Are you planning a getaway any time soon? Maybe your employer is sending you to an out-of-state office, or family responsibilities have called you across the country. It could even be a vacation. Regardless of the reason behind it, traveling for any length of time often means you’ll be leaving more than just your friends and family. You could also be putting your exercise routine into temporary limbo, and if that’s the case, your body might have some complaining to do.
Of course, if you’re going on your dream cruise or staying at a five-star hotel, you shouldn’t have a problem. Such venues will normally provide you with excellent workout facilities, often attached to spas. Unfortunately, not everyone is that lucky. It’s possible that the place where you find yourself hanging your hat offers nothing better than a beat-up treadmill and a bench that’s older than the building itself. What will you do then?
Fortunately, staying in shape while away from home is easier than you might think. Here are some tips for doing just that.
Adapting Your Workout Routine to the Circumstances
The first thing you will need to do is make a commitment. Promise yourself that regardless of your location or the limits of your calendar, you will make time to workout, and you will do this despite unfamiliar surroundings and a taxing schedule.
OK, now that we’ve got that out of the way, here are some tips for staying in shape while away. You can always
- Bring along your personal gear. Workout clothes and athletic shoes will fit in any suitcase. The same is true of your swimsuit and resistance bands, but if that’s not enough, give a try to portable hollow dumbbells. Although they weigh only one pound on their own, they serve as creditable weights once you’ve filled them with water. With amenities like these close at hand, you’ll have little excuse for skipping a workout.
- Get to know the territory If you expect to remain in the area for any length of time, it pays to do some exploring. Find a park to run in. Ask around about hiking trails. Scout out a local gym. If worse comes to worst, you can always do calisthenics in your room.
- Rent a bicycle and hit the road. Just be sure that the places you visit are ones that are safe to be in. A strange location could be dangerous, and regardless of how great a shape your gut may be in, you’ll need to count on more than its instincts to keep you out of harm’s way.
- Channel your creativity. Take the long way back to the hotel. Use the stairs instead of the escalator. Park at the farthest end of the lot. Jog in place while brushing your teeth and squeeze in some squats or lunges while waiting for the coffee to brew.
- Use your imagination. On the off-chance that you’ve forgotten to pack your workout gear or don’t have the time to scout out a park or a gym, there are things you can use instead. A heavy chair can support you when working your triceps, and although you won’t want to swing from the window drapes, you can do some interesting stretches with one of the hotel towels.
- Find a personal trainer. The concierge at your hotel might know of one nearby, or a Google search for your current location might easily turn one up. Once you’ve scheduled your appointment, you’ll be far more likely to honor it. You might even learn some new techniques that you’d never thought of before.
- Try something different.Take this opportunity to sample something new? YouTube is loaded with exercise videos. They will cost you nothing to try, and you might even find some new routines that could become your favorites.
- Swim. If you’ve booked a venue with an on-site pool, throw on your suit and jump in. If may be too small for swimming laps, but if you keep at it for 15 minutes, the simple act of treading water can burn off as many as 200 calories.
Whatever you do, don’t throw in the towel and give up. The last thing you want to do is lose all the gains you’ve made over the past months or years. Fortunately, with a little bit of luck and imagination, you should find that staying in shape while away from home is easier than you think.
Speak to one of our personal trainers for more information.