If you guys have stuck to your resolution to stay fit/get healthy/tone up/etc. for THIS long… congratu-f*cking-lations. You’ve outdone probably 95% of the general population. I am here to help you stick to this resolution, because let’s face it: you still have 10 months to go. While sticking to healthy habits get easier over time… life, like a horrendous mother-in-law, will always try to find ways to make things hard for you.
As a personal trainer, a lot of complaints I’ve heard from clients is they fall off track when they have to travel or circumstances come up where they can’t stick to their normal routine. In the first few weeks, having a steady routine is key, but you’re not a boring bitch. You’re not under house arrest (I hope) and you deserve a little vacay, goddammit. So just because you’re on a bomb body mission, I’m not gonna let you say no to these “business” (yea right, but I’ll play along) trips or vacations just because we’re trying to lose three pounds. Here are my tried-and-true tips for keeping your diet while you’re on vacation.
1. Do Your Research
Does your hotel have a gym? Does your room have a fridge and microwave? What are some active tourist activities you can do? Look at the hotel restaurant menus, see what your best choices are. Google dining options nearby, and find a grocery store nearby to stock up on fruit/nuts/etc. (room service fruit is usually mediocre at best and ridiculously overpriced).
2. Pack Activewear
Always, always, always pack your gym clothes. This way you can’t use the excuse that you didn’t bring workout clothes or sneakers—and honestly, even if you don’t end up hitting the gym (no judgements here), you can wear the clothes on a regular day or on a travel day. I can’t tell you how many times gym clothes have come in handy for me on other non-gym related occasions.
3. Pack An At-Home Gym Kit
Bring booty bands, resistance bands (the ones with handles), gliders, and a jump rope. This way, you can fit in a workout in your hotel room. If you don’t have gliders, you can use little hand towels, but if your hotel room is carpeted it’s gonna be a little rough. I’ve done a full-blown hour-long circuit before (see below) with just these three equipments and body weight moves. Bringing your own equipment will also give you more exercise options in a sparse hotel gym.
4. Add Consistency When You Can
This is probably going to end up being diet related if you’re traveling. Whether it’s having the same breakfast or having a general theme to stick to for dinner (fish/seafood and greens is a great one), having some kind of consistency in your day-to-day will help you feel less stressed and frazzled when traveling.
5. Walk Where You Can
This is amazing for people visiting walk-friendly areas such as New York, Europe, and the UK. Cities that revolve around walking are amazing for helping you stay active while traveling. Soak in the sights and get those steps in. Many large cities in Europe will have guided walking tours, which are also great for safety reasons, so you’re not just stranded in a f*cking foreign country.
6. Plan Active Activities
Of course this will depend on your trip destination, but if you can… take the workout outside! Plan a guided hike, a kayak adventure, ziplining, ATV riding, etc. it’s a great way to make the most of your trip and also stay active.
7. Make Good Food Choices
If you’re in an exotic location, food is a HUGE part of new cultures and new experiences. Try everything, but the keyword: TRY. That’s like 3 bites. “Try” does not mean eat all of everything. If you’re traveling domestic or the local cuisine is more been there, done that, I suggest customizing the f*ck out of your food. Be that girl. The “I’ll have the sea bass, cooked in no butter and sauce on the side” girl. In fact, you should be that girl every time you eat out, travel or no travel. Restaurants don’t care about your resolutions, so you just have to make it work for you. Trust me, they see crazy sh*t all the time, you being specific about your food is SO not a big deal. 3 main tips for eating out: skip the bread basket, salads always ordered with dressing on the side, and nothing fried.
8. Do This Full Body Circuit
- 1 min jump rope/jumping jacks
- 1 min high-knees
- 1 min plank walk out
- 1 min squats (booty band optional)
- 1 min side lunge (gliders and band optional)
- 1 min high plank hold with shoulder tap
- 1 min bicep curls (use bottles of water or a resistance band)
- 1 min tricep extensions
- 1 min burpees
- 1 min rest.
This is 10 minutes. Repeat as many times as you want.
Images: @CurtisMacNewton/Unsplash, Giphy (3).
