If exercise is part of your routine, you’ve probably wondered how to stay fit while travelling. Most of us must travel at some point or another, whether it is for on a business trip or on a leisure break. It’s possible – and perfectly doable – to stay in shape while travelling: the easiest way to achieve this is focusing on both exercise and diet. Here are some suggestions on how to do so.
How to exercise when travelling
If you want to stay fit while travelling, plan and try to look for hotels with gym. Having a gym where you can work out means you don’t need to pack exercise equipment with you. Just make sure you have your favourite gym clothes, and you’re set.
Of course, not all hotel gyms are equal, so you may need to do some research about the specific facilities available before booking your accommodation. The most basic exercise to stay fit is cardio, so look for hotels that have a selection of cardio equipment, such as treadmills, ellipticals, rowing machines, and vertical bikes. It’s good to have more than one choice, because this way you can increase or decrease the intensity of your workout as you wish.
You can also use the gym while traveling to do weight training. This is a great complement to cardio-based exercises, and ideally your workouts should feature a mix of both cardio and strength training. Variety is the spice of life, and this applies to exercise too! Strength training doesn’t only have to mean weightlifting: you can try TRX, dumbbells, punching bags, kettlebells or Russian weights.
If you’re travelling with friends and you’re all into fitness, you may want to look for hotel gyms that offer group training. For example, hotel Catalonia Barcelona Plaza has a fully equipped gym with customizable group training areas for up to 5 users.
The final suggestion is to look for a hotel with pool. Swimming is one of the most effective exercises out there, as it targets both your cardio endurance and tones up your muscles. And if you want to take things a step beyond, try some HIIT routines in the pool.
Eating healthy while you travel
To maximise the effects of your workout routine, remember to have a healthy diet during your trip. It can be difficult to eat well when you’re out and about sightseeing, or if you’re busy in and out of business meetings. For optimal health, your travel diet should include a balanced mixed of fresh fruit and vegetables and proteins – if possible, in every meal.
If you travel often or are planning to stay in more than one location during your trip, go for filling and nutritious foods. Eggs, oats, boiled potatoes, seeds, and nuts are pretty much available everywhere and are the basics of a diet for frequent travellers, in addition to fruit and vegetables.
Here are other travel diet suggestions that you may find useful:
- Drink plenty of water to ensure you stay hydrated, especially if you’ve travelled to your destination by plane.
- Avoid foods and beverages with “empty calories”, such as sugar-based snacks and soft drinks.
- If your trip will last more than a few days, pack some protein powder to add to the juices and smoothies that your hotel may serve for breakfast.
- Plan your post-exercise meals in advance: peanut butter on toast, hard-boiled eggs, and porridge are easy to prepare and the ingredients are easy to find.
