Travelling this holiday season?
Plan ahead to fit in time for fitness with a goal of happily maintaining, rather than stressing about restraining.
Perhaps one of the biggest obstacles to an exercise routine is travel. Whether you’re often on the road for work, planning a vacation, or taking a trip back home to visit family – the idea of fitting in time to workout can be a daunting one. Hope is not lost! There are many strategies you can use to keep yourself on track, even away from home.
What exercise options are available?
Your first task is to investigate what exercise options are available to you at your travel destination. Is there a gym in the hotel or nearby? Are there running paths or hiking trails? You need to know what the situation is ahead of time in order to make a plan that will work.
If there seems to be nothing available for you, then bring options with you. Resistance bands are your best option in this case. You can work your entire body with one or two of these lightweight, travel friendly, elastic bands with handles.  Check out the site Resistance Band Workout for exercise ideas specific to every muscle group.
Other great options include bodyweight exercises (think: pushups, dips, burpees, planks…) and some cardio moves you can do in a very small space like your hotel room (think: jumping jacks, skipping rope…). If you already work with a Personal Trainer, ask him or her to give you a travel program to do while you’re away. Or, search online to find exercise options. One of our favorite sites is CanadianLivingDotCom where you can follow BootCamp videos starring our very own, Mo Hagan!
Use your itinerary to your advantage
Even if you have a tight work schedule, schedule in a short exercise period every day. Doing so will keep you motivated to maintain your fitness levels while away. Maintenance while travelling will keep you on track with weight loss, de-stressed, full of energy and productive. If you know your itinerary before leaving, use it to your advantage.
- If you have a long day in airports: plan to walk the corridors to get your heart pumping.
- If you’re travelling for work: incorporate early morning workouts before meetings start in your hotel room or at a local fitness club (many offer short-term trial passes).
- If you’re sightseeing on vacation: walk as much as you can in between each of your destinations rather than renting a car.
- If you’re going on a family vacation: add active items to the day’s itinerary (like a walking tour of the city, trying a new adventure sport, or playing at a local playground) or arrange for 45 minutes a day of personal time so you can do a quick workout.
Building activity into your travel plans will allow you to reap all the benefits of exercise while you’re away, leading to a more enjoyable trip without the guilt.
GoodLife Wants to Know: How do you fit in fitness on the road?
Let us know by commenting below.
Using your own body weight, you can get your heart rate up wherever you go! All you need is a small amount of space on the floor. When I travel, I like to bring a skipping rope. I create a circuit that hits all my major muscle groups and will skip for one minute between circuits. I perform the circuit three or four times and it only takes about 20 minutes, but I feel so much better after having done it. I also try to walk most places when I’m travelling, rather than taking the bus or subway. If this isn’t possible, I try to set aside time for a quick walk. Lastly — don’t underestimate the importance of watching what you eat while you’re travelling! Most people use vacations as an excuse to overindulge — it’s hard not to! But you can treat yourself without going overboard. Best of luck to all you travellers this holiday season!
So true – thanks for providing these excellent additions, Lindsay!