Summer is well underway, which means you’re probably traveling and enjoying the warm weather. Whether you are thinking about losing weight and getting healthy or have been dieting for months, some of the biggest concerns people have while traveling is staying fit. A lot of people have trouble trying to stay fit in their new lifestyle with traveling because they don’t know how. So how do you manage to keep up dieting and exercise while traveling?
There are multiple ways to incorporate your fitness goals into your traveling schedule while also enjoying yourself. Certified personal trainers Russell Wynter and Crystal Reeves from Mad Sweat in Scottsdale gave us their tips on making the time to exercise while traveling. These include:
- 5 exercises you can do in your hotel room
- Staying Motivated while traveling
- Indulging and Your Fitness Goals
Before we dive into the details of how you can stay fit on your next vacation, there are 3 traveling tips you should always keep in mind. These 3 tips include:
- Have a plan
- No fitness center? No problem!
- Watch your diet at restaurants
Have a plan
With a little planning ahead, staying fit while traveling can be easy. When planning your trip, look for hotels that have fitness centers. With most hotel fitness centers you will have access to exercise equipment or at least a treadmill so you can get in some cardiovascular exercise. If the hotel has a gym you can even consider adding these low impact workouts and doing them for at least 30 minutes.
No Fitness center? No problem!
If there isn’t a gym where you are staying, plan a walk around town, sightsee or go for a hike. Swimming is also a good activity and most hotels have a pool available for your use. It’s low impact and can be fun for everyone you are traveling with. Additionally, by planning in advance, you can get your own unique workouts in!
You can bring your own stuff like a foam roller, resistance bands, and fitness DVD’s that allow you to challenge yourself using the bands and your bodyweight. There are even fitness apps that you can download on your phone that give workout tips and workouts.
Watch your eating at restaurant
A few days of eating high end or fast food restaurants meals can undo some of your best efforts. Many restaurants now have a variety of low calorie meals to choose from. If they don’t have that option, just make sure to make healthy substitutions. Have the baked potato instead of the au gratin potato or choose baked chicken instead of fried. Making these small substitutions can make a big difference when trying to lose weight and stay fit.
1. 5 Exercises to do while traveling
If you don’t have resistance bands or fitness DVDs, you don’t have to worry because you can exercise in your hotel room and utilize some of the room accessories as weights.
Pushups
Begin in pushup position with feet together and toes on the floor; hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Draw-in your belly button and squeeze your glutes. Keep your back flat and slowly lower body towards the floor, lowering and squeezing shoulder blades. Pushup to your starting position. Do not jut your head forward. You can also do the pushups on your knees if you need more support.
Plank
Lie on stomach with feet together and forearms on ground. Clench fists under shoulders. Draw-in belly button and squeeze butt muscles. Lift body off floor and form a straight line from head to toe. Hold between 10-20 seconds.
Body Weight (Prisoner) Squat
Stand with your feet straight and shoulder width apart and with your knees slightly bent and hands behind ears. Slowly squat while bending the knees and keeping your feet straight. Keep chest up, squeeze butt muscles and press through heels to return to the starting position, fully extending the hips.
Tricep Dips
Have a seat on a secured bench or stable chair position with your hands facing forward shoulder-width apart. Slide your bottom off the front of the bench with your legs extended out in front of you. Slowly lower your body until your shoulder joints are below your elbows. Push back up until your elbows are nearly straight but do not lock them out.
Lunge with Rotation
Position your feet hip width apart and your arms reaching straight out in front of you at chest height. Step one foot out into a lunge position, bending both knees and rotate arms and torso over lead leg. Rotate back to neutral and stand up. Repeat with opposite leg.
Hotel Room Objects as Weights
Not only can you use your own body weight to get an effective workout in your room, you can also use several common hotel room items to help you. You can use the clothing iron in your hotel room as a weight for curls, or if there isn’t a clothing iron, you can use water bottles. A chair or tabletop can be used for tricep dips or you can even use a towel to do rows or stretch. But you should always inspect anything you plan on using. For example, when using tables or chairs check for stability and safety before you decide to use them. Don’t risk getting hurt because you want to get in a workout.
2. Stay motivated while traveling
Russell and Crystal suggest staying motivated in the same way you would when you aren’t traveling. Know your goals and strive to reach them. So whether you set reminders on your phone, or write them down, knowing your goals will greatly help. You can also create new ways to motivate yourself. If you keep your goals in mind and have a plan while you’re away, even if you slightly stray you’ll still be on track for success. It’s not about being perfect but being consistent.
3. Indulging and staying fit while on vacation
Many do not think that it is possible to enjoy a bite or two of your favorite junk food or sweets while trying to stay in shape, but as long as you stay active you should burn off those extra calories. If you have a few good realistic goals you may find it pretty easy to stay on track without really trying. Remember you’re on vacation and enjoy yourself!
If you plan on traveling and dieting, DreamBody can help jumpstart in your weight loss journey. Book a consultation to learn about our HCG, Cold Laser Liposuction and other services that can help you achieve these goals.
