No, vacation time doesn’t equal no exercise time. In fact, they’re a time when you want to be more deliberate about working out and eating just right if you’re not going to fall into an unhealthy pattern of putting off healthy habits.
How do you exercise on the road and in the vacation spirit? Here are 3 tips.
Plan Pit Stops
It’s very tempting, but don’t just sit back and scroll on your phone during breaks. Long hours on the road mean dealing with stiffness, but smart pit stops aren’t just about stretching – they’re an opportunity to sneak in a workout.
How would that work? You want to schedule breaks as often as you can – every couple of hours – in rest areas, parks, or scenic spots.
Use things like the street view feature on digital maps to find a park with trails or open space. Check out a sturdy bench for incline push-ups, hit nearby steps for step-ups, use a tree for balance exercises, a grassy patch for bodyweight moves; just really get creative with it. Need some cardio? Do a quick jog around the rest area.
Pack Portable Exercise Gear
Lugging around exercise gear might sound extra, but it’s really very helpful if you’re going to work in mini-workout sessions on vacation.
And the great thing is that there is plenty of portable exercise equipment. For example, you want to pack things like resistance bands, a jump rope, or a foldable yoga mat.
Then, just hook up the resistance band for rows, skip the rope in an open area for a cardio boost, and roll out the yoga mat for bodyweight exercises, or even just a good stretch.
Explore Scenic Spots
It’s always a good idea to kill two birds with one stone when you can and proactively choosing scenic spots that could double as workout spots is just one example of just how efficient this can be.
Why settle for a passive sightseeing experience? Plus, it’s one of the easiest ways to make working out something you really want to do, not just some chore to get over with.
Again, do some research. Consult travel blogs, reviews, live maps, etc – and find the convenient places. For example, if it’s a beach locale, hit the shoreline for a jog, maybe drop into the sand for lunges and squats. Mountains? Find those hiking trails and let nature play a part. In fact, do use natural elements for things like bodyweight exercises – rocks or logs make great workout tools.
A road all to yourself, beautiful landscapes, radio tunes, food – road trips can be fun! And now, they can be a chance to form healthy habits as well. There’s no reason why you can’t get in some exercises even as you have all the fun.
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