Summary
Staying fit while traveling doesn’t need to be a struggle. With simple in-room exercises, active sightseeing, healthy food choices, and energizing activities like local sports or water sports, you can keep up with your fitness goals on the go. Plan for nutritious snacks and use bodyweight workout routines to keep your energy high and make the most of your travel experience. Fitness on-the-move is all about small, manageable choices and staying committed.
Finding enough time to focus on your health and fitness can be challenging when you are traveling. We know there was a time you cringed at people who went to the gym during holidays or for a hike or a run, but times have changed.
Travel fitness is important because it maintains your energy levels, improves your mood and lets you enjoy your experience even more. Staying fit doesn’t have to involve a gym or weights, there are plenty of ways you can stay fit on-the-go.
Fitness tips for travelers 101: healthy on-the-go snacks!
5 Ways To Stay Fit When Traveling
1. Exercising In Your Room
If you are staying at an air BnB with no gym or workout equipment, don’t worry, we got you. There are many at-home exercises that can be done in the comfort of your room such as squats, push-ups, jumping jacks, or mountain climbers.
Aerobic or bodyweight ab exercises barely require any weights. If you need a bit of assistance, there are plenty of YouTube workout videos available free of cost that will help you break a sweat within half an hour.
For a quick, easy and complete workout, try this routine:
- 20 squats
- 15 push-ups (or modified push-ups)
- 30 seconds plank hold or a 10 minute plank workout
- 20 lunges (10 each leg)
- 15 mountain climbers
- 20 jumping jacks
Do this full body workout routine if you're wondering how to workout on vacation.
2. Stay Active
We know holidays mean relaxing but it is very important to stay physically active even when you are traveling. You can stay active by moving around when you are out and about like going for walks to watch the sunset, or instead of relying on public transport walking to your destination.
You can also go for runs early in the morning at the beach to catch that beautiful sunrise, or explore the new city’s backstreets. Take this opportunity to stroll around town while moving your body.
To achieve travel fitness, you can stay active by:
- Walking around the city to explore it
- Going for walking or cycling tours to meet people and explore new places
- Trying fun local activities such as taking dance classes like bachata if you’re in Latin America or belly dancing if you’re in the Middle East
- Climbing stairs and ditching elevators whenever and wherever possible
- Adding meditation, gentle stretching, and quick yoga in your morning routine
Learn more about the benefits of sauna post-workout and get one after your hotel room exercise routine!
3. Nutrition And Diet
Diet is one of the most important aspects of staying fit. You can work out or move your body all you want, but if you are consuming calorie-dense foods with low nutrition you will feel lethargic the whole time.
That’s why on a holiday try to balance out the portions by incorporating fruits and vegetables into your diet. The best way to eat healthy while traveling is by exploring local fruits and vegetable options that you might not get in your hometown.
Wondering how to eat healthy while traveling for work? Try the following tips:
- Start your day with a proper breakfast with plenty of protein, fiber and carbs
- Keep a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated throughout the day
- Indulge in local cuisines that are protein-rich
- When exploring local cuisines, make sure you control your portions
- Feast on local fruits and vegetables as snacks to stay energized throughout the day without compromising on your traveling experience
- Try to get an accommodation with a kitchenette so you can prep some healthy meals for yourself
Try these healthy, lunch ideas when you're traveling and have a kitchenette available!
4. Sports
If you are in a tropical destination, there are several water sports that you can take part in. Or if you are traveling towards a mountainous area then hiking is an excellent physical activity to engage in.
Snorkeling, scuba diving, or even going for a swim is a great way to get your body moving and meet new people.
Here are some more fitness tips for travelers:
- Engage with the locals and play sports or games with them
- Try new activities that demand physical exertion such as rock climbing, kayaking, paddle boarding, or any other available
- Search for parks where you can go for a walk or go to the beach for yoga
- Participate in local charity walks, bikeathons or fun runs
Don't have outdoor activities available? Try this HIIT running workout plan!
5. Healthy snacks
While traveling we want to try everything we set our eyes on. Sometimes when strolling along the streets of the new town, or being on our feet the entire day can make us slightly puckish. In that case instead of spending your money on something unhealthy, keep a bag of healthy snacks handy.
Perfect healthy snacks include cereal bars, protein bars, or nut bars, even fresh or dried fruit counts as healthy. They help you stay fit and are a great source of energy.
