TIPS FOR YOUR VACATION WORKOUTS
Prior to two years ago, I would always workout leading up to a vacation to get in good shape. Once I was at my destination however, I would forget about all my hard work leading up to it and spend my time eating and lounging around. This would make my recovery time from vacation hard. After 4-5 days of no working out getting back to the gym felt so tough. I felt like I would spend the next few months trying to find my routine again and get back into all the good habits that I abandoned on vacation.
And then last year, I started doing something different. I started incorporating workouts into my vacation. I didn’t let them take over my vacation – I just made time for them – even if it was only a 20 minute workout. And that has been so transformative for my ability to stay in shape.
What follows are a few things I do to workout on vacations and some tips for keeping up your workout routine. Or heck, maybe starting a workout routine for the first time!
Don’t set yourself up for failure. If you don’t normally workout 5 days a week, don’t tell yourself that your vacation is the time to start! Be realistic with your expectations and give yourself a lot of grace. It is vacation after all.
Just do it! Make time – even if it’s 20 minutes a day to do some exercise. You don’t need a gym, and you’ll be surprised how just doing some body weight squats, sit-ups and push ups will keep you energized and feeling happy for the rest of the day.
Took a break from laying out to get a quick workout in with my good friend Karl
Balance: I’ve found that I tend to make better decisions on food when I workout.
Well sometimes anyways…
I’m a big proponent of food and love it all – fried, fresh and anything in between. I am just as likely to eat a delicious cheeseburger from In-n-Out as I am to eat a vegan quinoa bowl. Because balance. But I notice when I workout right before a meal, I tend to make better food choices. So if you can plan to do your workout an hour to 20 minutes before you’re planning to eat, that can also help. As long as you aren’t waiting too long between working out and eating meals. If I wait too long after working out before eating, I’m sooooo much more like to order than cheeseburger than the quinoa bowl. (But again: it’s vacation so frickin eat that cheeseburger if you want it)
Use resistance bands. This allows you to bring easy-to-pack workout equipment wherever you go. My favorite brand is Peach Bands and I bring them with me every time I travel. Resistance bands are a great way to up that body weight workout. I posted one video using exclusively workout bands below.
Also pick some travel workouts and try them at home beforehand so you’ll know what to expect. I use do resistance band workouts all the time at my house when I am too lazy to leave my house can’t get to the gym.
Fun Little Workout Using Peach Band Resistance Bands!
Utilize your hotel gym. If there is a gym at your hotel where you’re staying – use it! I used to never use the hotel gym – I felt like it was cheating on vacation to go to the gym. But I know I’m going to get a quality workout if I’m lifting weights, so now I try to go.
Quick Gym Workout that only takes about 40 minutes to get through and then it’s back to the pool for some relaxing.
Plan something outside. Depending on where you’re staying for vacation – take a hike! Go swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving (burns SO many calories). If you’re in an urban area walk as many places as you can instead of taking a lyft or Uber. Get those steps in and do it while enjoying the scenery of a new place.
Swimming through the Lava Tubes on Oahu is a great workout!
Kayaking is another great way to get outside, get a good workout and explore while on Vacation
Scope out what’s offered in the area in terms of fitness. Things like Class Pass make it easy to try workout classes in other cities. Some of the best workout classes I’ve ever done were when I was on vacation in NYC. One is called 305 Fitness and is like Zumba only much sassier with glow-in-the-dark stuff and more cardio-intense, if that’s even possible!
How I felt after trying a 305 Class with my friend Liz.
Remember: At the end of the day, the point of a vacation is to relax and enjoy being someplace different that your usual home. But keeping up (somewhat) with your normal habits and workouts can help you come home in a better state of mind.
Back from vacation but still wearing my Hawaii Pineapple shirt