Don’t Let Your Vacation Plans Turn “Fit” into “Fat”

by Anna Johnson

Everyone who has traveled knows the feeling… after a long haul flight (or drive) you reach your vacation destination and you just want to rest for days, preferably by the beach or pool with your feet up and drink in hand. Who wants to think about exercising while they are on vacation right? Not when there are sights to see and cocktails to try!

On the other hand, maintaining your fitness regime while traveling can give you more energy, boost your immunity, improve your sleep quality, and help keep you looking your best for work or play. Plus maintaining some form of exercise routine will make it easier when you do eventually return to your normal life – meaning you don’t have to start back at zero … because we all know how hard that is!

How to incorporate exercise in your travels

With many different kinds of workouts to choose from, one of the easiest and most realistic options I have found (that works while traveling) is high intensity interval training, also known as HIIT workout programs. With short bursts of intense training you can work out for as little as 15 minutes and still get an amazing cardio blast.

Hit the gym

The hotel gym is perfect if you like to get your exercise out of the way early. Arrange an early morning wake up call and smash out your session before breakfast. Many larger hotel chains, such as Crowne Plaza, offer free access to the hotel gym facility seven days a week, with options to get advice from a personal trainer.

See the sights

Grab a map of the local attractions, strap on some comfy shoes, and pound the pavement. This is a great way to get immersed in the local culture and see the real sights! Not keen on walking? Then take a ride. Many cities these days offer cycles for free, or a small fee (with swap and drop points around the city). If there is a particularly popular cycle path, you can usually find bicycles to rent by the hour close by.

Get back to nature

Even in the busiest city you will find a park nearby. Many larger parks now include exercise stations (or health tracks). You might even have a river, lake, hill or mountain close by with longer nature trails.

Dive right in

Instead of just relaxing by the pool or beach, why not swim a few lengths? Ideal in hot humid climates, swimming can get you breathing hard without breaking a sweat. You could even set up a fun game of pool or beach volleyball with some other guests. Burn some energy while you make friends and you’ll enjoy that refreshing evening cocktail, or two!

Dance the night away

This is an amazing cardio workout. Just make sure to drink plenty of water. If you are traveling alone, or aren’t the nightclub type, check out the local area for any classes that might be running for casuals. It’s a great way absorb the local culture, meet people and learn some new moves.

With a little imagination, the opportunities are endless for incorporating fitness into your everyday travel routine. Trust me. You will feel 100% better at the end of your holiday knowing you have looked after yourself and you didn’t let your time away turn you from Fit to Fat!

What are your favorite ways to keep active while traveling?