I get asked on a regular basis how to stay fit and healthy when travelling, on weekends away or on holiday. I understand, it can be a struggle as the food is often out of your control, you have to eat out all the time and accessing a gym can be a struggle. Never fear though, I have some top tips to help keep you on track.
Get Moving
Let’s be real. Unless you’re seriously dedicated, you probably don’t want to go to the gym every day when you’re on holiday. By all means do a weights session or HIIT workout if you fancy it, but don’t force yourself. Instead, just try and stay as active as possible. Explore the local area on foot, go for a hike, swim in the sea or just run up the nearest hill. Incorporate exercise into your trip in the most enjoyable way you can!
Go Local
Be sure to take advantage of the fresh local produce on offer. Most hot countries serve up delicious fresh fruit for low prices, which is perfect for snacking on or sharing with friends. Don’t forget to do your research prior to your trip and note down any local cafes or healthy eateries you can check out on your travels too. I managed to find tonnes on my recent trip to Rome!
Choose Wisely
Since you’re eating out all day every day, it can be hard to control your food intake. However, just try to make the healthiest choices you can at the majority of your meals. Focus on consuming lean protein, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats and lots of greens. I always take a few sachets of protein powder which I can mix into yoghurt or add to shakes if I am in a pinch. I recommend adjusting your portions sizes to the level of activity you’re doing – if you’re on a sun lounger all day you’ll need less food than if you’re off on a hike!
Don’t Worry
The reason why you train so hard and eat a balanced diet the vast majority of the time is so that you can enjoy these special occasions and experiences stress-free. Please don’t pressure yourself to be perfect. Life is for living and your healthy lifestyle doesn’t need to stop you having fun! People often get so worried about staying healthy on holiday that it makes it hard for them to truly relax. I just think about it this way … a typical holiday is one week long. That is one week out of your whole year, a week out of your whole life. If you consistently work hard towards your health and fitness goals for the rest of the time, having a more carefree approach to on holiday isn’t going to ruin your progress. In fact, it will allow you to chill out, destress and restore balance in your life. Cocktails anyone?!
I am going away on lots more trips this year so I will endeavour to film some travel workouts for you and document how I stay active abroad right here on my blog. Let me know if the comments below what your top holiday fitness tips are or if you’re going anywhere exciting soon!
Happy Travels!
Zanna xxx
