Fitting Exercise Into Your Travel Plans

Traveling offers a wide range of benefits, but as we’re all creatures of habit, a change of routine usually means that squeezing a workout in goes to the wayside.  Going on vacation shouldn’t mean that all activity stops and that you can consume everything in sight. If you let your good habits go, by the time you return home you’ll most likely feel worse off than you did before you left.

Commit to exercising: no excuses

Pencil in physical activity into your itinerary; ideally 60 minutes each day, but remember that it can be broken up into 10 or 15 minute periods at a time if necessary. Bring everything you need to work out, including your favorite exercise clothes.

Fit in physical activity wherever and whenever you can

There is really no excuse not to get at least some exercise on vacation. Go for a hike, swim in a hotel pool or take advantage of the steep staircases you’ll find in just about every city around the world. If you have a smartphone, download workout apps that can be performed in your hotel room. Doing push-ups, squats, lunges and planks require no equipment at all.

You can also make exercise part of the fun by joining a kayak tour or another type of excursion that will get you moving - often without even thinking about it!

Work out early and plan ahead

Wake up an hour earlier than you normally would so you don’t have to worry about missing out on fun activities during the day. If you’re a runner or a walker, plan your route ahead of time and you might be able to see the city or the countryside at its best while you get your exercise in at the same time. MapMyRun.com is a great site that can help you plan the best routes while on your trip.

Plan something that will motivate you to want to get out and move! 

Before I go anywhere, I do a little research online to find out the best running routes in a city, and where the good hikes are in more rural areas. One of my favorite recent treks was a short but very steep hike at Fishing Point in St. Anthony, Newfoundland - 476 steps to the top and definitely worth the climb.
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