To stay healthy while traveling, some healthy snacking options include:
- Eating dehydrated fruit chips such as banana or apple chips
- Preparing DIY granola bars or mix to make sure it's sugar-free
- Keeping dry fruits, seeds and nuts trail mix
- Munching on whole grain crackers or rice cakes
- Packing up overnight oats or chia seed pudding for a delicious treat on-the-go
To achieve travel fitness, try these 10 superfood snacks for guilt-free munching.
Complete Bodyweight Workout Plan For Travelers
| Day | Exercise | Muscles Worked | Reps | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Push Day | Push-Ups | Chest, shoulders, triceps | 12-15 reps | 3-4 sets |
| Pike Push-Ups | Shoulders, triceps | 10-12 reps | 3 sets | |
| Tricep Dips (using chair or bed) | Triceps, shoulders | 12-15 reps | 3 sets | |
| Incline Push-Ups (hands elevated) | Chest, shoulders | 12-15 reps | 3 sets | |
| Wide Grip Push-Ups | Chest, shoulders | 10-12 reps | 3 sets | |
| Pull Day | Superman Extensions | Lower back, glutes | 15-20 reps | 3 sets |
| Reverse Snow Angels | Upper back, rear delts | 10-12 reps | 3 sets | |
| Towel Rows (using a towel under feet) | Lats, biceps | 12-15 reps | 3 sets | |
| Plank to Elbow Row | Lats, core | 10 reps per side | 3 sets | |
| Doorway Isometric Pull | Lats, traps | 20-30 sec holds | 3 sets | |
| Leg Day | Bulgarian Split Squats (using bed or chair) | Quads, glutes | 12-15 reps per leg | 3 sets |
| Wall Sit | Quads, glutes | 30-45 sec holds | 3-4 sets | |
| Jump Squats | Quads, glutes, calves | 15 reps | 3 sets | |
| Step-Ups (using chair or sturdy surface) | Quads, glutes | 12 reps per leg | 3 sets | |
| Single-Leg Glute Bridges | Glutes, hamstrings | 12-15 reps per leg | 3 sets |
Key Takeaways
Fitness is a part of life and shouldn’t be compromised even when you are traveling. Staying fit when traveling helps you keep up with other traveling activities.
If you follow the steps above staying fit and healthy doesn’t have to be difficult. More than anything staying fit requires commitment and a willingness to continue leading a healthy lifestyle.
FAQs
To achieve travel fitness, you need to be consistent with your workout routine. You also need to be easy-going with the exercises, especially if you’re working out in your hotel room and not in a gym. This is why HIIT workout plans can be great for you as they’re quick, easy-to-do, and energize you instantly.
Here’s what you can do:
- Add bodyweight exercises such as squats, push-ups, lunges, supermans, bridges, etc.
- Do some HIIT exercises such as jumping jacks, star jumps, squat jumps, and agility moves.
- Train your core with ab exercises such as Russian twists, crunches, spiderman planks, side plank dips, sit-ups, bicycle crunches, heel taps, plank holds, etc.
- Pack resistance bands for banded push-ups, shoulder band workouts, banded chest workouts, etc.
- Eat healthy and consume as much protein as you can.
If you’re about to head on a vacation or travel for work, you need to work on your overall cardiovascular health and endurance. To build your stamina and resilience, train before the actual travel to prepare your body for physical exertion during travel. Here’s how:
- Progressively increase the load by adding more weights, reps, pauses, or pulses in your reps.
- Cross-train by incorporating various forms of training such as agility workouts, kickboxing, strength training, etc.
- Incorporate HIIT workouts into your daily routine to boost VO2 max, which is necessary for overall endurance.
- Add functional training to your routine, such as farmer’s walks, replacing weights with luggage to prepare yourself.
- Stay hydrated during travel to maintain stamina throughout.
Working out on travel isn’t about gaining muscle. It’s more about preventing muscle loss since you’re unable to properly train or follow your fitness routine. Here are some fitness tips for travelers to prevent muscle loss:
- Consume 1.5-2g of protein per kg of your body weight a day to keep muscle mass from breaking down.
- Maintain a short but effective resistance training routine with bands or bodyweight to stay toned and keep muscles under tension.
- Focus on eccentric training by holding onto contractions to increase muscles’ time-under-tension and build endurance.
- Eat not just proteins but also fibers, healthy fats, and enough carbs to stay energized and active.
- Get enough sleep to allow your body to recover from physical strain.
