t matter how many stories your hotel is: if it’s a smaller building of two or three stories plan to go up and down several times. A larger building could mean only one lap or half a lap depending on the how many levels (try not to cheat and take the elevator back down).
If the hotel is very limited in amenities and you can’t picture yourself loving the stairs like I do, plan a in-room workout using your body weight for resistance. Between push-ups, squats, lunges, jumping jacks, and burpees, you can build yourself a great workout without stepping out of your hotel room.
Prior to leaving for your trip, check the hotels’ website to see what amenities they have and plan a workout or two with these options in mind.
Explore your surroundings
Whether it be hiking to check out the sights, finding a pathway for a jog or even a fast paced walk as you check out a popular street or park, combine exploration with your exercise. When my family goes on vacation, we always plan a few tourist-type excursions where I know my feet and legs will be put to the test. If you are moving and your heart rate is elevated it is considered a workout even if the plan is to just do some sightseeing.
Don’t forget to pack a good pair of runners or walking shoes!
Make a plan for your travel fitness ahead of time and be prepared to be flexible with your plan. At the end of the day it doesn’t matter what you decide on, what resources or methods you use. The key to staying fit is keeping active.
