A Guide To Help You Stay In Shape While On Vacation:

Plus, what to bring…

My husband, Nick and I love to travel and explore new places, enjoying quality time together and Gods beautiful creations.  We love to stay in shape and partake in more active vacations. Places where we can hike, swim, bike and explore new areas.  However, it has been harder to travel since having kids😆.  So for now, we usually just travel home to San Diego to see my family. Perfect vacation spot right! We are so thankful. Occasionally, we will get away with our boys, for short weekend trips as well.

 

So what happens with our health and fit routine while on vacation?

Many people, will abandoned their workouts and their healthy eating goes right out the window because of the travelers mindset, “Hey, we are on vacation!”  Whose been there? 🙋‍♀️ Right!  But then when you return home, you feel like you took five giant steps backward on your health, weight goals, whatever it may be… and you have to start over.  As follows, you’re totally bummed out and feel like crap, because that vacation high is gone and reality has set in.

Sucks I know, I’ve done it a handful of times and will never totally abandon my workouts and health again.

And let me tell you, YOU can stay healthy, strong and fit and also have amazing adventures, eat local food, and live in the moment while traveling.  Being healthy can help you live in the moment and try and do new things, because you feel great!

 

How can you keep up our activity on vacation

Opt for activities that are active.  A walking tour, a bike ride, a hiking trip.  Make fitness apart of your lifestyle and keep that going while your traveling or on vacation.  We are fit nerds and will workout whenever and wherever we have an opportunity too 🤓.   Meaning… even just playing ‘don’t touch the water’ with the kids at the beach (below), is an opportunity to get our hearts pumping and achieve a little “workout”!  Soak up moments like that and extend them a little longer to gain the health benefits!

 

 

You don’t have to go to the hotel gym to stay in shape while your on vacation… unless you’re a fit nerd like us and that is one of the main attractions.😆 Just try and stay active throughout the day… which is my slogan for everyday life too!

My husband and I usually don’t get our full “normal” workouts in anymore when we are on vacation… but we do strive to do a few focused exercises and stretches, in the morning… when our kids wake up super early! (The video below is a mini workout my Lincoln and I did around sunrise in California, when everyone else was sleeping).  But other then that we just choose more active activities throughout the day.  This could include swimming, running, walking, hiking, the beach, parks, mountain biking if we can, frisbee, football on the beach, and/or just running around with all the kids.

 

A basic strength-training workout and stretching routine is really helpful to having a great experience while traveling.  When you exercise and stretch you build and loosen your muscles, joints, and tendons, preparing them for any activity you throw at them that day.  15 min is realistic goal to set for yourself… and if your feeling great and have the time… do more.  Anything longer in time, will more likely be unrealistic and you may shy you away from doing anything at all.  Even just a few squats, planks, hip lifts and dips are a great start and then stretch out the muscles you just used! Bamn done!

 

What you eat is 1/2 the battle

I know, I know.  No one wants to hear that while they are traveling.  But how you eat will account for 80 percent of how you look and feel. Seriously! You can’t outrun or out-train a bad diet.  If you eat crap then you are going to be tired and crash sooner… and who wants that on their vacation.  Plus when you get home, you will be so upset when you look at yourself in the mirror (even though, we shouldn’t have the mindset… but I know most of us do it, right?) So not anymore!

Instead, make a plan!  Plans are great and keep you on track.  Then you won’t go overboard.

 

Try following these 3 steps for meal times:

1. Eat real food… most of the time.
2. Avoid liquid calories (alcohol, juice, soda), junk and highly processed foods… especially if you want to relish in some new food experiences.  If not, then treat yourself to that small glass of wine a few nights.
3. Do the best you can. Don’t freak out! … and don’t count your calories! I’m Serious. Let that go while on vacation or you will not relax and have fun.

Eat real food

What do you mean real food?  So cereal, pizza, pasta, bread, candy, soda — these are all processed foods full of unnecessary waste our bodies do not need, so we should avoid them whenever we can.  Instead, the focus should be on quality food from natural sources (this can often be easier in foreign countries than it is in the United States, as it seems this country is built around grains, high-fructose corn syrup, sugar, and carbs).  Meat, Fish, Fruit, Veggies, Good Fats (nuts, oils), Eggs… etc. You get the idea.

