“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”― Mark Twain
In the past few years, I’ve had a desire to travel more and more frequently- I love it! I usually find myself venturing out somewhere at least once a month, always looking for a new adventure, a time to relax and discover new things. When I do travel, I like to be able to thoroughly enjoy myself and not worry about the things I would when at home – diet being one of the main things. I work really hard to stay in shape at home, so how do I stay fit and also enjoy the fruits of travel? Below are a few tips I’ve found that work for me when traveling to make sure I maximize my enjoyment and stay on track with my fitness.
- Don’t wing it. Plan your fitness at least 12 hours in advance, ideally the night before. Figure out what you’re going to do, where you’re going to do it and what time you’re going to do it. Example: Tomorrow, I’m going to work out when I wake up at 7am at the hotel gym. I’m going to do 15 minutes of cardio and then a chest/triceps workout.
It’s completely fine (and recommended) to incorporate some off days, just try not to string those together on back to back days.
Tip: If your lodging doesn’t have a gym, find one before you depart for your trip. Once you’re out of town, it’s easy to come up with excuses not to workout. Figure out your potential conflicts before you leave to make sure this won’t be an issue.
- Don’t overconsume. This is the hardest one for me. When I’m on vacation or traveling, I find myself eating more frequently with less healthy foods. My solution has been this: Make your breakfast a quality, light meal. As the day progresses, you can be a little bit less particular and allow your “worst meal” to be your dinner. Dinner is typically when you will be with friends and in a more exciting atmosphere so allow some flexibility. If you do it right and save most of your calories for later on in the day, these meals won’t do as much damage to your diet.
Tip: Drink LOTS of water. More than usual. This will help keep you full throughout the day and improve your overall wellness.
- Find some activities that will keep you active. While it may be tempting to lay around on a beach chair all day, designate some time for some activities that will get you moving. If you have a watch with a step counter, it would be a good idea to increase your step goal to make sure you’re moving around a decent amount.
Tip: Go on walks! If you’re in a new city, go explore it on foot. If you’re at the beach, enjoy the views along the coast.
At the end of the day, travel is meant to be enjoyed and it’s not that hard to stay fit while having a ton of fun. If you end up going off course while on the road, all will be ok. Diets aren’t made or broken in a few days, just get back on track as soon as you can and pick up where you left off.
“If you’re twenty-two, physically fit, hungry to learn and be better, I urge you to travel – as far and as widely as possible. Sleep on floors if you have to. Find out how other people live and eat and cook. Learn from them – wherever you go.” – Anthony Bourdain