As the summer months pass us by and we are near the end of the pandemic (hopefully) many of us are starting to travel again. Whether it be near or far, it is always nice getting away to see and experience new things. If you are like me, you may worry about your fitness routine getting off track or regressing on progress made, but you also want to enjoy your trip. I’m here to tell you that yes, you can have the best of both worlds. Below you will find some of my tips and tricks to enjoy your vacation without comprising the health and fitness results you have worked so hard to attain.
Hydration
This is huge! If you are unable to try any of the other tips below at least do this one. I have returned from trips that I did not stay hydrated on and felt so dry and tired. It would take me about 2 days to fully re-hydrate and feel my normal self. That’s quite the opposite of the rejuvenated feel one should have upon a return. I consume 1 gallon of water daily, but this can be tough when you are out of your typical routine or have a packed schedule of sight-seeing and activities planned.
There are a few methods I use to combat the predicament listed above:
- Make sure to bring a shaker bottler or other reusable bottle. This way you are guaranteed to have some type of bottle to drink out of in case you cannot stop for bottled water.
- Pick-up some bottled water or gallons at the local grocery store.
- Pack electrolyte drink mix packets, my personal favorite is Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier. They have tons of flavor options and are available at most nutrition shops and grocery stores. Each packet provides the equivalent hydration of 2-3 bottles of water and contain 5 essential vitamins.
- Make it a rule to drink at least 2 glasses of water at each restaurant or bar you stop at.
Exercise
While some may choose to still get their traditional workouts in, you can always try and incorporate fun physical activities into your itinerary. I try and do both when possible. For longer trips, I find myself staying at Airbnb rentals and don’t necessarily I have access to a traditional gym like I would at a hotel. For this reason, anytime I travel I make sure to pack set of Finite Fitness fabric resistance loop bands. They are excellent for travel; lightweight, take up minimal space and can be used for full-body workouts. Now I am sure you are wondering “but when do I find time to get my workouts in”? Although I may not get a workout in every day, I find that there are two time slots that work best for me. One is in the morning while everyone is still sleeping or barley waking up, the other is later in the day before I get ready to go out for the evening.
Now, if you don’t have time or simply just don’t feel like a traditional workout there is plenty more you can do to stay active and get your heart rate going. Look for fun physical activities to do depending on your location. If you are by the water, you can try kayaking or paddle boarding. An alternative is to try looking for the closest park for access to walking or hiking trails. Biking can also be a great way to tour a new place. If none of those are options, you can always opt for a simple 30–60-minute brisk walk around town.
Diet
I will be the first to tell you, when I am on vacation mode, I make this my last priority. Maybe that is why it is the last section of this post? My typical routine is a strict diet, so why not enjoy myself and indulge while I am away? Although I don’t constrain myself to what I eat I still try and do certain things and stay away from others.
Breakfast, this is one meal I do not skip. Sometimes you don’t know where your day is going to take you or when lunch will be, so it is important to get that morning meal in to provide the body with the nutrition and fuel it needs to start the day.
Alcohol. I do enjoy my adult beverages, but I try and stay away from all the sugary mixed drinks. This is one simple way to cut sugar consumption down. Though they vary, your typical mixed drink can have anywhere from 20-40 grams of sugar. To put it into perspective, according to the American Heart Association, it is recommended men should consume no more than 36 grams of sugar per day and women no more than 25 grams per day. I can only speak for myself, but I definitely drink more than one drink a day while I am vacationing.
Supplements and vitamins. You will find baggies or small Tupperware containers with various pills and powders in my backpack. I may not bring all the supplements I normally take but will at the minimum pack my vitamins and protein powder (another reason I travel with a shaker bottle). When air traveling, I have never had any issues taking these items on my carry-on. I bring the vitamins because I am most likely not getting the proper servings of all the food groups needed and will surely require the extra nutrition. The protein powder comes in handy for a quick snack on the go. I like to use the snack size bags to pack pre-portioned servings, so it is easier to carry around.
Remember: Embodying a healthy lifestyle is NOT beating up your body in the gym every day. A truly healthy lifestyle means practicing balance between all important areas: vacations can be enjoyed, workouts can be skipped, and you can get right back to your routine after a break. You won’t lose progress in a week and sometimes these breaks are exactly what our bodies need to come back even stronger the next time you work out.
I hope you enjoyed our second blog post and found some of my travel tips and tricks helpful. Check back next Wednesday for our next topic!
As Always,
Succeed. Improve. Repeat.
-Andrew Davila
Finite Fitness Founder
