How To Stay Fit While Traveling

Staying fit while traveling is probably the last thing on our mind. I have always had the travel bug and for the last 15 years thanks to my job I have managed to visit many countries on official trips as well as personal ones. Luckily for me I have never had an issue of putting on loads of weight so it always came down to maintain a good body weight and more importantly staying fit and healthy.

There is always a misconception that you can let it all go when traveling and give up exercising since it probably is going to be difficult to make time and effort to work out. While our heart may just want to let it all go and have a blast there is always a way to do both – travel and stay fit. While I say all this I am no means a health food fanatic or a fitness expert but just someone who would not want to regret not trying especially after taking the trouble to reach where I am. For a foodie like me, there is no way I would give up trying the delicacies from the region and while I do indulge it does not mean I would binge eat instead try to eat in reasonable proportions.

Keeping fit is quite important thing to many of us and one of the reasons people tend to lose focus is because of traveling. So be it a quick trip to a nearby city or a business visit or a personal getaway across the world there are few things one can do to stay fit while traveling and don’t worry I never recommend dieting as I have never done it in my life !

Eat a healthy breakfast

Everyone harps about breakfast being the most important meal of the day and many tend to ignore it because of their busy schedule. Breakfast is important because it replenishes the glucose that has been used up by the body to repair the muscles and tissues throughout the night. Most hotel have a large breakfast spread which has enough to ensure you eat like a king. When I travel I try to ensure my breakfast has a little protein, carbs, sugar, and fibre in the form of eggs, fruit, yogurt, oatmeal, cereal, etc. Having a good and healthy breakfast maintains the rhythm of the body so that you do not crave for junk food during the day.

Drink plenty of water

Water is important when you want to keep fit and hydrated when travelling. Especially when traveling it is easy to fall prey to those carbonated drinks which are more easily available and cheaper than water so ideally carry enough water to keep you going throughout the day. If you land up working out at the gym then the water intake should be more than the usual as it replenishes the water content in the body that is lost through sweating during exercise.

Use the hotel gym or pool

Most of the hotels and resorts that host travelers have facilities such as a gym or a pool. The gym may have weights and other equipment that you may use for a quick workout. If you are not upto to sweating it out at the gym then I would suggest taking a few laps in the hotel pool as swimming is a very effective full body exercise.

Go for walking or cycling tours

If you are the kind of person who hates working out indoors then cycling around the city or walking tours would be ideal to experience the new city as well a good way to keep fit while traveling. Cycling for an hour steadily burns up to 400-500 calories and is one of the best cardio exercises especially if you have a bad knee.

Most people do not realize the importance of investing in a good pair of shoes. Though the current trend of eating healthy and exercising is more, there is still very little thought given to your foot health. Most do not realize that worn out or ill fitting shoes is the leading cause of injury. Especially if you are travelling and planning to go for that run/cycle in unfamiliar surroundings please do take heed and invest in the right pair of footwear according to your planned activity to have a injury free trip.

I also recommend to pick up a smart watch which tracks your daily steps, calories, distance covered etc. In addition to cycling and walking, going on hikes or treks is a fantastic way to explore new environments.

Eat small meals throughout the day

I always recommend eating smaller meals through the course of the day on a regular basis. I would still recommend this when you travel too as it limits the huge hunger pangs towards a meal such lunch / dinner thereby preventing from overeating. Once you are in new country or city there is always the opportunity to try different dishes and use this opportunity to get those small meals in. Small meals also allow your body time to metabolise the calories and distribute them efficiently.

Carry a few nutritional bars or fruits on sight-seeing trips

When you are on sight-seeing trips, you may only come across restaurants and shops that only sell junk food. Only of recent I have started eating a few well researched nutritional bars and it definitely helps keep my hungry monster at bay especially between meals. They provide energy and reduce the feeling of hunger and they do not have excess calories.If you are hesitant to try anything new, then bring it with you from your home rather than having to pick it up in a new place.

Go for a run / walk and enjoy the sunrise

I love a good morning run but I fall prey to laziness when travelling and sleep in many times. But the thought of a run on the beach or run just around sunrise in a new country gets me off the bed. A run first thing in the morning helps to awaken your mind and body and leaves you with the feeling to take on the day with new vigour.

Have fun staying active

The thought that crosses your mind when thinking of exercise should never be one you dread. Wherever you are make sure you spice up workout with some good music. If you are traveling and using a hotel gym or pool then it a good way to interact with other travelers and probably even make some new friends. Spread your exercise through the course of the day by doing some bodyweight exercises such as push ups, squats, lunges etc in the hotel room and take a walking/cycling tour during the day. This way you do not spend more time and have fun at the same time.

