Working Out While Traveling

Another post I wrote back in the day, along with some edits.

Exercise While Traveling
by JESSICA ROSSING on FEBRUARY 23, 2011

When traveling for business or pleasure, do you stress about staying on top of your workouts and maintaining your healthy lifestyle while away from home? You shouldn’t. It's very doable. Here are some tips to help keep those habits going even when outside of your normal environment.
Whether you are flying or driving to your destination there are some simple things you can do to move your body.

What to do while en route to your destination.

1- Walk instead of taking the moving walk ways. While at your gate you can do anything active. Jog in place, burpees, yoga, jumping jacks, lunges, squats, push-ups, etc. Once on the plane you can get up and walk the aisles. If you're waiting for the bathroom do some calf raises, squats, stretch, move every part of your body to keep you from getting stiff. Let your ego go once on the plane. Who cares if you (key word YOU) might feel like you look silly. At least your sticking to your habits and not letting anything get in your way.
2- If driving, when you stop for gas or a bathroom break, get up and move that bod! Jog in place, jog around the gas station, do some dynamic stretching, dance, just move. You have the freedom to do anything since you're not confined to a plane.
3- Moving your body will keep you from getting stiff, keep your blood flowing through the body which will help keep you more alert as well.

Things to do once you get to your destination.
If you are staying at a hotel, a family or friends house with a gym or no gym, there are plenty of options to remain active and get a kick butt workout.

1- If at a hotel check out their facility. If there is a gym it’s than likely they have a bike, treadmill, or elliptical, a swiss ball, and some dumbbells, maybe more. This will make it easy for you to stay on track with your routine. As in your regular life back home make time to hit the gym in the hotel as if it were your gym at home.

2- If at a friend or family members home. Ask if they have a gym membership and if you could be a guest visitor with them. This will make it easier to maintian what you do at home, plus you have someone to go with you which might be more motivation and a lot more fun to share what you do back home. If they don't have a gym, go for a walk, jog, you can do body exercises (sqauts, burpees, push-ups, lunges, plank, bicycle, etc)

3- If there is no gym anywhere that you are traveling. Don’t panic because sometimes the best and most exciting workouts are the ones found in your elements of nature. Get outside and walk, run, jog, bike, surf, hike, kayak, skate, rollerblade, the options are endless. Find a park and do pull ups on the monkey bars, step ups and dips on the park bench, walking lunges, squats. You can workout the entire body without any equipment. Get creative.

4- Another option is to check out a local privately owned yoga studio, private gyms, spin studios, other boutique facilities. Find those hole in the wall gyms. These places usually offer a unique, personal, and unforgettable experience.

5- Bring the gym with you! If you are not sure what your final destination will offer, bring something with you! The easiest thing in my opinion to to travel with a theraband. You can use this alone, with someone, and can use in any location with anything.

When doing your own workouts remember these important tips.
-Always remember your vital posture and alignment, and listen to your body.
-Work the whole body. Biceps, triceps, chest, upper back, core, lower back, quads, hamstrings, calfs, shins. So when you are thinking “What should I work on?”, you can’t go wrong by hitting every muscle group.

Now you have some quick ideas about what you can do when traveling to keep on track with that healthy YOU!

Don't let anything get in the way of your goals, habits, and lifestyle.

-Jess