10 Ways to stay in shape on vacation
As much as vacations present the perfect time to relax and treat yourself, they can also be frustrating when there are fitness goals to maintain or attain. Nobody wants to destroy their weeks of progress in the gym and kitchen by not working out nor tracking their meals while away.
At the same time, no sane person ever wants to go on vacation with a food scale, prepped meals or gym equipment. There are ways to stay fit while on vacation without seeming suspiciously insane.
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While seeking ways of how not to sabotage your hard work while on holiday, you probably have come across snarky comments such as “you only live once, go out and enjoy your vacation”, or “one week away from the gym will not hurt your progress.”
And yes these and other such remarks all make great points for discussion on while you must let your hair down and just enjoy the time off. But let’s be real for a sec.
How many people come back from a vacation with a few extra pounds? And No, I am not talking about extra pounds of luggage or shopping. I mean how many people moan, especially on social media, about how they went on vacation and returned a few pounds fluffier? Quite a lot right?
Related post: 7 Habits of Highly Fit People
This means that you are not being paranoid by seeking ways of staying on the fitness course while travelling or on vacation. Keep reading.
THE 10 WAYS TO STAY IN SHAPE ON VACATION
Check out: 30 Day Ultimate Bikini Body Workout Challenge (Summer Body Workout )
1. PLAN AHEAD OF TIME
Find out if the hotel you will be staying at has a gym. If they do not, search online for fitness centres in the area if you would like to have access to a gym while on holiday.
If you have no intentions of paying extra to workout in a gym, check out the surroundings of the resort you will be staying at or ask the hotel staff to point you in the right direction for safe places where you can jog or take brisk walks.
2. PACK WITH FITNESS IN MIND
While packing all your essential items for your holiday, leave some space in your suitcase for workout clothes. Just because you are off on vacation, doesn’t mean that your health and fitness have to go on vacation too.
Show some love to your fitness goals by tossing into your suitcase, workout shoes and gym clothes that are suitable for your destination’s weather.
HOW TO STAY ON TRACK WITH NUTRITION ON VACATION
Right! We have now come to the nitty-gritty of how you can stay on track with food while on vacation.
4. EAT MINDFULLY
As much as you would like to treat yourself while on vacation, you have to remember that you are not a food vacuum. Eat mindfully and stop when full. Exercise self-control over food.
Related post: How to develop healthy eating habits
5. RESIST THAT BUFFET
Resist the temptation that the breakfast buffet presents. You really do not need to stuff plate with everything in sight, no matter how appealing the food is. Instead, pile your plate with lean proteins and veggies if you really have to.
6. DON’T OBSESS ABOUT TRACKING CALORIES/MACROS
You do not have to be anal retentive about how many calories are in every little thing you eat whilst on vacation. Live a little, but do not go on a food binge.
You will do yourself a huge mental favour if you just eyeball and estimate your portions rather than obsessing over and tracking every bite while on holiday.
7. EXERCISE WHILE ON VACATION
Vacations are a great time for everyone to jump on the exercise wagon especially people who often complain about not having enough time in a normal day to squeeze in a workout.
READ: 30-Day Fat Burning Workout Routines for Beginners
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All you have on your vacation is time and then some more time, use some of it to exercise. Workout first thing in the morning as this will allow you to leave the rest of the day open for unwinding by the pool or beach, sightseeing, drinking, and whatever else tickles your fancy.
Essential reading: BEST JILLIAN MICHAELS WORKOUT DVDs TO GET YOU SHREDDED
HOW TO EXERCISE ON VACATION
Remember those workout shoes we packed in your suitcase at the beginning of this article? Well, now it is time to unpack and put them to good use.
8. WALK, WALK, WALK
Walking is the cheapest and easiest way to keep fit. If you have a fitness tracker, use it to motivate you to get those steps in. (If you do not, check out these fitness tracker options in this article).
Opt for the stairs rather than the elevator. Walk around the beach instead of just lounging around all day. Go sightseeing on foot. The walking possibilities while on vacation are endless as you can see.
9. GO HIKING OR RUNNING WHILE ON HOLIDAY
You have a choice to stay active or not while on vacation. Remember what we said about working out early in the morning? Take a slow and easy early morning run around your hotel or the beach. If there are safe and cool hiking spots near your resort, go hiking!
Related: 7 AMAZING BENEFITS OF RUNNING IN THE MORNING
10. WORKOUT IN YOUR HOTEL’S GYM
Most hotels or holiday resorts have great gyms, make use of them by throwing in an early morning workout before you start the day.
If your hotel does not have a gym, workout in your room. There is plenty of bodyweight exercise such as squats, planks, push-ups, burpees, lunges, crunches and so on that, you can do.
CHECK OUT:
Summer Workout Plan – Your Ultimate Bikini Body Workout Challenge
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Alternatively, you can download a training app or go to YouTube for simple but efficient, no equipment hotel room workouts.
Lastly how to stay fit while on vacation has everything to do with you getting sufficient rest. Get those zzzs in, take naps if you have to.
Recharge your batteries and enjoy your vacation.
Susan Chanda is a professional content writer/journalist with over 20 years’ experience. She holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing management from University of South Africa and a diploma in Journalism and Public relations.
Susan has been writing evidence based fitness and health articles since 2016 for Fitness Chat, and is a certified fitness trainer, and diet and nutrition coach.
Fitness Chat is one of the several other websites that Susan owns, or co-owns with her children.
You can read more about Susan here.
Lots of great tips here. I agree with you about those buffets as well. I remember going on a cruise years ago, where people would queue for the midnight buffet not long after having dinner, I couldn’t face it personally! 😀
These are great tips, although personally, whenever I go on holiday it’s about enjoying the chance to be indulgent! I definitely need to pay more mind to staying fit while abroad though – sometimes I come back a few pounds heavier
The last time I was on holiday I found myself eating way too much bad foods, so there are some great tips here! Especially working out in the hotel gym! x
These are some great tips. I find I am always walking everywhere while on holiday as I want to see so much, I also spend a lot of time in the pool. If anything I feel like my activity ends up being higher when away than at home x
These are some great sounding ways to help yourself stay on track with your fitness when you head away on holiday I am sure it can be all to easy to slip out of the normal routine. I have to admit I love swimming when I’m away – or I used to.
I always try to walk a lot on holiday to compensate for the treats I’ll have along the way x
This are loads of awesome tips. I’ll be reminded of them when we go on vacation. ~~ thanks.
Its so easy to fit into the trap of majorly over indulging on holiday isnt it! some great tips here! x
I always avoid exercise on holiday as I always think if you can’t indulge whilst abroad when can you. Although I do make sure I walk everywhere and avoid cabs if I can, and I’m scared of lifts anyway so it’s always stairs for me
We walk a lot while we’re away looking at the local attraction, which I think is a lovely way to keep your fitness up on holiday.