Whether it’s a work trip or a staycation, chances are your fitness suffers when you hit the road, but with a few simple tricks, you can flip the script and get fit wherever you may go.
To do this requires a little bit of planning, but the results are well worth it!
1. Choose the Right Hotel
On-site gyms are becoming more and more common, but you can still find a few that have neglected this “amenity” if you just roll the dice.
While researching places to stay, look for shots of the hotel fitness center on their website, and call to confirm if the images don’t tell the whole story.
If staying at a location with a gym isn’t possible, search for local big box gyms or CrossFit boxes. Many offer non-members drop in rates or even free workouts for first-time visitors.
Picking a hotel that’s in the center of the action, downtown or otherwise walkable environment, can also help you increase your steps while potentially saving you money on a rental car!
2. Skip meals strategically
Skip breakfast – that way you can eat a slightly bigger lunch and have an extra drink with dinner and still stay below your daily caloric expenditure. If you’re staying in a hotel with amazing coffee, do the opposite, have amazing coffee and skip lunch. Think about these strategies and put them into practice according to your reality.
3. Prepare for “bad” meals
Don’t deprive yourself of that meal you love. After all, you are on vacation.
But plan for it. If you eat like this all the time, you will gain a lot of weight.
So plan ahead for a big meal so I can enjoy it guilt-free and not see the scales tip.
Make a better meal so you can abuse a little more on Monday. This is usually a great strategy.
4. Never eat 2 “bad” meals in a row
Use the big rule of “never two in a row”.
If you eat too much lunch, have a nutritious dinner.
Had a lot of pizza for dinner? Take it easy on your next meal… That’s the rule!
5. Move always
The key to staying in shape when traveling is to don’t stop move.
Rule 1 – Move at least every other day.
Burning a few calories almost every day can be a big help on vacations where food is going to be abusive. Getting your body moving, burning some calories and sweating a little will certainly help you not gain those extra pounds and stay in shape.
Rule 2 – Intense or longer
You have two options:
Do something more intense and faster;
Do something more moderate and lasting.
Walking
It’s SO easy to do. Whether you’re exploring cities, hiking or even at the beach, you can go for a walk. Simple and practical, best for trips to more touristic places.
Running/Cardio
Even without being an excellent runner, you can do runs interspersed with walks.
Always have running shoes with you and try to run 2-3 times a week. You can alternate with walks if necessary.
The great thing about running is that you can explore your surroundings, you sweat a lot, your heart is pounding and you generally feel great afterwards! The goal is a 3 to 5 km run, at a very light and comfortable pace, it’s not crazy!
Another option would be to rent a bike, you can go further and certainly get to know much more of the place than a simple walk.
Weight training at the hotel’s gym
Strength training has a longer calorie burn than strictly aerobic exercise, so even if your heart isn’t pumping as loudly, you’re still getting amazing benefits.
Try to find hotels with gym or gyms near to your hotel. You can do your own workout while you’re there.
These tips are going to help a lot or your vacations or even on your works trips.
Great results don’t come with excuses.
Conclusion
Although getting out of shape while traveling is often the status quo, for those that go beyond, and apply a little planning and preparation, it can actually be one more opportunity for getting in superior mental and physical shape!
Delano Pinheiro 