I can attest that it’s far too easy to fall off the exercise wagon while traveling. It seems silly to think about hitting the treadmill or maintaining your curling routine when the Colosseum is right outside your hotel window.
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Thankfully, a variety of low- and high-tech solutions are available to the modern vagabond — everything from simple bodyweight exercises to supplements like Energy Renew offer options to stay in shape no matter where you are in the world. Here are a few of my favorites:
#1: Bodyweight Exercises
If your hotel doesn’t have a fitness center, no worries. These days, travelers can skip the gym altogether. With bodyweight exercises, you need little more than — wait for it — the weight of your own body. This list is a good place to start, although you certainly don’t need to worry about doing all fifty. Find a handful that work well for you and stick to them.
What’s more: there’s a wide variety of free mobile apps available to guide you through and keep track of your bodyweight workouts. Bodyweight Training: You Are Your Own Gym is a good place to start for iPhone users.
#2: Fitness Trackers
Oftentimes, just being aware of how much activity you’ve actually engaged in on a daily basis can help motivate you to do more. These days, fitness trackers come in all shapes and sizes. I just started testing Microsoft’s new Band and, so far, I’m loving it. It’s unobtrusive, water-resistant, and helps to track not only my fitness but also my sleep, calories burned, and heart rate. What’s more is that it connects to a free mobile app for a very comprehensive overview of my fitness goals, weekly progress, etc.
#3: Find an Active Destination
Of course the best option is to find a destination that offers a wide array of active options to begin with. This way, you’re seamlessly blending work and play. No matter where I travel in the world, there are always opportunities. Winter-friendly destinations offer cross-country skiing, ice climbing, snowshoeing, etc. In waterfront destinations, you can kayak, canoe, snorkel, waterski, and more. No matter the destination, ten minutes of research before leaving home will usually reveal way more activities than you can pack into even a month-long trip.
#4: Pack Healthy Snacks
When it comes to snacking on the road, airports and transport stations are awash in processed, junk food. To combat this, I pack a fistful of healthier snacks at home. Nuts, protein bars, dried fruit … whatever works for you. I find that, purely from a money-saving standpoint, I’m more likely to eat what I’ve already brought rather than spend more on unnecessary snacks. You can even make your own energy bars cheaply at home.