How to Stay In Shape When Traveling: Tips and Workouts Included

A huge problem I faced this year when I went on vacation is how the heck will I stay in shape?

My vacation was two weeks long. This is just long enough to lose a lot of progress and potentially put on a lot of weight If I am not careful. I wasn’t able to pack my own food or bring workout equipment with me.

I was seriously worried that I was going to lose a lot of progress and I’d set myself backwards. The last thing anybody wants is to have a setback after being so consistent and experiencing progress.

I will mention, that I did lose progress in a few ways. However, I was able to cut my losses by trying my best to stay fit.

If you follow my posts, you’ll know that my goal is to ensure the ability to enjoy one’s self and have fun, while still making progress and staying fit.

So, let’s consider how to stay in shape when traveling. What tips do you need to know? Are there workouts you can do anywhere?

Do Your Research

Before you go on vacation, be sure to do your research.

• Hotels/ Resorts- Before you even go on vacation or book your stay, look for resorts or hotels with gym access. Many hotels or resorts will have their own type of exercise room available for use. It would be very convenient to use and shouldn’t cost you extra money. The exercise room might be mediocre, but at least it is something.

• Check Your Gym Membership- By this I mean, whatever location you are traveling to, check online and see if your gym (YMCA, golds gym, planet fitness, etc) is nearby. Many gyms allow you use one of their other facilities. I have done this on many occasions and it actually can be pretty fun. Sometimes it is enjoyable to experience a different gym’s environment.

• Call Around to Other Gyms- If the gym you are a member with does not offer you to use other locations, or if your gym company is not nearby, there is still hope. You have two different approaches you can take.
  • First, you could call and ask if the gym has day passes or any weekly specials. Explain how you are in town for a certain amount of time and you’d love be able to try their facility.
  • Second, if you are tight on cash, you could tell the gym that you are interested in their facility. Ask them if you can try it for a day free to see how you like it. (This may or may not work. Also, some may find this to be a sketchy approach. It is simply a suggestion if you are tight on cash)

Tips to Control Your Eating

When on vacation, you most likely will try to take in all the local food you can. You can assume this will include some foods that are high calorie, greasy, and deep-fried. In fact, I’m all for it. You must make sure you try local foods when you travel. But be smart about it.

• Plan your Meals- Make sure you plan your meals ahead of time. A good way to avoid in taking too many calories on vacation is to eat one meal from a grocery store, and one meal at a restaurant per day. This can avoid eating two massive 2,000 calorie meals and could harm your progress.

• Drinks- A good rule is to always eat your calories, don’t drink them. However, when you’re on vacation you will most likely want to have a few drinks and enjoy yourself. In a previous article I talk about ways to drink, yet still reach your goals. will help maintain your drinking calories.

• Restaurant Menu’s- If you must go to a restaurant often, check the menu for healthy options. A good choice is always grilled chicken, grilled pork, turkey, or grilled fish. Try this simple butter chicken recipe at home

What Are My Other Options?

Bodyweight Workouts

If you simply cannot find access to any gym nearby that will allow you to use their facility, then focus on some quick bodyweight workouts. Bodyweight workouts can in some cases be just as effective as going to the gym. It all depends on how hard you push yourself!

Here is a routine that you can repeat as many times as you’d like for a tough workout.

• 30 Seconds of Pushups
• 30 Seconds of Triceps Dips (Use a chair or furniture)
• 30 Seconds of Jumping Jacks
• 30 Seconds of Squats (Hold something heavy to increase intensity)
• 30 Seconds of Planking
• 30 Seconds of Sit-Ups

This routine, especially if repeated for multiple cycles, can be very effective in keeping your muscles working and building up a sweat on vacation.

This is an example of a workout routine you could do right in your bedroom. You could come up with your own routine as well!

Embrace the Time Off

If all else fails and none of the above tips sound interesting to you, then just take the time off. Enjoy yourself and get back to your grind as soon as you return home. Life is a long journey it will not truly hurt you to enjoy a week or two away from the gym.

Some down time could even help your body recover if you have been consistently exercising over a long period of time. Just make sure you don’t go too crazy on all the greasy and fried foods.

Vacations don’t happen every couple months (Or maybe they do if you’re lucky). So be sure to enjoy your stay wherever you choose to travel. Enjoy the beach, the foods, and the time with your family or friends.

If you use any of my tips, be sure to comment below and let me know what worked for you

OR

If you have any tips that personally help you when on vacation or traveling, comment below and share your knowledge with the community.

I’m off to the lakehouse, thanks for reading and stay blessed!

Russell

Founder of myshakercup.com