How to Stay Fit While On Holiday
Planning to take a holiday? Great! It’s a fantastic way to escape the grind of normal life, get some peace and quiet, and rejuvenate your brain. Find a destination like the Costa Brava in Spain or Ibiza to get a real break from your everyday life.
But just because you’re taking a break from real life doesn’t mean that you have to take a break from your fitness.
Sure, you’ll be away from your blender, your local supermarket and your neighbourhood gym, but those aren’t excuses to pack on the weight while you’re away.
Bring back memories, souvenirs and photographs, but don’t bring back those extra kilos. You can find ways to stay fit while you’re away that aren’t hard and don’t require that you sacrifice your well-earned holiday time.
Plan to Be Good
If you’re going to be away, it’s much easier to allow yourself the mindset of “Oh well, I’m away, so I guess I’ll just work off my weight after I get back”.
Studies show that people actually tend to put on weight for up to 6 weeks after they return from a trip. Your mindset is the first thing you need to take care of before you go. You need to be ready for the challenge with an attitude that you will make healthy choices, you’ll be conscious of your fitness and you won’t just “take a break” from your goals.
Starting off with that thought pattern is the most effective way to keep you from packing on the pounds as you travel.
Schedule The Time
No matter what, schedule in some time during each and every day that forces you to be active. In a new place like Barcelona or Lloret de Mar, you’ll be tempted to let the holiday schedule steal away time that you could spend doing something active. You don’t have to spend hours and hours, because maintenance can be just 15-20 minutes of activity a day.
Plan a time in the morning to go for a run. Make it a habit to end each evening with a brisk walk before bed. Whatever you do, make the time to remain active during your day.
Have Your Fun In Moderation
Sure, you’re going to be tempted to binge on your holiday. We all do it. You drink too much. You eat too much food. You spend way too much time at that prawn cocktail bar. You don’t have to restrict yourself from having any fun.
But have your fun in moderation. Allow yourself some cheat meals (never two in a row), swap to something besides calorie-dense wine, or make healthy culinary choices at restaurants. But allow yourself to enjoy everything with a level of moderation. Besides, how much fun is it really to have a hangover for half of your holiday?
Eat Your Meals At Home
If you’re staying in a private villa while on holiday, you can enjoy the benefit of having your own kitchen. Take advantage of this by planning to make a few meals at home. You get the freedom to plan a meal that is healthy and good for you. You also don’t have to spend tons of cash going out to eat at restaurants and cafés all the time.
It can be fun to live like a local and eat like a local as well. Consider this as part of your holiday, part of your experience of living in a different culture. You get to shop where the locals shop and eat what they eat. It will be better for you in the long run, and you’ll have extra cash to splurge on those fancy tours you come across.
Pack Your Snacks
This is probably the number one tip for keeping yourself healthy and fit while travelling. Pack your snacks. It can be so difficult to find good food while on the road. Especially on travel days. Long waits at the airport make those packaged snacks look so appealing. But they can be loaded with sugar and bad foods.
Take the time to bring with you fruit, some nuts or anything else healthy that will curb those temptations on the spot.
Make Active Choices
As you holiday, make choices that are active compared to other less-active options. Try taking a walking tour instead of riding around on a bus. Choose to hire a bicycle to get from location to location. Pick fun activities on your holiday that don’t feel like doing something active. Try rock climbing, try dancing, take boxing lessons, run at the beach or just explore the neighbourhood on foot.
Just because you’re doing something active doesn’t mean it needs to feel like you’re “working out”. Have fun while making good, active choices.
Do Home Workouts
Lastly, if you’re going to be away from your gym, you can still make the time to do some great home workouts. You don’t need much to maintain your level of fitness while you’re away. Even better if you’re renting a private villa that allows you the freedom to have your own space to train for a few minutes during the morning.
Spend some time doing bodyweight movements like push-ups, crunches, pull-ups, squats and lunges. Having your own space makes this ten times easier, but you can always find a public park or beach for your workouts.
If you’re worried at all about your ability to keep up your fitness levels while on holiday, it doesn’t take much more than a bit of preparation and the right mindset. By all means enjoy your time. Have fun. Laugh. Make new friends. And keep up with your healthy lifestyle goals.
