Holiday vacations can be a great time to unwind, enjoy life, and get a break from the everyday routine. There is no reason that this time of year should result in elevated stress levels from missed workouts, imperfect diets, and higher than normal levels of sedentary activity. But large amounts of travel, holiday foods, and unfamiliar places can actually make the holidays a very difficult time for many fitness enthusiasts. Here are some simple tips to maintain your fitness during travel, while still enjoying the relaxation that a holiday vacation can provide.
Before traveling, make sure you pack healthy snacks, including fruits (apples, bananas, etc.), vegetables (sugar snap peas, mini carrots, etc.), good carbohydrates (low-sugar/hi-fiber cereal, whole grain breads, etc), and lean protein (fat-free turkey breast, nuts/legumes, etc.). This will keep you from eating unhealthy airplane food or packaged and sugar-laden convenience store foods.
Be sure to bring exercise clothes and shoes. The simple act of packing the right gear will be more likely to make you work up a sweat at some point. Use the internet or call a friend to find out where the local gyms or parks are located. If you know where to go, you'll be more likely to actually go there.
Purchase and pack an elastic exercise band. It'll be a great investment in your fitness, and it's much more light and portable than a set of dumbbells.
Write down your workout *before* you leave on vacation. Make a list of 6-10 body weight exercises, and complete them as a circuit, 15 repetitions, 3x through with minimal rest. You'll be more likely to complete it if it's written down. Here's a sample workout that would take 20-30 minutes, and could be accomplished in the morning when you wake up:
Body Weight Squat
Wide Grip Pushup
Elastic Band Side Raise
Elastic Band Front Raise
Elastic Band Bicep Curl
Body Weight Lunge
Elastic Band Tricep Extension
Narrow Grip Pushup
Glute Squeeze Crunch
Have realistic expectations. You will not be able to maintain your normal fitness regimen, so don't set yourself up for feeling despaired about breaking your routine. It's OK to change it up every now and then, and you might actually find your body responds favorably to something new.
Enjoy the scenery. Make your travel destination a part of your workout, by touring your environment via jogging, walking, bicycling, swimming, skiing, etc. The more you places you can get to by foot, the better (and that includes the stairs instead of the elevator!).
Perform mini-workouts. If you simply never have the time to exercise, supercharge your metabolism by throwing random pushups, crunches, squats, or stair sprints into your daily routine.
Remember to enjoy yourself over the holidays! If you want to learn some new exercises to throw even more spice into your travel workout routine, e-mail me at elite@pacificfit.net! I'll hook you up with Hindu Squats, Hindu Pushups, Scissor Squat Jumps, 6-Inch Stomach Flatteners, Reverse Pushups, Grasshoppers, Mountain Climbers, Reverse Back Bends, and a ton of other exercises that will give you enough variety for a new and quick body weight workout every single day of your vacation or regular work-out.
Head trainer Ben Greenfield runs the online training website Pacific Elite Fitness, and holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Sport Science and Exercise Physiology, as well as certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association as a Personal Trainer and Strength and Conditioning Coach (NSCA-CPT & CSCS). For over 6 years, Ben has coached and trained professional, collegiate, and recreational athletes, and helped hundreds of individuals achieve their personal fitness goals. For more information on online personal training and fitness, contact Ben at elite@pacificfit.net.
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