Staying active, fit, and healthy while traveling is never easy. I often travel with the best intentions to keep up with my training schedule, and sometimes am successful in staying on track and other times am not. Other than packing your workout clothes and shoes, what else can you do to try and stay healthy while traveling?
1. Bring your own water bottle.
One of the last things you want to have happen when you’re traveling is to become dehydrated. If you’re flying, you of course can’t bring liquids through security, other than what fits in your quart size bag. However, you can bring an empty water bottle with you that you can fill at a water fountain once you pass through security. If you’re driving, you’ll likely have to make stops at rest areas, which also usually have water fountains that you can fill your bottle at. By bringing a water bottle with you, not only will you save money but you also won’t be tempted to purchase other beverages, some of which could lead towards dehydration.
2. If flying, stay active at the airport.
Its tempting to park yourself in a chair at the gate while waiting to board your flight. However, its just as easy to stay active while waiting for your flight. Yoga rooms are starting to pop up in more airports across the country. But even if there isn’t a dedicated yoga or workout room, you can easily go for a walk around the terminal instead of sitting still at the gate. Although walking may not be your preferred method of exercise, it still burns calories, many more than you’ll burn just by sitting.
3. Take advantage of gyms where you’re traveling to.
If you’re staying at a hotel and it has a hotel gym, then use it. Sure, the equipment may be limited and it may not be of the quality that you’re used to, but its better than nothing. If you belong to a gym that has locations where you’re traveling to, look into whether or not your gym offers travel passes so that you can access a location in the city that you’re traveling to. Some hotels also offer guest passes to local gyms, especially if the hotel itself doesn’t have a fitness center. Always be sure to explore your options.
4. Take the opportunity to explore the city that you’re visiting.
Seeing a city by foot while running or walking can offer a different perspective than traditional sightseeing does. Look into fitness trails that might be available in the area that you’re visiting. You can also ask the hotel front desk for suggestions on areas that are safe and pedestrian friendly.
5. Be flexible and stay calm.
You can’t plan for delays or other travel mishaps. While the natural instinct might be to stress about those unfortunate circumstances, that’s the last thing that you want to do. Try to remain calm and explore alternative options when things out of your control occur. Even if it causes you to miss a planned run or other planned exercise activity, explore other options that will still get you active and moving.
QOTD: How do you stay healthy while traveling?
As always, thank you to the DC Trifecta Bloggers (Courtney from Eat Pray Run DC, Mar from Mar on the Run, and Cynthia from You Signed Up For What?!) for hosting the weekly Friday Five Link Up. Be sure to check out their posts as well!
I try to bring workout clothes and get a workout or 2 in when I travel. However, typically when I travel, I’m doing a TON of walking, so I manage to stay active that way!
Nice tip with the water bottle. However, when I fly, I tend not to drink as much as I should because I hate having to get up 100 times to pee on the airplane!
There is that risk with drinking lots of water, but I’d much rather not be dehydrated.
Walking is key! It may not be running (or spinning or whatever you do) but walking around airports is a great way not to get too tight on a flight, and walking in a new destination is the perfect method of exploration. I’ve walked dozens of miles in cities all over the world and stumbled upon some pretty awesome places.
Its amazing where a good pair of walking shoes and our own feet can lead us to.
I always pack workout gear, whether I think I’ll use it or not. I have used the hotel fitness rooms at the last two conferences I went to, and will do so again this year when I go to the next conference.
I always try to pack workout gear as well. Its better to travel with the best intentions instead of going completely unprepared.
I love working out while traveling. I can almost always run outside but if nothing else I travel with exercise bands I can use right in the room if need be.
And I love that resistance bands take up very little space.
I try to make sure I get all my steps in before my flight takes off. Then I bring streaming workouts and my iPad!
Are you able to get all of your daily steps in even if its an early morning flight?
Great tips! I was able to utilize all of them except for the hotel gym on our vacation recently. I also do a lot of yoga “stuff” just in my hotel room, as well as push-ups/squats/planking. My favorite was heading out for short daily (scenic) runs when we were in San Fran….#hillwork 😉
You’re right, its very easy to get in a quick strength training workout in the room.
Staying calm is not one of my strong points but I do love to check out new fitness classes when we travel.
Its not one of my strong points either, but everyday I’m trying to get a little better about it.
I love exploring when I travel. Great way to stay fit and sightsee!
Absolutely!
I’m a huge believer in getting to know a city by walking around it. We do a TON of walking and hiking on vacation. So much so that I usually don’t even bother to run.
I often wonder how much mileage I log while walking around new cities. Its so fun to explore them by foot.
I bring my own water and I bring snacks for the plane. I plan out running routes in advance. Its so fun to explore in a new place!
Oh yes, bringing your own snacks on the plane is another way to avoid the temptation of making poor choices at the airport. And its so much cheaper too.
I’m a really, really, really bad flier. So I do a lot of pacing in airports. If we are away long enough, I will pack my running gear, and I am always down for exploring new places on foot.
If you’re pacing, then you aren’t sitting still. 🙂
I can’t say I miss being a flight attendant but it definitely kept me active running through the airport all day between flights. I know this post has nothing to do w this but your nails are so pretty. I never paint mine bc it always seems to chip so quick.
Thanks! One of my few “me” splurges is getting a gel manicure every couple of weeks.
These are great tips! I always bring an empty water bottle with me, and I love checking out the cities I visit by going for a run.
Me too!
I don’t travel that much but if I did, I would definitely follow all those rules. What great advice.
Thanks Nicole.
Awesome tips! I second the taking your own waterbottle, that is just a must!!
Exploring the new place, to me that is just a Of course, LOL but sadly many visit places to just see one thing and forget there is a whole world to explore even in a small area.
Its sad when people focus on the few tourist traps and fail to explore other parts of the city that they’re visiting.
I LOVE running in different cities when I’m traveling! And the water bottle is definitely a must!
Absolutely!
I always bring an empty water bottle and a bottle of zinc and echinacea!