When I travel I always have the best of intentions to maintain my fitness routine. I take workout clothes! I have gear! I have simple exercises to do in a hotel room!
And yet—
I have taken many a trip and never put on the workout clothes or used any of my gear. Many of my trips involve lots of sightseeing and walking-up to 30,000 steps a day. I often think I’ve had enough exercise for the day when that happens. But a lot of the time I’m spending hours in a car or on a bus and won’t be getting that many steps. I really need to fit in more of my exercise routine to stay fit while traveling. And, of course, to enjoy the good things that come with visiting new places-the food, the beverages, etc.
I’m writing this post to share my simple travel fitness ideas hoping it will motivate me as well as you to keep up the routines that I’ve used in the past. Even just 15 minutes a day to do one or more of these ideas has helped keep me in good shape away from home.
Here are 4 of my fitness travel hacks:
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Want to take a walk but are unfamiliar with the neighborhood?
Ask the hotel concierge for the Walk/Run Map. Often there are safer routes for walking and running than you might just find on your own. Good hotels will have a range of routes and distances for guests. If they don’t have a pre-printed map, the concierge should be able to give you some ideas. Especially going out early in the morning gives a new perspective on the area.
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Bring along a stretchy resistance band
You know the kind that comes in different tensions and different colors. It takes up barely any room in a suitcase and is great for in-room stretching and resistance training. There are loads of videos and instructions all over the internet to work all the major muscle groups. I find it helpful to do some curls and other upper body exercises since I tend to do a lot of walking on trips, anyway. I also like to do stretches holding the band in different ways.
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Bring Yoga Paws
I love these small, lightweight padded covers for hands and feet. They make it possible to do yoga without a yoga mat. I’ve had several pairs over the years and they are so easy to pack and use.
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Create a simple calisthenics routine.
Excellent advice