Party responsibly

When you are travelling, it is easy to get caught up with the experience and excessive alcohol consumption is the worst way to undo all that you have accomplished over the last few months. Not only would it spoil your next morning when you wake up with a hangover but it would leave you lethargic and irritated too. Everything in moderation is the best way to get the most of the whole experience.

Sleep well

Sometimes I feel I need to sleep through the holiday as I need to unwind and just give my body that much needed rest. But sometimes I do the opposite and try to cramp as much as possible during a trip leaving me exhausted and wanting a vacation after my vacation. Anyone in their right mind would know that sleep is very important and even more when you are physically active. Ensure you get your 8 hours of sleep to stay energetic the next day and a little added bonus is that you burn calories when you sleep !

Staying fit while traveling may not be a priority but most of the above mentioned tips are quite simple to follow. At the end of the day, the feeling of being fit, healthy and happy is the most important wherever you go.

Disclaimer: I’m not a fitness instructor, nutritionist or a doctor. But I have learnt a lot from my experiences and hope to help others who want to stay fit.

Image courtesy: Hotel Lalit Ashok (Bangalore), Pixabay, Flickr.

22 thoughts on “How To Stay Fit While Traveling

  • June 2, 2018 at 10:50 am
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    Very best blog about hot to stay on travelling. healthy breakfast and cycle tours is fantastic suggestion. thank you very much for best tours suggestion.

    Reply
  • June 2, 2018 at 3:03 pm
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    Staying fit during traveling is a tough job. Bookmarking this post right now! 🙂

    Reply
  • June 4, 2018 at 2:19 pm
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    This few tips which you explained here will definitely gonna help everyone when they are travelling .

    Reply
  • June 5, 2018 at 12:30 am
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    Very informative post this is . I am big travel lover so it’s helps me alot.. A healthy breakfast and drink lots of water is really the best points

    Reply
  • June 5, 2018 at 6:49 am
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    Eating breakfast and drinking water are two key elements of a diet needed to loose Weight. Sleep is crucial to loose weight too

    Reply
  • June 5, 2018 at 8:24 am
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    these are some very simple and doable things that one can incorporate when on holidays or travel. great post and must read especially for people on the go.

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  • June 5, 2018 at 8:48 am
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    Great tips! I always took vacation as a time to break from exercise routine and indulge but you have mentioned wonderful tips on how to maintain that balance.

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  • June 5, 2018 at 9:53 am
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    You have shared all the imp tips. I also dont eat much while traveling and nutritional bar is good option always.

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  • June 5, 2018 at 10:03 am
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    Keeping health in check while travelling is a major issue but the factors mentioned here are doable. I could totally relax about travelling and fitness now

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  • June 5, 2018 at 10:58 am
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    people really do not care about health while travelling. these are amazing tips that should be kept in mind while travelling

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  • June 5, 2018 at 10:58 am
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    Thank you for this amazing and very useful tips which we all need to incorporate on a vacation travel and also in our daily lives .starting the day with a great healthy breakfast is truly the best way to begin the day.

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  • June 5, 2018 at 11:29 am
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    Great options, we usually have light yet nutritious breakfast and try to keep lots of walk or trek or cycling while we travel.

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  • June 5, 2018 at 11:58 am
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    Thank you for the amazing tips. I travel very frequently and it’s quite tough to manage health while traveling. Will refer and keep these tips handy.

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  • June 5, 2018 at 12:02 pm
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    Love that all your tips are simple and practically possible with a little concious effort. Love walking during vacations so my beach walks are super beneficial.

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  • June 5, 2018 at 1:53 pm
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    These are some very useful tips to keep in mind while travelling. We often sleep very less during any trip because of close schedules

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  • June 5, 2018 at 3:30 pm
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    Excellent tips! I usually forget to pack my walking shoes.. but if i could just be more mindful while travelling and follow your tips i would be in so much better a condition 🙂

    Reply
  • June 5, 2018 at 4:47 pm
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    A very helpful post to keep healthy even travelling .Will definitely try swimming abd walking daily.

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  • June 5, 2018 at 7:14 pm
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    This is a lovely and informative post. Such a reminder that holidays may not be always unhealthy. We can still take care of our health with these tips.

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  • June 21, 2018 at 3:02 pm
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    This is very timely. I will be travelling to a total of 10 countries in the next few weeks and actually a bit worried that I wouldn’t be able to exercise properly.

    These tips on how to stay fit while travelling is just perfect. Thank you so much!

    Reply
  • July 13, 2018 at 10:38 pm
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    Amen on the sleep, which most people neglect.

    What do you think about fasting—intermittent fasting at least? It’s about the opposite of the snacking suggestion you make here but has worked really well for my girlfriend and I.

    Reply
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