7 ways to stay in shape while travelling

It can be hard to stay in shape while travelling. Yet, vacation is meant to be a break from real life isn’t it. Some of you might be thinking, why the heck would I want to work out while I’m on vacation?

For me, I actually love working out and getting a sweat on, I actually can’t start my day until I’ve worked out. Maybe for you, you don’t want to give up the hard work you do at home. Maybe, you just want to be able to eat your face off without the guilt. Whatever it is, these are some of the ways that I try and stay in shape while travelling. No matter where I go!

Walking

After getting my Fitbit Charge 2 and travelling with it, I really realized how much I walk while being on vacation. Even if you don’t want to go to the gym walking can be one of the best ways to stay in shape while travelling.

I think most people wildly underestimate how many kilometers they walk when simply touring around a city. Spending 3 hours walking around can burn up to 700 calories. That’s a lot.

Think back from one of your past vacations when walking around a city. It’s likely you were touring around for more than three hours and covering way more ground. That can build up pretty quickly, and certainly, help offset the extra calories you’re taking in.

Go for a run

Going for a run while on vacation is one of the best ways to not only stay in shape but also see the destination. I often find when I have a limited amount of time in a specific city, you can cover some extra ground without even thinking about it.

During our trip to Colmar, France, I woke up early in the morning to go for a run. Most of the city hadn’t even woken up at that point which meant I got some incredible photos in places that otherwise would have been filled with tourists.

As a woman running in a new destination I always make sure to map out my run first. I typically stick to the busier streets and will never go out after dark. Sometimes I’ll even turn my data on just so that I’m connected if anything could happen. Or I get lost which happens more times than I’d like to admit.

Get in the water

If you’re visiting a tropical destination than setting some time aside to go for a swim is a great way to stay in shape while travelling. I’m not a huge swimmer but I really like it if I’m doing a water sport.

One of my favourite things to do in the water is stand-up paddle boarding. It’s a really great exercise and a good way to get some awesome photography. One of my most memorable experiences was SUP’ing in Gili Trawangan and seeing the schools of fish swimming below me. It was truly incredible.

Take a local class

Another really amazing way to stay in shape while travelling is to take a class at a local club or studio. This obviously won’t apply to every destination but in places like New York City, home to Soul Cycle, how could you not take a class?

A really memorable experience I had was partaking in yoga classes at the Yoga Barn in Bali. The studio itself was absolutely incredible to visit. I don’t think anything will beat doing a downward dog with palm trees all around and the sound of monkeys chirping in the background. It was such an epic experience.

Hotel room workout

It’s very rare for a hotel in Europe to have a gym inside so I often find myself doing workouts in the room. In fact, I will often do this at home if I’m feeling too lazy to walk to the gym. Although, writing that I can see the irony of that sentence.

One of my favourite things to use is the Nike Training Club app. There are so many workouts for you to choose from you really will never get bored. Plus you can filter it by workouts without using any equipment which is perfect for doing in a hotel room. On our recent trip to Malta, I went out onto our balcony at The Palace and did an at home workout overlooking the city with the sun setting in the background. If that’s not perfection, I’m not sure what is.

Be mindful of what you’re eating

Look I’m not saying go to Paris and steer clear of the croissants. Nor am I saying don’t eat the pizza in Italy. All I’m saying is practice a little bit of self control.

One of the best ways to stay in shape while travelling it to eat the local fruits and vegetables. Not only is this a much healthier option but it’s also a great way for you to try new foods or perhaps old ones in a different way.

That being said, I’ll always leave myself a little bit of extra room for that after dinner gelato when I’m in Europe. When in Rome after all …