If your fitness regimen falls apart the moment you’re away from home, read on. Because while it is understandable (if you’re on a business trip, you’re tied up at a conference or in meetings, and if you’re on vacay, there’s a whole itinerary of things you want to do–like lie on a beach or eat at the world-renowned tapas resto–rather than work up a sweat on an elliptical), taking too long of a break from your workouts, and you’ll lose the fitness you’ve worked so hard to achieve. And we’ve all experienced how hard it can be to get back into a habit once we get derailed. Making time for exercise while out of town can be much simpler than you think.
Book a walking, running or cycling tour
You don’t want to miss on seeing that monument or trying the best gelato in the city, so rather than a less-active option such as a sightseeing bus, book (or plan your own) tour that has you off of your feet, such as a walking, running, or cycling tour. If you’re traveling for work, plan your schedule so that you can walk to your meeting rather than hop into a cab.
Reserve a hotel room that has gym equipment
Sometimes getting your workout done calls for making it as simple as possible, and what is easier than having a Spin bike or treadmill right in your hotel suite? When you can just take a few steps from your hotel bed to your equipment, it makes it that much easier to fit in your workout. Besides, just seeing it (and knowing you paid extra for a room with gym equipment) may be enough to guilt you into fitting in a sweat session.
Download fitness apps
Set yourself up to succeed by having workouts at your fingertips with a few of the fantastic fitness apps available ready on your smartphone. Many of them call for little equipment and can be done in a relatively small space. If the workout app call for some equipment, get creative by improvising: use bottles of water as light weights, for example, or take the belt from the hotel bathrobe to use in place of a band to stretch with.
Plan your itinerary so that it includes workouts unique to the area you’re in
Throw in a hike that is known for its phenomenal views at the peak, or try out the trendy workout that’s not yet available in your hometown, such as SoulCycle or a yoga class with a renowned instructor. If you’re feeling adventurous, step out of your comfort zone and try a sport that’s not available where you live; say, you live somewhere landlocked, grab the opportunity to try surfing if you’re in Southern California, for example.
Make your workouts HIIT
Often it’s the time constraint that can hold us back from working out when traveling. If it’s not a usual part of your fitness routine, making your workouts high-intensity interval training when traveling can be a great way to get in a thorough workout in a short period of time. Find one on a workout app or check out a class at the very popular Barry’s Bootcamp, for example.
