With doing so much traveling, working out has definitely been challenging. I thought I would share how I did it since I know other people might experience a similar challenge.
I think the broader question I often ask myself is Should I be working out right now?
Should I be sticking to my routine? Am I being too strict on myself? Should I just give myself a break for a week and enjoy some late nights and fried food?
I'm sure you've found yourself along this line too. It can be a weird place to be because a part of you genuinely wants to be healthy and not have fatigue or digestive issues. But a part of you just wants to "go with the flow," eat what everyone's eating, do what everyone's doing.
The past two weeks, I was travelling through various cities and towns in Spain and I definitely found myself asking those questions. I had just finished doing the Daily Discipline Challenge, so my willpower was not a problem. I felt motivated to continue working out and sticking to my goals… but it got very inconvenient. A lot of the places I went didn't have gyms or healthy food options that I could eat. It felt so natural to just "let go" and be a little bit more flexible for the sake of enjoyment (probably because that's what I have done in the past on trips).
Interestingly, I actually ended up sticking to my goals this time. I got exercise more or less each day, I chose whole-food, low-sugar vegan meals and slept at a reasonable bedtime every night. Now I have an adorable host-mom who makes all my food and a fabulous gym which I am going to have to post a picture of soon. It is obviously a lot more comfortable but it’s the same things that allow me to stay committed to my goals and routine. I wanted to share with you how it worked out for me.
🏝 Travel with your workout partner!
It is definitely easier to make time to workout when there's someone to do it with you! I have to start by giving credit to the people who motivated me the most in sticking to my workout routine over this trip. Bethany and Mika are two athletes that happened to be in the program I am traveling with. They woke up early every morning as well to squeeze in a workout before our busy days so we ended up going for jogs together.
It would be great if we could all travel with personal trainers or gym buddies. If you can, that's great - and if not, you can make a gym buddy on your trip! Ask someone you're traveling with to join you - they might say no at first but remind them it can be a way to enjoy the new place you're in. Also, people are more likely to develop new habits when they are in a new place.
🏝 Switch up your routine
When you're traveling, you may not always have easy access to a gym - but there will always be options to get movement in. It will definitely help you to be more flexible and creative about the kind of exercise you do. When our hotel didn't have a gym, we would go for a jog and discover the ins and out of the towns and cities we visited. Even a long walk in the evening is a great way to experience more while exercising. Alternatively, you can also find a trail and go hiking (which will always make for a great view for a selfie!).
🏝 Find a local gym or class
Joining a gym or class can be a really great way to meet new people and try new exercises. At the gym I'm at now, I go swimming twice a week and there are two women who always swim at the same time as me. We started talking the first day and it was a good way for me to practice my Spanish outside class. I know I say this all the time but I truly think working out with people is always more fun and I look forward to seeing them at the gym every week.
Some places that don't have gyms often have group fitness classes you can Google and find. When I was in Kyoto, it was very hard to find a gym but there were a lot of Yoga studios which inspired me to focus more on Yoga and flexibility rather than lifting weights.
🏝 Go out dancing
If you don't find a class or don't feel like investing in one, another great workout is dancing! I LOVE dancing and do it at home almost everyday. Going out dancing with people can also be such a fun way to experience the night life and culture of the city you're in as well as the music and people. You're usually out for more than an hour - thats a pretty long workout when you think about it! Since you are usually having fun, you burn more calories than you realize... and you may even learn some new moves ;)
🏝 Invest in an easy prop (bands, small weights, yoga mat etc)
Sometimes, going out and about may not be convenient - or it may not even be your thing. Carrying small workout equipment ensures that you don't have to rely on convenience to get your workout done - you can just whip out your mat or bands and have a legitimate training session wherever you are! Most of these you can find for reasonable prices online and are worth the investment if you use them.
I love carrying my yoga mat with me so I can do Pilates whenever I want. Having a go-to gym with you will also motivate you to actually workout because you already have what you need and no real excuses.
You can find tons of ideas for minimal equipment workouts online and you can also use these outdoors if you prefer. Mika takes her bands to the park to use after a running session and I've asked her for some workout ideas that I will be sharing shortly!
Have fun moving and stay safe!
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