Exercise on the Go: 6 Easy Ways to Stay Fit While on Your Trip

Looking for pointers on how to keep up with your typical exercise routine or daily workout habits? Staying focused on fitness while traveling is not always an easy task! Maintaining a physically active lifestyle while also trying to relax and enjoy a stress free trip, taste test the local food fare, and enjoy the local attractions can be a challenge. Here are a few fitness/exercise tips to help you get through that next trip with ease while ensuring that you’re incorporating some easy activity into your day to help you maintain that physique.

1. Take advantage of the hotel gym. Try and wake up a little extra early and make your way down to the hotel gym. Most hotels these days have some sort of gym with at least the basics so be sure to take full advantage of what they have to offer. Going early will likely help you avoid crowds and also ensures you have the whole rest of the day ahead of you for your plans and you can already feel accomplished that you got that workout in.

2. Do bodyweight exercises. Don’t have access to that gym, no problem! Your own body is one of the best exercise tools around. From squats, lunges, step ups, and jumping jacks, to push-ups (don’t forget incline and decline positions), dips, planks, and crunches; you can do a lot with the bare bones. Focusing on bodyweight exercises will really get those muscles working from head to toe and will also allow you to save room in your luggage so you can leave that exercise equipment behind at home.

3. Find local trails and parks. What better way to see the city or enjoy those scenic views. Walking or jogging trails and hiking are amazing ways to incorporate cardio into your day. Just be sure to stay hydrated and bring some water along for the trek. And if you don’t have any convenient trails or parks nearby, choose to walk places when able rather than paying for that uber ride. Biking through the city is another great option, especially as bike sharing programs are growing across most cities. When all else fails, take the stairs instead of jumping on the elevator. It’s an easy alternative that will help you burn those calories from that rather large lunch earlier and it really isolates those glutes too!

4. Mobile apps are a great way to stay in shape on the go! There are more apps than you can count but some of my favorites that I have used recently include:

· 6 pack promise – includes daily routines between 5 to 7 minutes of intense core workouts with emphasis on those abdominals and obliques. It incorporates 1 to 2 brief rest periods depending on the overall duration of the workout for that day and has great video demonstrations so you can master that technique. Most of the workouts do not require any additional equipment. Free for the basic routines.

· centr – a fantastic app developed and created by Chris Hemsworth and his health and fitness team. The app includes countless workouts of varying levels of intensity from beginner to advanced, healthy recipes and eating habits, and meditation exercises and strategies. This app is great for a whole body approach to fitness. This one does require you to sign up and is not free; however, does offer a variety of payment options and plans.

· peloton – Peloton is a great app because you don’t need the fancy bike or treadmill to sign up. The app offers multiple other workout options including cardio, core, and body weight exercise routines of varying difficulties, so there is truly something for everyone on this app. This one also costs you for your membership but it is well worth your time. Also includes live classes.

***And even if you can’t find the right app or don’t want to pay for a subscription, then just pull up a 15 or 30 minute youtube video and follow along with the instructor.

5. If you’re off to the beach or out enjoying the nearby lake why not spend a little extra time and swim off that cocktail from earlier or enjoy some water sports or activities such as paddle boarding or kayaking. Even if you aren’t near the beach or it’s too cold to be in the water outdoors maybe stop by the hotel pool after you get back from your daily adventures and do a few laps or get in a little water aerobics.

6. Make sure you pack the essentials. Pack that swimsuit especially if the hotel has a pool or you’re going to be anywhere near the water so you can take advantage of those water activities. If you have a jump rope at home pack that along with the rest of your stuff. A jump rope is light weight and takes up little to no space. Resistance tubing or bands are another great way of bringing the gym with you. These too are practically weight less and again take up little room in that luggage, plus you can use these for a variety of both lower body and upper body exercise routines. Another option I have seen but not used myself are prepackaged kits that come with exercises such as the AquaBell Travel Weights. These are a creative and innovative set of dumbbells that fit into your carry-on or briefcase. All you need to do is fill them with water once you reach your destination and you will magically have up to 16 pounds of resistance per dumbbell just like that!

When traveling, the key is to get creative and think outside the box. The secret to staying fit while traveling is always remembering the basics, and incorporating exercise into your daily travel activities. Plan workouts that are time and energy efficient but get the job done. Be sure that you packed some workout clothes and a good pair of shoes, especially if you plan on doing a lot of walking, hiking, or taking advantage of that free gym at the hotel. Remember to eat a well-balanced meal, stay hydrated, don’t forget breakfast, and try to get that sleep your body needs to recover. Nobody wants to add more stress to traveling but I hope that these ideas will help you enjoy that trip stress free while feeling accomplished and preventing you from getting “off track” from your normal workout routine.