3 tips to nail your fitness on the road
Vacation, travel for work, Broadway tours or cruise ship gigs...all reasons you may find yourself away from home and your normal fitness / health routine.
No sweat! Before you panic, here are my 3 best tips to staying true to your health and fitness goals while traveling!
1) Scope the place out.
If you are staying in a hotel, research the fitness facility ahead of time. At worst, they most likely have a small cell-like chamber that includes a treadmill and a row of dumbbells. At best, they have a cable machine, a bench, a stability ball and bands (and a window)! We can work with any of these options to put together a workout!
If there isn't a hotel gym, research local gyms in the area and check out their guest pass situation. Most clubs allow visitors for the day, or you could even talk to the manager about working out a deal for the time you'll be in town. Most gyms are happy to accommodate.
2) Create a plan.
Now that you know WHERE your fitness is happening, you must create a plan. Maybe you're in a location where the weather is amazing and a workout al fresco sounds delightful! Your fitness could look like an outdoor run followed by 4 rounds of 10 pushups, 20 walking lunges, and 10 burpees on a park bench.
If you have a small gym in your hotel, you can do a lot with just some free weights and a treadmill.
How?
Think in terms of body parts and circuits.
Here is an example, for someone who wants a quick full body workout:
A1 Lower Body (ex: Goblet Squat, Sumo Deadlift or Romanian Deadlift)
A2 Upper Body Push (ex: pushups, DB Overhead Press or DB Bench Press)
B1 Lower Body, Single Leg (ex: Split Squats, Walking Lunges or Single Leg Deadlift)
B2 Upper Body, Pull (ex: Bent Over rows or 3 Pt. DB Row)
C1 Explosive (ex: DB Thrusters, Skiier Swings, Jump Squats, Jump Lunges or Skater Jumps)
C2 Core (ex: Plank hold, Hollow Hold, Bear Crawls, Plank Walkups, Deadbugs or Crunches)
Set a timer for 0:30 of work, 0:15 rest. Alternate between each pair of exercises in section A 3-4x through.
Rest 1:00 before moving onto B. Do the same for B and C.
For those interested in fat loss, you could totally incorporate a round of intervals on the treadmill as a finisher!
Try this, less than 13 minutes!
1:00 warmup walk or jog
1:45 run fast
1:30 walk or jog to recover
1:30 run fast
1:30 walk or jog to recover
1:00 run fast
1:00 walk or jog to recover
0:45 run fast
1:00 walk or jog to recover
0:30 SPRINT FOR YOUR LIFE
1:00 walk or jog to recover
For those of you who can't run without pain, do not stress! I recommend briskly walking on an incline for 10-15 minutes as a finisher! Great for fat loss and for sculpting gorgeous glutes and legs!
3) Fuel your future.
Research healthy eateries in your area. Look for places that serve up fresh options, like salads with grilled proteins, juice bars, or local vegan/vegetarian restaurants if you are meat-free.
Traveling with healthy snacks to hold me over in a punch is crucial to success! Pack pre-scooped protein powder or pre-portioned raw nuts into ziploc bags for convenience. That way you know how many macros are in each pouch without having to travel with a ton of groceries.
Non-perishable items like protein bars, bananas and apples are super helpful.
Coffee queens like me? I actually travel with my own creamer now! LOL! It is a powdered coconut creamer, which is a dream! Such a step up from the gross powdered coffee mate stuff, and this way you know you're getting the nutrients you need without any fillers.
I also personally travel with my shaker bottle, not only for protein shakes but for water on the go, too. I call ahead to reserve a mini fridge and since I am vegan, I bring staples like tempeh, non-dairy yogurts, veggie snacks like celery and carrots, a few pieces of sprouted bread, PB2 (powdered peanut butter that you mix with water to create a paste, and a quarter of the cals in regular PB!) in case I can't find options outside of the hotel.
In summary, staying fit on the road doesn't have to be challenging. It just requires a little forethought. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Hopefully with these 3 tips, you can continue to aspire to your fittest dreams, even away from home!
What other techniques work for you to stay fit while traveling? I'd love to hear about them! Comment below!
xo
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