Staying fit on holiday
Going on holiday, or even going away for work trips, can really throw you out of your usual exercise routine. If you’re used to working out in a gym or going to exercise classes you can feel a bit stuck when they’re no longer accessible, however there are ways of exercising while you are away from home. This means you can still be working towards your goals and feeling energised during your break. We just need a little bit more imagination and motivation!
I have been backpacking around France for the last few weeks. I managed to maintain a consistent exercise routine throughout and had a great time while doing it. With an abundance of free time on your hands there’s no reason why exercise can’t become part of your day.
Firstly, I knew that if I didn't get up and do my exercise straight away in the morning then it wouldn't happen because the days activities would get in the way. So I set my alarm clock and got it all done even before hubby had even opened his eyes!
I decided to turn my workouts in to a way of exploring new places at the same time, turning it into an adventure and every spot became a potential workout space for me. As I set out each morning I was genuinely excited to see where my workout would take me and embraced the varied training environment. Over the last few weeks I’ve worked out on cliff tops, beaches, city centre streets and plaza’s, harbourside’s, parks and I even found a wonderful public athletics track in one place. As well as training in my apartment or on the balcony sometimes. Tree’s became pull up bars, steps became hill climbs, park benches great for split squats and tricep dips, and large stretches of sand or grass perfect for short sprints.
Basically, you don't need a fancy range of equipment to get a good workout, I simply used my body weight and a spot of creativity to make the sessions fun and challenging. And you can do just the same by following my tips below.
Top tips for exercising away from home…
Pack your gym kit - you’ll get no where without it!
Identify the best time for you to exercise and carve out a gap in the day. Or get up before anyone else like I did.
Check if there is a gym where you’re staying. If not then look out for great training spots like beaches, parks or urban areas with benches and steps.
Turn it in to a way of sight seeing and exploring your new surroundings. Get in touch with your inner child and make it an adventure.
Use bodyweight exercises like running, push ups, squats, lunges and dips. Or take a light weight piece of equipment with you like a resistance band or skipping rope.
Ask your fellow holiday makers if they’d like to workout with you - training is always better with a buddy.
Build exercise in to your day’s activities - hill walking, swimming or playing sport.
