How To Stay Fit While You Travel
Following me on Instagram or Facebook for even just a few days can quickly make you realize I post about working out way too much! I’m a long-time runner and recent CrossFitter, and staying fit is a core part of my identity. When I begin my travels, I’ll be training for the Detroit Marathon (2016), but I wanted to share with you guys some ways that I plan to stay fit on the road. After all, I’m sure I’ll be surrounded by delicious food, and I’ll need a way to make sure my running tights still fit!
Below are some of the ways I plan to maintain my fitness while I’m traveling full-time.
1. Running
This one is a no brainer! Although running can be an expensive sport (headphones, pouches, gels, special clothes, fancy shoes), it doesn’t have to be. All you really need to run is a decent pair of kicks and the open road. It’s a free way to stay fit that also happens to be great for your physical health and mental well-being. Although I will be following a strict training plan over the next few months for my race (Hanson’s Marathon Method is the best there is), I plan to continue running high mileage after that, because it’s what I love and it’s an effective workout. If you aren’t in a place where you can use the great outdoors, most hotels these days have at least a small gym with a treadmill. Going running can be a great way to enjoy a new city, too!
2. Resistance Bands
While the thought of not being able to workout with weights kind of freaks me out, I realized that there is a really good, travel-friendly alternative: resistance bands. There are a lot of really great exercises you can do with resistance bands (bicep curls, chest flies, tricep extensions – to name a few) and the bands are easily transportable from place to place. If you love strength training, consider grabbing a set of resistance bands to travel with.
3. Physical tourist activities
Going traveling doesn’t have to mean eating in expensive hotels and drinking wine all the time. It can mean going swimming in the ocean, getting out to hike, or renting a bike and take a ride. I plan to do as much activity as possible in the places I visit – both to get a true feel for the city and also to keep my heart rate up! It is possible to remain active while traveling – and it’s fun!
4. Meetup groups
In my city, Orlando, I have been part of a great group of women called Central Florida Women Runners. I realized that I didn’t need to skip out on the community that comes with group exercise just because I wasn’t going to have a stable base anymore. I plan to keep the Meetup app on my phone and occasionally drop into running or other workout groups on the road. Meetup is a great resource, not just for working out, but also for meeting locals!
5. Apps
Hi, my name is Anjali and I’m a technology junkie. I’ll admit, my phone might be overloaded with more fitness apps than I’d care to admit, but they can be a really great way to help you stay on track with fitness while you’re traveling. I have WOD Genius and WOD Generator to help me put together travel and bodyweight WODs, Virtual Trainer Resistance Band to help me with workouts using the bands, and Simply Yoga for the days I want to be a bit gentler on my body. We live in an age where your iPhone can be everything from your journal to your personal trainer – so why not let it?
These are some of the ways I plan to stay fit on the road, but I always love hearing about other people’s methods for exercise while traveling! If you have any suggestions (or any good apps I need to know about) let me know in the comments below!
P.S. Want to know more about how you can start living the travel lifestyle? Check out my book, “Quit Your Job & Travel The World”, available now on Amazon!