Going on vacation is a time to escape and relax—sometimes this means escaping from our regular exercise routine and relaxing our diet requirements. When you are talking about a period of a week or two, it is really not too dire. You will get back to your healthy ways when you return, and no harm was done. But, when you are traveling long-term, like a period of months, the ‘’I’m on vacation’’ excuse does not really cut it. On my first long-term trip, I found myself using that excuse a lot, but once I started packing on the pounds, I knew I had to do something. I was sliding into bad habits, but I clawed my way back to the healthy person I always prided myself on being. Here are some ways to make sure you still get your exercise in while when you are globe-trotting for extended periods.
Stay a Bit Outside the Center
Convenience is usually the name of the game when it comes to choosing travel accommodations; no one wants to spend an hour crawling through traffic on a bus to get to the city center. You can count me in that group, but, I do not mind having to walk a bit to get to the heart of the action. It forces me to exercise and I get to take in some interesting sites along the way. While I do not purposely always choose a hotel that is farther away, I have no issue doing so since I know it will make me get my cardio in. Walking somewhere because you have to is a lot easier than making yourself partake in physical activity because you know you need to get in your ‘’exercise.’’ Also, you get a bit more bang for your buck as the rooms tend to be cheaper since they are not located in the primary tourist area.
Commit to Walking At Least Partially
Sometimes you will be in a place where walking everywhere may be difficult—the next attraction on your itinerary is all the way on the other side of town, or you are in a location where you really need a car to get around. Been there, done that, and it is still possible to get your exercise in. When I was renting a house a few miles outside the center of Ubud, Bali, walking all the time was impractical due to distance, dangerous roads, the amount of times I went to the center daily and other factors. I relied on a motorbike, but I still got my exercise in by parking it farther away from where I was actually going, and getting my walk in that way. If you need to take the bus to get somewhere, get off a few stops early and hoof it the rest of the way. All of these little changes add up to regular amounts of exercise that will keep you fit.
Look Into Short-Term Gym Memberships
While in the US, you may not be able to just sign up for week or a month, you are able to do this in many gyms around the world that are in big tourist areas. They know people like to get their exercise in and they also know they are not sticking around long, so they allow people to pay for just the time they will be in the area. This is good for people who like a bit more formal exercise plan and want access to equipment and weights. I was in Costa Rica recently and there was a gym that was right up the street from my apartment that charged a mere one dollar daily fee.