How to Keep Your Fitness Routine on Track While Traveling

Travel enriches our lives in many ways, but one way in which it can sometimes cause problems is when it gets in the way of your commitment to leading a healthy lifestyle. Eating amazing new foods, sampling the local beverages, and letting loose are some of the best things about traveling. However, it isn’t always the best feeling when you arrive home and feel like you have a ton of work to do to feel normal again.

Even while exploring new destinations, you can maintain your fitness regimen and keep up with your health goals with the right strategies. There is no need to put a pause on your fitness routine, you can keep it going on your holiday. This article outlines practical ways to ensure your workout routine doesn’t take a vacation when you do.

Pre-Plan Your Workouts

Start by outlining a workout plan before you set off. Consider your itinerary and identify gaps that can be dedicated to exercise … but one area you don’t want to create more work is toting your luggage. It might be tempting to see carrying your bag as a form of workout, but it creates more stress than anything else. If you’re spending a weekend in Oxford, for instance, check out the options for left luggage Oxford offers.

Look up local parks, trails, or tracks where you could run or walk. Having a game plan in place can ensure that, despite a busy travel schedule, you prioritize and make time for your workouts. You can also shortlist hotels that have a gym built inside their property or maybe one at walking distance from the gym.

Pack Portable Fitness Equipment

Resistance bands, jump ropes, or even travel-sized yoga mats can be highly useful in more ways than just your workout. Even if you find a few moments in the airport lounge, in your hotel room, or even in a local park, you’ll be equipped to break a sweat. This simple strategy can keep your fitness routine on track even when you’re miles away from your home gym.

Bands can come in handy as they are light and do not take up much space in your luggage. The same goes for skipping ropes. If packing fitness equipment outright isn’t an option, look for smart alternatives like bringing an extra reusable water bottle, so you can fill two up and use them as dumbbells, for instance.

Opt for Active Transit

One simple way to maintain your fitness routine while traveling is to choose active modes of transportation whenever feasible. Walk to nearby destinations, rent a bicycle to explore the city, or use the stairs instead of elevators. You will enjoy every nook and corner of the city on your bicycle, along with the added health benefit.

These small increments of physical activity add up and keep you moving throughout the day. Active transit can be a more engaging and immersive way to explore a new place.

Take Advantage of Hotel Amenities

Many hotels and resorts offer fitness facilities like gyms, swimming pools, or even fitness classes. Take full advantage of these amenities to maintain your workout routine. If you’re booking your accommodation, consider prioritizing places that offer such facilities.

Use Fitness Apps

Fitness apps can be game-changers in keeping your workout regimen on track while traveling. They serve as portable personal trainers, providing a plethora of workout routines that cater to your specific needs and circumstances.

The below picture depicts the growing trend of using fitness Apps from 2017 to 2021 and the estimated increase in the next six years. This only substantiates our point that these apps come in handy when we need to track our health journey irrespective of our location.

Along with using fitness apps that design workouts for you in the palm of your hand, if you’re traveling locally, you can use your gym membership app to find local gyms that you might also have access to. Alternatively, you can use an app to identify other locations for working out, like health clubs or public access running tracks.

Incorporate Exercise Into Sightseeing

Get out and enjoy the picturesque skyline and historic monuments, and turn your sightseeing into opportunities for exercise. Rather than taking a bus tour, consider exploring the city by bike. If there’s a beautiful viewpoint or monument at a distance, make the journey on foot instead of opting for public transport.

Even activities like swimming at the beach or spending a day walking through a museum count towards physical activity. This way, you not only keep up with your exercise regime, but also get to experience your destination in full.

Maintain a Balanced Diet

A balanced diet plays a vital role to keep your fitness routine on track. While, of course, you want to try as much of the local cuisine as possible, making a few healthy swaps throughout your trip or forgoing a rich, indulgent lunch for a lighter option can be a great way to indulge while also sticking with your goals. Keep protein bars and snacks with you to avoid munching on preserved foods.

Stay hydrated and moderate your intake of alcohol. Excess of everything is bad. Keep your alcohol consumption to a limit, instead go for freshly pulped juice. The key is to strike a balance, ensuring your body receives the nutrients it needs to keep you energized and fit.

Takeaway

Maintaining a fitness routine while traveling can be challenging, but with a bit of planning and creativity, it’s achievable. There are various travel bloggers who post on how to stay healthy even while traveling such as Nomadic Matt, Nerd Fitness, Fitness on Toast, and many more to help you to balance out travel and fitness.

Staying active and healthy during your travels not only helps you meet your fitness goals but also enhances your overall travel experience, letting you explore new places with vitality and vigor.