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Top 5 ways to keep in shape whilst travelling

Most people consider travelling as an extended vacation, which often leads to a decline in physical fitness. And besides, it’s tough to stay motivated to exercise when exploring the sights around you.

The last thing you want to be doing while travelling is getting cooped up in a gym. Going on vacation is supposed to be fun!

But then again, you shouldn’t use your vacation as an excuse to slack off on your physical health.

If you’ve already established an exercise routine at home, putting a stop to it during your vacation means you’re going to have trouble going back to that routine when you return.

So, should you or should you not pack your gym clothes and your running shoes when you’re going on vacation? Can you even find a suitable gym while you’re travelling? Do you even have the time?

The answer is not to overthink it. You don’t always need a gym to stay fit. That’s why this article is going to teach you 5 of the best ways to stay healthy while travelling:

1: Eat healthily

It comes as no surprise that your diet while travelling is going to significantly affect your overall health. Counting calories is not as effective as choosing to eat the right kinds of food.

Most often, people gorge themselves while on vacation and work extra hard once they get back home to rid themselves of any excess weight they gained.

That’s not a healthy thing to do because crash dieting after overeating puts you at risk for a few health conditions.

Implement a plan before you take your vacation. Set limits for yourself. We recommend creating a nutrition plan that you can follow wherever you are.

The nutrition plan’s basic message is to consume food that can satiate your hunger and keep you healthy. Include vegetables, some kind of protein, and fruits in each meal.

Sometimes, you can even add some carbohydrates to your diet by eating potatoes, rice, bread, and pasta.

This nutrition plan should be easy to follow because you can find these kinds of food wherever you go.

Although it’s really easy to find junk food such as candy, chips, and soda while you’re travelling, you should avoid them because processed food is not the key to a healthy diet.

Eating healthy means including vegetables and protein in your diet, occasionally throwing in some fruit. It may not be the traditional backpacker’s diet (beans, rice, pasta), but it is the healthy traveler’s diet.

Practicing discipline when you’re on your own in another country or continent is a challenge that you should partake.

You’ll have to spend a little more money on food to achieve your goals, but it will be worth it in the end.

2: Combine fitness and leisure

You can put yourself in a fitness workout and not even realize what you’re doing! Simple activities that involve sightseeing can already serve as a way for you to get some physical activity.

Choose to be active as you are touring the area. Look for ways to explore and exercise at the same time. Below are some activities that you might want to try:

  • Walking

It may be tempting to take the bus or train to get to where you want to go, but if your destination isn’t that far—maybe a few kilometers away at most—then why not walk going there?

You get yourself some exercise while saving some money at the same time. Alternatively, you can also try going on a walking tour of the city you’re visiting.

Walking tours are fun because you get to see important landmarks at your own pace. You can’t do that when you’re on a bus!

Night walks are also a fantastic experience because the scenery always changes once night falls. Shop lights are lit and can add a new depth to your sightseeing.

Even something as simple as walking across an airport without using a walkalator if your flight is delayed, you can take that time to walk around the airport.

These will keep you active and moving.

  • Hiking

Hit two birds with one stone and give hiking a shot. Hiking has many benefits, including exposing you to great views and breathing in the fresh air.

But most importantly, hiking serves as a great cardiovascular workout. It lowers the risk of heart disease by improving your blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

It can also strengthen your core, improve your balance, and boost your mood. So, the next time you travel, why not try hiking? You can even take some awesome pictures of yourself and the breathtaking views.

  • Taking the stairs

Seeing flights of stairs looming above, you can sound overwhelming. Climbing up those flights instead of looking for the nearest elevator helps you build up your cardio endurance and body strength.

You can burn through calories quickly by taking steps one at a time, but why not go for that extra push and take them two at a time?

You will burn more calories this way, and your muscles get that extra exercise. But if you’re looking for a better workout, try running up and down the stairs for 15 to 30 minutes.

Stairs are everywhere. All you would have to do is look for a sturdy set of stairs to complete your exercise. There’s no need to go to the gym as long as you find a flight of stairs.

  • Running

Walking is overrated. Go for a run! Ditch the bus and go for a morning jog. This can allow you to see famous landmarks without the bustle of the usual crowd.

This also gives you the chance to interact with the locals in an area. Travelling is more memorable when you experience it with other people.

  • Other indoor and outdoor activities

Be involved in the community you’re in. There are a lot of free Zumba dance classes offered in most cities. 

Look for activities like wall climbing, snorkelling, swimming so that you keep your blood pumping.

3: Be resourceful

Make do with what you have. There are plenty of options for you to stay fit while travelling. Most hotels and airports have a gym that you can use before your activities for the day are scheduled to begin.

It’s hard to bring workout equipment while you’re travelling, so using the hotel or airport gym can be your next option.

However, you don’t necessarily need a gym. You can be resourceful and use simple playground equipment to do your exercises.

Playground equipment is a fun way to relive your childhood, and they also make great workout equipment. 

Go to the local park and check out what you can use. Try out the skipping ropes and pull bars that are in the playground.

4: Develop a workout routine

Staying fit boils down to habits and routine. It is about having the discipline to remember to exercise even when you’d rather stay in bed longer to enjoy your vacation.

It’s all about finding and making time during the day to actively work towards fitness. You don’t even have to spend hours on your workout routine. 

It could be as simple as running up and down the stairs for 15 to 30 minutes or something similar. Some exercises can even be done from the comfort of your hotel room:

  1. Mountain climbers – 30 seconds
  2. High knees – 1 minute
  3. Crunches – 30 seconds
  4. Scissor leg lifts – 30 seconds, 15 seconds for each leg on top
  5. Up-down elbow plank – 1 minute, 30 seconds for each elbow
  6. Burpees – 1 minute

Give yourself a 30-second rest between each exercise and repeat it for 2-3 reps, depending on what you can handle.

Some people choose to take bodybuilding supplements to enhance testosterone and muscle mass, but they generally need a fitness routine for increased effectiveness.

Be careful, some countries may not allow these types of supplements, so it’s best you do your research while looking for the best supplement for muscle gain.

5: Stay hydrated

Water is important. That’s why so many people are obsessed with staying hydrated. The human body is made out of 70% water, and that’s why you should take frequent sips of water.

When you stay under the sun, you will sweat. The amount of liquid you sweat has to be replenished, or else you will get dehydrated. 

You can quickly replenish yourself by drinking water. A sign you’re getting dehydrated is chapped lips. 

Drink at least 1-2 glasses of water every hour, especially if you are doing an activity that requires quite a bit of physical exertion.

Water can get expensive in more rural areas, particularly bottles water. We recommend bringing along a thermal water bottle so that you always have a steady supply with you.

A thermal water bottle keeps your water cool for long periods. You can even try looking for a collapsible water bottle to save more space in your bags.

Conclusion

Overall, staying fit while travelling is all about practicing discipline. You need to be able to control yourself, especially when it comes to maintaining a healthy diet.

Remember that you can make fitness a part of your travelling experience. Go for walks around the area instead of taking the bus. 

And remember if you need a kick, then take a Perform Stack from Juiced Upp with you to keep you firing on all cylinders!

Use staircases as an exercise to improve your cardiovascular health. Stay hydrated and eat real food.

Every effort counts towards fitness. You don’t have to count calories or allot more than an hour of your time to exercising.

We hope these pieces of advice can help you stay fit on your next vacation!

[PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Travelling is no excuse to slack off on fitness. This article features five ways you can stay fit no matter where you’re going!]

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