Staying Fit On-the-Go          

Traveling for work or leisure can affect your commitment to physical activity and fitness-resulting in a hiatus from your normal workout regimen.  Here are some helpful tips to keep you on track with your workout without interrupting your trip. Exercising while you’re on the road doesn’t have to be an exhaustive or complicated process-a little effort can go a long ways when you’re exercising on the move.Try these simple tips to stay in shape on the go:

-Take a walk around the hotel. Taking a walk, jog or power walk can work wonders. You might even opt to climb the  stairs performing alternating  lunges on the stairs and in the hallways. A nice jog around the outside of the hotel might be nice too!  All of which offer useful options for effective physical activity.

-Pack your resistance bands or hand-held weights. Rubber or cloth resistance bands offer a very wide range of exercise options with no added bulk to your suitcase. Light hand weights or ankle weights are also compact- conveniently fitting into most suitcases. And just in case you forget equipment, no worries- water bottles and backpacks/luggage (adjusted to your weight preference) and towels can serve as handy substitutes. You can be creative and perform bicep curls with water bottles and tie towels or items of clothing  to use in lieu of resistance bands. The SPRI Advanced Traveling Trainer is a convenient pack equipped with useful fitness gadgets and resources.

-Do some circuit training.
Even without equipment, you sneak in some high intensity bodyweight exercises. Wake up early and squeeze in a circuit workout.
Example:
100 jumping jacks
30-60 seconds of pushups
30-60 seconds holding a plank
30-60 seconds of lunges per leg
30-60 seconds of burpees.
Repeat two or three times.ORPerform a short warm-up by marching in place for three minutes. Then do one set of 10-50 reps of your preferred exercises- push-ups, alternating lunges, dips, squats, supermans and sit-ups/crunches. Repeat the circuit two or three times.

-Use the hotel fitness room. Many hotels have an in-house gym, offering elliptical, treadmills, weight machines and mats for exercising and stretching. It’s essential to be trained on proper use of weight machines before using them. Improper technique can increase the likelihood of injury.

-Swim in the hotel pool. Swimming is an excellent form of exercise. If you are a strong swimmer and there’s a a beach or lake nearby, you can go for a swim to get some cardio. The beach is also a great place to walk. The sand adds the perfect resistance and free great toning option. If you’re not a good swimmer, no need to fret, you can always doggie paddle or sprint in the shallow end of the hotel pool. A simple way to get that heart rate up and get a full body workout.

-Rent a bike, pedal boat, or golf clubs. Riding a bike, pedaling around a pond or lake, or walking with your clubs on a golf course can burn lots of calories and help your workout feel like more of a fun and leisure activity versus a exhaustive exercise routine.

As you can see, staying fit while traveling is not an impossible feat,only requires a little time, effort and motivation. Happy “fit” travels!