Travel Fitness: How to stay fit while traveling

by Jul 11, 2019Health

Traveling for business or pleasure can play havoc with even the best laid travel fitness plans. Let’s face it, travel is not routine (at least for most of us) so of course the pursuit of fitness while traveling isn’t either? When you travel, little is familiar: Surroundings are different, sleep schedules disrupted, eating not the norm, travel delays happen, and all these changes to life’s once familiar paths can become very exhausting or just discombulating.

A little planning plus packing a few fitness essentials, combined with a suitcase full of flexibility, is the way to go. Fitting in fitness will also keep up your energy for all those things you want to do while traveling — discovering new sites, people, foods, cultures and experiences. And making new friends.

Here are a few tips that will get you started staying fit while traveling:

  • It starts with planning and packing, and we have several articles, below, that will help you with just that.
  • Travel, by its very nature, often means you are sitting for very long periods of time to actually arrive. This is not so great for overall well-being. Be sure you are wearing comfortable, walkable shoes when you travel by plane, train, boat or automobile. Stroll up and down airplane or train aisles. Walk the airport terminals between flights. If you are driving, take frequent stops and get out of the car to walk around.
  • If you know you’re going to have a long layover at an airport, check to see if the airport has a gym and pack some workout gear in your carryon. (Some airport gyms also rent gear.)
  • The minute you arrive — especially after a long flight — resist the temptation to flop into bed. Even a brief walk or run or a short session in the fitness center will help to reduce stress, increase your body’s overall energy level, and help you settle in. (Granted, if you arrive in the middle of the night, best to get a good night’s sleep and get a little exercise the next morning.)
  • At your hotel, get creative. More hotels, thankfully, are putting in more of an effort to help guests get creative with fitness. Many loan bikes and helmets for free. Others provide yoga mats and access to fitness apps while there.
  • No matter what, though, it is up to you to motivate yourself. And realize even if the hotel doesn’t have a decent fitness facility, or you simply don’t have the time, you can work out quickly and efficiently in your room, or even the hallway or stairwell (get ready for weird looks and don’t disturb other guests, please). It doesn’t take much space to do lunges, pushups, squats, or stretching exercises. We have an excellent article with workout tips and suggestions, below, to help you with maintaining your travel fitness.

Remember, too, that you don’t need to do as much as you might do normally to maintain fitness (see article, below). In fact, good brisk walking for sightseeing can help you not moan at weight gain or fitness loss when you are back home.

Enter to win a FREE EZQuest UltimatePower 120W GaN USB-C Wall Charger

Enter to win a FREE EZQuest UltimatePower 120W GaN USB-C Wall Charger

We are giving away an UltimatePower 120W GaN USB-C PD Wall Charger. Perfect for travel, the charger has 2 USB-C ports, 1 USB-A port, a 2 meter USB-C cable and an EU plug adapter. It is a charger we use, which is why we are so excited to be able to give one to a lucky winner.

Best places to stay in Mendocino: Find the top hotels, inns and B&Bs

Best places to stay in Mendocino: Find the top hotels, inns and B&Bs

Looking for the best place to stay in Mendocino? Take a look at our guide to the Northern California coast. We help you get to know Mendocino County’s 90 miles of coastline and 20 towns that offer a huge variety of climates, personality, and travel experiences so you end up in the best place to stay.

A traveler’s guide to tea culture around the world

A traveler’s guide to tea culture around the world

In many countries, tea is far more than just another hot drink. It has become a cultural expression of hospitality, spirituality, peace, or harmony. It is often a reason to gather socially. Discover the different tea cultures around the world.

Our-Photo-Gallery-Gifts-Ad

Our award-winning photos make a perfect gift – to yourself, a friend, or a family member. Prints for a wall, on a desk, as greeting cards, cozy fleece blankets, ornaments, fridge magnets, coffee mugs, luggage tags, coasters, mouse pads and puzzles. Subscriber Club members get 25% off any order

Visit Basel: a dream travel destination for modern architecture fans

Visit Basel: a dream travel destination for modern architecture fans

Whoever thought an oft-overlooked city like Basel Switzerland could be jammed with so much jaw-dropping modern architecture? Angles, curves, crazy lines, modernist, and art nouveau, the styles are all-encompassing and will not leave architecture fans visiting Basel wanting.

My tips to keep your hands warm during cold weather photography

My tips to keep your hands warm during cold weather photography

Photography is my passion. But I also have something called Reynaud’s that makes me more susceptible to the cold, especially my hands. So I had to come up with ways to keep my hands warm for cold weather photography. Here are my DIY tips to keep shooting and staying warm, too.

Our Most Recent Travel Stories

Enter to win a FREE EZQuest UltimatePower 120W GaN USB-C Wall Charger

We are giving away an UltimatePower 120W GaN USB-C PD Wall Charger. Perfect for travel, the charger has 2 USB-C ports, 1 USB-A port, a 2 meter USB-C cable and an EU plug adapter. It is a charger we use, which is why we are so excited to be able to give one to a lucky winner.

Best places to stay in Mendocino: Find the top hotels, inns and B&Bs

Looking for the best place to stay in Mendocino? Take a look at our guide to the Northern California coast. We help you get to know Mendocino County’s 90 miles of coastline and 20 towns that offer a huge variety of climates, personality, and travel experiences so you end up in the best place to stay.

A traveler’s guide to tea culture around the world

In many countries, tea is far more than just another hot drink. It has become a cultural expression of hospitality, spirituality, peace, or harmony. It is often a reason to gather socially. Discover the different tea cultures around the world.

Enter to win a FREE EZQuest UltimatePower 120W GaN USB-C Wall Charger

Enter to win a FREE EZQuest UltimatePower 120W GaN USB-C Wall Charger

We are giving away an UltimatePower 120W GaN USB-C PD Wall Charger. Perfect for travel, the charger has 2 USB-C ports, 1 USB-A port, a 2 meter USB-C cable and an EU plug adapter. It is a charger we use, which is why we are so excited to be able to give one to a lucky winner.

Best places to stay in Mendocino: Find the top hotels, inns and B&Bs

Best places to stay in Mendocino: Find the top hotels, inns and B&Bs

Looking for the best place to stay in Mendocino? Take a look at our guide to the Northern California coast. We help you get to know Mendocino County’s 90 miles of coastline and 20 towns that offer a huge variety of climates, personality, and travel experiences so you end up in the best place to stay.

A traveler’s guide to tea culture around the world

A traveler’s guide to tea culture around the world

In many countries, tea is far more than just another hot drink. It has become a cultural expression of hospitality, spirituality, peace, or harmony. It is often a reason to gather socially. Discover the different tea cultures around the world.

Free eBook Travel Guides

Subscriber Club Ebooks Ad-1

Join our subscriber club today and never miss an award-winning story or photograph. Plus you'll receive our monthly newsletter and get full access to FREE downloads of e-books, recipes and more -- no spam, ever, promise.

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove

As an affiliate for Get Your Guide, Amazon.com, iVisa, Global Rescue, Think Tank, 5.11, Kuhl, Adorama, and others, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you should you choose to purchase through the links in our posts. It is essential to mention that we only endorse products we believe in and personally use. Your support for HI Travel Tales through these purchases allows us to maintain a sustainable platform for creating valuable and relevant content for you. 


Advertisement

Are you protected IF a travel emergency happens?

Global Rescue Travel Insurance Rescue Banner