I have discussed the difference between travelling and vacation before, and this post is targeted at travelling. I’ll tell you why, because if I am on vacay for a few days only, you better believe I am going to treat myself, and if there are no interesting dance classes or fitness classes in the area, than I’m lazing on the beach or by the pool, only! #guilty but sorry not sorry.
I try and lead a very active lifestyle, to stay healthy and also because I enjoy it, however I do suffer from having a terribly guilty conscious. So this leads me to needing to get adequate exercise in, pretty frequently. I like to buy gym passes when travelling around, however its pretty standard wherever in the world I’ve been, that a casual pass is around $20 to step in the door of a gym. Now every so often I will take the hit and do it, but when travelling long term, sometimes it’s not always feasible. Sometimes you could be in an area without a gym too, or maybe you can’t stand the gym in general! This brings me to, my top tips on staying active while travelling;
Find an accountability partner
If you are travelling with others, this could be a little easier for you. How ever if you are solo, this is still possible. I am most usually away from home, and I have friends message me all the time asking me to keep them accountable for something. Sometimes when you are in different time zones, it can work out for the better. Ask a friend to message you before they go to bed reminding you to go for your morning walk. Easy, right?! I find it more motivating to know that if I don’t do something, I could disappoint someone. Don’t get me wrong, that friend probably doesn’t give a shit if I skipped my walk that day. However it inspires me to get up and go, if I think that I need to report in, if I didn’t! Of course I could just tell them I went, and in fact I didn’t go. But again, #guilty. You could also find a new friend in a hostel you are staying in, and do a hike together or walk together into town rather than catch the bus. You get the point.
BYO
Once I had established a very routine exercise regime at home, I was a bit nervous to get back on the road, for fear of not being able to stay motivated. I decided it would be best to invest in some very light weight, easy to travel with equipment, so that I could get some necessary movement in, from anywhere. To start I bought a 2 handled tube resistant band and a skipping rope. I figured I could use the skipping rope for cardio and the resistance band looped nicely around the frame of bunk beds. I could use it for an upper body workout, and do a floor work ab routine to top it off. This worked really well and was great to have these light weight, foldable items with me. I’ve now expanded and also carry a booty resistant band, which is great to step up the lower body workout. You can buy this equipment very inexpensively from a department store, or alternatively if you want some more heavy duty durable equipment, its worth the investment from a sports store too.
Use Apps
I was shown an amazing quick but effective workout app, utalising body weight only. You could choose the targeted style of workout you wanted (booty,abs, arms, legs etc), and there were varying time frames also. I initially had the grand idea of doing these workouts in a beautiful park out doors somewhere, but realistically I would do them in a dorm room. I would find a good time where everyone was out exploring, usually midday-ish. Sometimes if there were a few ladies around, I’d ask them if they wanted to join and do a workout all together! That worked out to be a lot more fun than I expected! And people were way more keen to join than I anticipated too! Probably sounded like a pack of elephants for the rooms below, so pick your timings right! And prepare for random bouts of giggling!
Save money and walk
I usually use the first day when arriving at each location to suss out how I would get in my exercise each day. I know it sounds obsessive, I’m just a planner! I remember when I was travelling Croatia I stayed in a few places with beautiful water side walking paths, so I would aim to set my alarm each morning and go for a run along the water. What a way to wake up, right!? I like to semi map out the days when I am limited on time, so planning exercise really fits well into this. If there is a hike I want to do, I’ll pencil that in, or if I want a more relaxed and recovery style day than, I know I’ll need to fit a workout somewhere. If I want to explore the town, then I’ll see if its feasible to walk it all, rather than using public transport etc. Alternatively find some great stair cases in the area, and just do laps of the stairs! Sometimes there are some in really scenic areas, and its a great and quick way to get your cardio in!
Something to keep in mind, and its something I need to remind myself of daily too. Is the importance of being kind to yourself, both physically and mentally. I understand and appreciate the importance of leading an active healthy lifestyle, however I know I can be guilty in pushing myself too hard, and not allowing my body the rest it needs. Now I’ve learnt to listen to myself and my body and feel more in tune to it’s needs. If you miss a day, know that you can pick it straight back up tomorrow! Keep in mind the fact that sometimes while travelling your days can be much more active than your regular days at home and take this into consideration too. Be kind and be gentle, challenge yourself where you can. Don’t be afraid to push your limits, but listen to your body. Most importantly do your best to stay happy and healthy, both inside and out! You’ve got this!
Tour De Jazz 