One of the things I love about travel is the numerous ways in which you can explore the world – be it by foot, wheel or wing. If you’re anything like me you also love keeping fit, which is great when you’re in a city or country where getting around on foot is convenient and safe, but not so great if it isn’t.
Around Europe for example it’s a walker or cyclers paradise, but if you’re in stinking hot India or the Middle East it’s not always going to be great for you to be walking around all day in direct sunlight!
As well as exercise, diet also plays a big part in our health, but sticking to a relatively wholesome diet can also be difficult while you’re in unfamiliar surrounds, so it can be hard to stick to your healthy eating plan when you’re travelling.
There are however a few tips and tricks that I’ve learnt over the years to keep fit and healthy on the road – but don’t worry, they are all easy to implement and don’t involve much organisation or sacrifice – just what you want when you’re on holiday!
Here are my 5 tips for staying fit and healthy while travelling.
Follow the 70/30 Rule
Holidays are supposed to be fun, right? Right! So don’t deprive yourself – I like to follow the 70/30 rule when I’m away (as opposed to 80/20 at home!) whereby if I’m eating wholesome and healthy food for 70% of the trip, then I can relax for the other 30% and enjoy a few more drinks and treats than normal. That way you’re not missing out, but you’re also getting to try all the scrumptious delicacies on offer.
Parks And Hotel Rooms Are The New Gyms
I like to exercise when I’m travelling – it helps me feel alive and full of energy – so I try to make use of whatever I have at my disposal when I’m in a new city or town. My favourite is being able to walk or run around a park or along a river – not only are you exercising, you’re also getting to explore! If this isn’t available or the weather isn’t coming to the party, then a hotel room will do – If you happen to have a music channel then pump up the tunes while you do a 10 min blast of push ups, sit ups, lunges, squats and burpees – you’ll be sweating in no time and your workout will be over in less than a quarter of an hour – not bad hey?!
When You Can’t Eat Your Five A Day, Take Them
Making sure you’re eating enough fruit and vegetables when travelling can be difficult, so I always make sure I take a multi-vitamin while I’m away from home. If you don’t happen to be getting all the nutrients your body needs from your diet then this will keep you topped up and full of energy until you get home…. they also help with hangovers too, so especially don’t forget them before a night out!
Have At Least 3 ‘Booze Free Days’
I’m someone that loves a drink, but I know it’s not great for me to do it every night, so when I’m travelling (and therefore more likely to be having a tipple every night), I try to limit myself to 4 nights a week on, 3 nights off. Some people may find they like a glass of wine every night, which is fine, but for me these rest days help me to feel like I’m looking after myself and my liver!
Be Realistic, And Enjoy Your Break
After all, you’re on holiday, so don’t enforce a strict exercise and eating plan while you’re away, otherwise you’ll go home feeling like you never left! If you don’t feel like working out one day, then don’t! You want to go home feeling like you’ve relaxed and enjoyed yourself, so if your best laid plans to work out and keep to your diet fall apart once you land, then no worries! Enjoy your break and look forward to your new-found enthusiasm once you get home.
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You are so right and besides being healthy (not in a obsessive way) while traveling will give you more energy and will make you feel better about yourself while exploring new places!
Thanks Brad – exactly, its tough work sightseeing! Its all about balance I say : )
I also travel with a lightweight jumprope – nothing fancy, just what you’d get in the kids’ toy section. Use that for 10 minutes combined with all the walking you do when traveling and it’s more than enough.
Hi Yoneco, what a great idea! I think I’m going to buy a rope now – thanks for the tip! ; )
These are great tips! It’s really easy to let your standards slide when travelling or on holidays. I’m actually currently on a diet after gaining a few pounds on my most recent backpacking trip. I like your rule of 70/30. Unfortunately I was more like 50/50 on my last trip…LOL
I would also encourage anyone living a travel-intensive lifestyle to try to adopt a consistent yoga practice. My wife, Heather, and I have been practicing astanga and vinyasa-flow for nearly four years. It’s a great practice because you don’t need any special equipment (carpet will do just as well as a mat) to do it so you can take it with you anywhere.
Hi Adam, great advice – yoga is great for the body and mind, and like you say can be done anywhere! Thanks!
When travelling a lot with work I was faced with this exact quandry – how to keep fit and healthy when living out of a suitcase? After travelling to the same locations over and over again I discovered a few places where I could exercise without paying a membership, i.e. drop-in yoga classes or spinning classes…then I decided to set up a site offering all these places to other like-minded female travellers. Personally, I think it is easy to get stuck in the room service and zero activity when travelling as I am always so tired but knowing where these places are really helped me – interested to know what you think?
Thanks Karen – love this!