With spring around the corner in the northern hemisphere, it’s time to lose those extra pounds still lingering from the holidays. I hope the winter comfort food was worth it. Say hello to fruits, veggies, and juicing. Mmmm.

One of the most popular questions I receive is, “How do you stay in shape while traveling?” Because I can’t take the stair master in my suitcase, and because I think diet pills are for the devil, I’ll let you in on my routine, if there is such a thing while traveling.

Be Active

I don’t go on a trip to sit in a hotel room. Truth be told, I’m hardly in said hotel room. I prefer the adventure vacays over the city sightseeing tours, which usually means there’s a hike in my near future. If I do find myself in the middle of a bustling city, I try to walk ev.er.y.where. I was recently in London, Prague, Brussels, Amsterdam and Paris on a Euro tour, and I saw all cities via my own two feet. Skip the double decker bus tour for the city’s free walking tour.

Find a Gym…or Don’t

If I know I’m coming up on a day where I simply won’t be getting good exercise outside, I’ll wake up a little earlier and head to the hotel gym. If your hotel doesn’t have a gym, try something new in a new city. I did a pole dancing class in London – harder than it looks! I also took yoga classes, polo lessons, rowing lessons, and did a run through the gardens while in the city. If you’re near a beach, jog it. Many online options also exist from YogaGlo and Fitness Blender to my favorite, 8 Minute Abs. On second thought, who needs a gym?

Carry Your Own Weight

I’ll admit, I don’t travel incredibly light. My suitcase always teeters on the 52 pound mark, which usually ends in me flashing a big smile to the check-in lady in hopes that she won’t make me take anything out of my luggage. I’m a big believer in that the little things add up. Do you know how hard it is to carry a 52 pound bag up and down flights of stairs, through crowds of people, to heave carry-ons into overhead bins, and so on? When I work up a sweat, I know I’m doing something right. Here’s a tip: before leaving, pack healthy snacks at home to munch on during travel day. Airport eating isn’t for the skinny of heart.

Munchies

Diet. What’s that? For me, part of traveling is experiencing a culture’s cuisine. It’s allowing your taste buds to go crazy but not at the expense of bigger thighs and a protruding gut. If I’m in Italy, you can be damn sure I’m having gelato…but perhaps only once. If I’m in Paris, I’m going to partake in devouring macarons, but only once. It’s all about having fun in moderation, and then venturing to that hotel gym to work it all off the next morning. Get over the carefree attitude of I won’t be back for a while. YOLO? Ehh. We’re all adults here. Your thighs will thank you later for quitting after the one ice cream cone.