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Are you worried about not being able to stay in shape during your vacation? Working out when you are out and about in your travels is possible. Yes, even without hitting the gym and even without using some weights.
Whether you’re traveling for business or going on vacation for leisure, your workout routines do not have to stop. After all, if there’s a will, there’s a way. Right? You can still maintain your shape, be fit, and show up consistently on your workouts with these following tips:
Trade the Weights with Bodyweight Exercises
Weights and other gym equipment may not be accessible for you at the moment. That doesn’t mean you give up right there. You can try bodyweight exercises instead. These will not require any equipment to do them.
You can also get creative by using the things that are already around you. Use doors or walls for your back exercises and chairs for your single-leg hip thrusts.
Some of the various bodyweight exercises you can try are:
- Sit-ups
- Reverse or bicycle crunches
- Push-ups
- Squats
- Lunges
- Side-leg raises
- Elbow plank
- Alternating arm and leg plank
Pack with the Intention of Working Out
You must pack for your travels with the intention of exercising at the back of your mind. You must make space for your tennis shoes in your suitcase. Additionally, you can strategically plan your workout clothes by checking out sites like The Better Fit to get more ideas on what to wear for your workouts.
If you are traveling for a longer time and are serious about getting fit, there are also some alternative ways that you can pack some of your workout equipment during your vacation. An example is packing your adjustable dumbbells if you feel like weights are still a vital part of your routine. Be aware of the extra weight this will add to your overall luggage, though!
Get a Fitness Tracker or a Fitness App
There’s no excuse not to stay in shape when you are on vacation. There are countless fitness trackers or apps out there. Use them to easily keep track of your movements.
Wearing your FitBit or fitness tracker will help you know if you’ve hit your goal of 10000 steps throughout the day. You can use it to stay motivated. Use it when you can’t fully commit to your workout routines like you do when you’re back at home.
Do Simple Workouts in Your Hotel Room
Download some fitness apps. Stream videos or exercises that you can do when you’re in your hotel room or any other type of accommodation for that matter.
Some of the common types of workouts you can try and stream online are cardio exercises, HIIT workouts, bodyweight or strength training, and yoga. Most of these do not demand equipment. There’s no excuse not to do them.
Opt for Suitcases Instead of Luggage
It has become a norm to pack your things in one piece of luggage with rollers when you’ll be leaving for your travels. Try to use two smaller suitcases instead.
This simple action is technically not an official part of your travel workout routine. It does help, however, in working your arm muscles. You can carry the load and balance the weight of the suitcases.
Look for Fitness Classes in the Area
If you have more extra time during your vacation and you are serious about doing your workouts, why not try searching for fitness classes around the area where you’re staying? There will mostly be places where you can go to attend classes for workouts, Zumba, pilates, and yoga.
This is not just a great way to do exercises when you are traveling. It may also be a fun way to meet new friends and explore the city you are in.
Inconvenience Yourself
It may not be a lot to ask but some people would rather get to their destinations faster and more easily by taking the transportation, booking a taxi, or renting a car. However, we recommend you choose to inconvenience yourself a little by opting to walk instead of riding in a vehicle.
You may simply take a detour and walk a little longer than you regularly do. Or, skip the train in case you are not hurrying to get to the place of your destination. This is a simple trick to move and exercise your body so you can easily incorporate it into your travel itineraries.
Factor in Your Diet
Regular working out does help indeed in staying in shape or losing weight. However, it is not the only factor that helps. Your diet or food intake is also a huge factor in maintaining your fitness.
Hence, when you are on vacation, try your best to stick to a reasonable and healthy diet. This means avoiding food with too much sugar, salt, and calories. Food such as chips, cookies, soda may be served anywhere when you are on vacation. Try to avoid them.
It is not bad to let yourself indulge once in a while, especially if you’re traveling. It is merely recommended that you still look out for the things you eat and limit your consumption of unhealthy, sugary, or processed food.
Can You Take a Week Off of Working Out?
Maybe you have been working out consistently for quite a while and successfully gained some muscle mass. If so, you do not have to worry about taking a week off from doing your regular workout routine.
Doing so is not going to ruin the muscle mass that is already intact in your body. It will not affect your metabolism as well. If anything, it will actually help your muscles recover from consistent strains. You will be giving them time to rest, heal, and recover from pains or injuries.
However, it may have mild consequences to your body when you skip working out for more than a week or two. To avoid gaining weight in the process, you can do simple workouts like the ones mentioned before. Stick to a reasonable diet that will not add up to too many calories to burn.
Conclusion
There are alternative ways to work out and maintain your fitness routine even when you are on vacation. It just takes some more motivation and resourcefulness to do so. The next time you are leaving to travel somewhere, don’t break a sweat and keep these tips in mind.