5 Tips to Keep Fit While on The Go
Whether you’re traveling for work or enjoying the digital nomad life, staying healthy on the go can be tough. Long hours spent sitting in airports or hotels can squash your workout progress, while dining on fast-food and vending machine fare can leave you feeling sluggish. But staying healthy while traveling isn’t impossible. You can stay fit anywhere in the world if you’re willing to look for solutions, not excuses. Here are some actionable ways you can stay fit while traveling.
Walk as much as you can
Whether you’re carpooling or catching a flight, traveling usually means doing a lot of sitting. Excessive sitting time is associated with all kinds of health problems, including increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Thankfully, you can offset your risk by breaking up your sitting time with walking. Take the stairs instead of the escalator, walk downtown instead of getting an uber, or even do laps around the airport while waiting for your flight. It might not seem like much, but little moments add up fast.
Take advantage of gyms
If you want to keep up more intensive workouts while traveling, take full advantage of your hotel gym. Go for a jog on the treadmill for cardio, or lift some free weights to work on strength training. Another option is to get a gym membership with a national chain. If you’re traveling within the country, chances are you can find a good place to work out no matter where you are.
Do hotel room cardio
Who says you need gym equipment to get a good workout done? You can keep fit right inside your own hotel room with a little motivation. Unless you’re on the ground floor, go for exercises that don’t involve a lot of jumping around, like push-ups, planks, or reverse crunches. If you’d rather not lay on the floor, you can get your heart pumping with standing exercises like squats and lunges. You can even use your suitcase as a makeshift weight for strength training on the go.
Drink plenty of water
Whether you’re at home or on location, staying hydrated is key to staying healthy. Carry a reusable water bottle in your bag so you can avoid the temptations of soda in the vending machine. If you’re worried about drinking tap water, try a bottle with a built-in filtration system. You can fill them up anywhere from a drinking fountain to a mountain stream without having to worry about bacteria.
Plan your meals
Staying healthy while eating out is a challenge, but it can be done with some pre-planning. Before your trip, take a look at restaurants in the area where you’ll be staying and make a list of ones that have healthier options. This can help keep you from scarfing down a burger in a moment of desperation. To stay satisfied between meals, slip some healthy snacks in your carry-on, like a bag of nuts or your favorite protein bar. It’s the perfect way to fight off cravings for unhealthy snacks no matter where you are.
You don’t have to hibernate in the winter. There are plenty of ways to stay motivated throughout the season. All it takes is a no-excuses attitude and a willingness to commit. A little help from FGP doesn’t hurt, either.