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Ryoga

How to Stay Fit While Traveling

Updated: Dec 22, 2023


A man and a woman are exercising together outdoors in the morning.

Traveling is exhilarating, but it can also disrupt your regular fitness routine. Here's how to keep your health and fitness on track while exploring the world.



1. Start Your Day with Exercise: Do A Workout Before Anything Else


A morning workout is the perfect antidote for travel fatigue.


Starting your day with exercise is an excellent way to ensure you get your workout in, no matter how busy your travel schedule may be. When you exercise first thing in the morning, you have more energy to do it, and you're less likely to skip it due to fatigue or distractions later in the day. Do a workout before breakfast, working out in a fasting state can have benefits like boosting your metabolism and increasing your energy levels.


Stay Consistent


Consistency is the key when it comes to staying fit while traveling, whether you're on an extended long-term backpacking or a short holiday. Keeping up with a regular exercise routine helps to maintain muscle mass and overall health.



2. Where Should I Exercise? Finding the Right Place to Exercise


No gym? No problem!


Look for Calisthenics Park


If your accommodation doesn't have a gym, whether you're staying at a hotel or hostel, the great outdoors becomes your workout space. Many touristy places have outdoor gyms with equipment for calisthenics. These parks have pull-up bars, dip bars, monkey bars, and sometimes other useful equipment, such as battle ropes. You can find these parks by doing a simple Google search like "calisthenics park in [city name]." Or "outdoor gym in [city name]


Personally, pull-ups are the best bodyweight workout. Pull-ups activate most of the upper body. Combining push-ups, pull-ups, dips, and squats during your travels can help you stay fit.


Making Use of Your Room or Local Park


If there are no calisthenics parks nearby, you can still do a workout in your room or at a local park. Bodyweight exercises like push-ups, squats, and handstand push-ups don't require any special equipment.


Here are my workout menus when calisthenics parks are unavailable:

  • Push-ups: Different types for 10 sets x 10 reps

  • Squats: I know squats without weight feels not enough, so, adding intensity with Bulgarian split squats, jumping squats, or wall sits

  • Handstand push-ups: Use a wall for support if needed

  • Abs: reach-ups, crunch reach-through, lying leg raises, leg flutters, Russian twists, bicycle, plank side-to-side, and plank jacks for 50 seconds each 10 seconds rest.

This routine can be adjusted based on your fitness level and available space.


Even 10 minutes of exercise is better than not doing it at all.


3. Watch Out for What You Eat


One of the joys of traveling is trying out local cuisines. During travel time, you deserve to eat something you can't find in your home country. However, you need to watch out for what you're eating. Oftentimes, we lose our sense of portion control and healthy eating habits while traveling and indulge without restraint. Did you eat snacks or sweets during the day? Did you eat fast food or any unhealthy food that you can eat even in your country? If the food isn't healthy or particularly special, you must resist temptation.


Tracking Your Calories


Keeping track of your calories can help you maintain a healthy weight while traveling. I made the mistake of not tracking calories during my travels, I've never tracked my calories throughout travel. but I was dedicated to eating clean food as much as possible and getting enough protein. As a result, I stayed lean, but because of not tracking calories, I lost body fat too quickly as my abs became visible which is not good in a short period. During travel we move a lot, right?


I recommend tracking your calories and macro, especially if you already have the habit of doing it, If you don't, there are numerous apps available that can make calorie counting easier. These apps allow you to log your meals and snacks, providing insight into your daily calorie intake.




4. Get Workout Equipment


If you get a pair of gymnastics rings or resistance bands, it expands your workout menu and adds more intensity. Also, those are compact and don't take up much space in your backpack or suitcase.


You can easily find both items on Amazon at affordable prices. Those are good returns on investment for staying fit while traveling.


Gymnastics Rings


If you're a calisthenics fan, I can highly recommend getting a pair of gymnastics rings. Even calisthenics park isn't nearby. You can turn a tree brunch or any bar into a gym by just hanging it, and the length is adjustable. So, you can do many exercises with this one pair of rings, plus it makes exercise more intense than a regular bar.


Resistance Bands


Resistance bands are another portable workout tool. It's more compact, and you don't even need to find a place to hang it. You can simply use it for working out, such as shoulder presses and arm curls. Resistance bands can also be used to add intensity to bodyweight exercises like push-ups and squats.


Conclusion


Traveling can be hectic, but it's also an opportunity to explore new places and try new workouts. By staying committed to your fitness goals and making use of the resources available to you, you can stay fit and healthy no matter where your travels take you.


Remember, your fitness journey doesn't have to stop just because you're on the road. With a bit of planning and a lot of determination, you can maintain your fitness routine no matter how far from home you are.


Stay fit, stay healthy, and enjoy your travels!

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