Now that summer is near, you’re probably eager to break out the running shoes and get back into your fitness routine. But along with summer comes vacations and lengthy trips that can often interrupt fitness progress, or completely reverse it. Here are a few tips for staying fit on vacation, without compromising on fun.
- Lifting Weights
It’s best to get weight lifting out of the way first since it’s by far the hardest form of exercise to do outside of your home or gym. While athletic weight lifting is out of the question on your cruises from Tampa, you’ll have more options while traveling in your own vehicle. A pair of dumbbells or just one heavy kettlebell can provide a variety of tough, muscle-building workouts on the road.
If you’re unable to bring some weights with you because you’re boarding a flight or a cruise, you can increase resistance by slowing down your reps, using a single leg or arm for various exercises, or carrying a heavy backpack on your back during your workout. Depending on your level of strength, you can even fill a few water bottles and get a burn that way. - Cardio
Let’s face it, people whose workouts are primarily cardio will have way more options while on vacation. Everything from walking on the beach to snorkeling counts as a workout, and lets you have fun while you’re at it. A great way to stay active and get your heart rate up is by signing up for classes like surfing or golfing. Get your family out of the beach house by going on bike rides, playing beach volleyball, or hiking. Even touring museums can help you get in a few miles. And if you’re trapped in a hotel room, you can do some jumping jacks or walk in place to get the ants out of your pants. - Nutrition
One of the best parts of traveling is getting to sample new food and drinks, so it’s not realistic to limit yourself to a strict diet while on vacation. But there are some ways to maintain habits you’ve worked hard to create, while still living the vacation lifestyle. If you’re staying in a hotel room, it can be tough to know what your meals will be and plan ahead, so it’s best to take a relaxed approach and just plan to have healthy snacks on hand and drink plenty of water.
Staying in a beach house, however, means you can buy groceries and plan to have a few more balanced meals to break up the fish tacos and margaritas. Try to eat fiber-rich fruits and vegetables with every meal to stay satisfied and keep your digestion on track. Even if you’re ditching your meal plan during vacation, you can avoid feeling overly bloated and uncomfortable just by adding in some nutritious side dishes and staying hydrated. You’ll be surprised by how much more energy you have for all those beach activities. - Why Bother?
Some people prefer to just relax and go with the flow during vacation, which is absolutely a valid approach. After all, even if you eat fried food every day for a week, there are 358 other days in the year to eat a balanced diet. But staying on track with your goals, especially at the beginning of your fitness journey, can prevent you from totally ditching the positive changes that you made. It can be discouraging to come back from a trip and find that your endurance has decreased, or struggle to get back to your old eating habits.
If you’re proud of the progress you’ve made and want to take time on your vacation to maintain it, you should feel empowered to do so. Use these tips to get comfortable and creative working out on the road. Just make sure you’re having fun and let your body do the rest.