How to Exercise While Traveling

Whether you’re a business traveler who’s constantly flying or you plan on vacationing with your family over the holidays, you can still maintain a fitness routine. You don’t need even access to gym equipment, workout clothes, and regular routine, it just requires a little more preparation and creativity to make it happen.  It is possible to stay on track with your workouts and even make improvements while on the road! Read on for the best tips to stay fit.

Before you do anything else, you have to PRIORITIZE exercise while on vacation. Determine when you will work out BEFORE you leave by taking stock of your daily schedule. If you’re taking a business trip, glance at your itinerary and determine when you’ll be able to fit in your workouts ahead of time. If it’s a trip for fun, tell your friends or family that you plan on getting in a few workouts during your stay.  (Try inviting them to join!) It will let them know your plans and help keep you accountable.

Set yourself up for fitness success by packing strategically.  Check out the destination so you know what kind of weather you’re facing.  If it’s going to be cold, bring an extra beanie and gloves for that morning run;  hot, make sure you brought your lightweight workout clothes. And don’t forget your sneakers.  When you plan for the type of workout and weather ahead you’ll be set up for success once you arrive!  No excuses!

Don’t take off your FitBit when you hit the road and you’re more likely to notice if you haven’t gotten your 10,000 steps in! Wearing a fitness tracker on your vacation will act as a reminder to get moving if you’ve been too sedentary, and is a great way to see how many steps you’ve taken when exploring a new city!

One of the benefits of visiting a different city is exploring, especially—fitness classes!  Before you leave, check out fitness classes near your hotel—try a Crossfit, SoulCycle or a different type of yoga class—whatever it is, it will feel good to mix it up and explore what other cities have to offer.  It’s also a great way to meet new people and try new workouts. You can also call ahead to your hotel to see what the gym accommodations are within the hotel.

If you are pressed for time on your vacation, you don’t even need to leave your room to get sweaty these days. With workout streaming services, like YouTube and more, you can stream your favorite workouts—whether it’s tabata, strength training, kickboxing, HIIT-workouts, or yoga—in the comfort of your own room. There are plenty of bodyweight-only workouts that don’t require any equipment.  Internet not working? There’s always good ol’ fashioned pushups, situps and squats to get you moving!

Never go more than 2 days without working out.  Why? 1 day becomes 2; 2 becomes 4, and next thing you know then entire trip is over and you did not get a single workout in!  Try to never go more than 2 days in a row without working out. This rule keeps you accountable even when you’re on the go, so you don’t let your workout plan lag and find it harder to get back into the swing of things after a lapse.

Traveling is a great time to get outside and explore the new environment via foot or bike.  Rather than driving around everywhere, try walking. You’ll be surprised how much more fun things you find.  Another great idea is to rent bicycles and bike around. The fresh air will also help prevent jet lag.

You don’t have to sacrifice your fitness routine just because you’re traveling; in fact, you can factor in healthy choices every day of your vacation—from what you eat, to your workouts.