Every meal should contain a protein and good fat source and at least one vegetable, then add some fruits and nuts in as well. Avoid dairy and grains, or only eat them in minimal quantities.

And yes, what about all the yummy pastas and bread. Well, eat them, but just in moderation!  Still enjoy yourself!

Avoid liquid calories

I know vacation for many people equals increased alcohol. Which is fine, have fun and be safe.  But remember in moderation.  I always try to remember, if I drink one alcoholic drink, I need to drink one glass of water and a little bit of protein.  Keep the 1 to 1 ratio and you will feel a lot better at the end of the night and the next day.  Plus your body will thank you.

Also avoid the sugar drinks and save those calories for other delicious foods you would like to try.  So much more worth it in my book.

 

Finally, what to bring when you fit travel:

Most of the time you do not have a lot of room to bring too many extras on a trip.  Especially if you are flying… you have to pay for every bag now it seems like!

Here are a few basics you may want to bring to help you stay in shape, be more active and feel great while on vacation.  Plus, ones that are small enough to pack in a suitcase.

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Good tennis shoes

• Ones you could wear to run, walk, ride bikes or hike in.  I’m in love with the Altra Escalante Running Shoe! Super cute and comfortable, along with a wide toe box.  I wear them to for everything.  
• If you’re going to be doing a lot of hiking, then I would also bring your hiking shoes. I love merrell hiking boots.  They definitely hold up and support my feet well.  This is my current favorite, Merrell.

Lacrosse ball, Tennis ball or Collapsible Foam roller

• With all your activity… or inactivity, your going to want something to loosen up your muscles to go along with your stretching (especially if your used to using them already) 😉
• Lacrosse balls and tennis balls are small which are perfect for traveling.  Lacrosse balls are dense and are harder than tennis balls, so they can really help dig into a muscle belly that is tight or sore to help break up those nots. Individual preference for this one.  I’d say start out with a tennis ball and work your way up to a lacrosse ball.
• Collapsible foam rollers are amazing if you love them and want to bring one with you… everywhere!  They are normal foam rollers that just fold in half!  They are not long so you can’t lay on them longways, but you can definitely roll out every other part of your body.

Short loop bands/ Booty bands  

• Resistance short loop bands are great to add to most exercises for a little extra resistance, especially if you don’t have weights available to use.

Resistance tubes or the TRX  

• Just another great way to add more resistance to your workouts if you don’t have a gym to use or excess weights.
• Power systems versa resistance tubes are perfect for total body exercises, especially arm workouts.
• The long bands, usually called “pull up assist and powerlifting stretch bands,” are great for more total body and upper body work.
• You could also get a resistance band set that you can use each band individually or attach it in a door jam and use the bands that way.
• The TRX Suspension Training System, is just great for everything… we take ours everywhere!  You use your body weight for the resistance, the strap is not stretchy.  You can attach it to a tree or most come with a door jam connection point.

Comfortable clothes you can move in.

• You don’t want the lack of proper clothes to be the excuse of why you can’t do something active on your vacation. 🏃‍♀️ So bring some athletic shorts or pants (depending on the season) and a shirt you don’t mind getting sweaty… perhaps a quick drying shirt.  And if it’s cooler out, consider a windbreaker or thicker jacket you can move comfortably in as well.

A bathing suit!  

• Many places have pools or hot tubs.  And what a great place to experience a different kind of workout by swimming laps 🏊‍♀️ or doing some water aerobics.  Plus most kids love water, so great entertainment and exercise for the whole family.  The hot tub is the perfect place to stretch and relax… so thats always a nice plus, if you remember to bring your bathing suit.  And if you don’t feel comfortable, take a step out of your comfort zone, find a bathing suit you feel comfortable in and just enjoy life!

 

Pretty basic stuff, I know, but you’d be surprised how many times people tell me they forgot their shorts or tennis shoes!  So there you go! ✔︎

 

 

Comment below!

Please let us know what you bring for your fit travel experience.  Also, what active things do you take pleasure in while on vacation?  Enjoy your travels!