Welcome to my workouts while away! I receive many comments and emails from readers asking what I do to stay fit while traveling. Gurl, it ain’t easy, I’ll tell you that much. After traveling through Israel last week, I basically drowned in the hummus while stuffing my face with the world’s best pita bread. Since carbs don’t look so hot paired with a bikini, I had two options: 1) don’t eat the pita bread or 2) eat the pita bread. Life is not meant to be lived without the good stuff, so obviously I chose option #2. Proof below.
For those of you who want to know my workout routine, let me be frank. There is no routine when traveling. Even if you are the most Type A person, workout enthusiast, Crossfit cult member, paleo diet eating freak of nature, let me know if you’re able to stick with an exercise/eating routine when you’re out of the house. I’ll give you a pat on the back and a cookie for it, although you probably won’t eat it. More for me.
So I move to plan B. I experience a new destination’s cuisine without going overboard WHILE maintaining my body.
Exhibit A.
I have a beach outside my vacation rental for the long weekend. I tell myself it’s not only meant for sand castles, relaxation and burying bodies. It’s meant for long walks and even runs! I’ve learned that running in a new city will allow you to know it on a whole new level. Talk about a great way to explore.
Exhibit B.
Go adventuring people! If you’re close to a mountain, hike it. If you’re near a sand dune, board it. If you’re trapped inside a bustling city center, walk it. If you want to see an attraction across town, save money and don’t take the taxi. Your legs will thank you for it later.
Exhibit C.
Ohh 8 Minute Abs. How I love you so. I know this 480-second workout by heart since I first started doing it on VHS when I was 14, but now you can find anything on YouTube. Disclaimer, it’ll have you time travel back to the 80’s. One of these days, I’m going to recreate it with some modern touches.
Exhibit D.
Find classes in a city near you. Spinning, barre, yoga, you name it. If you’re more of a gym rat, research some studios around you. If you’re a yogi, maybe you’re already a member of Yoga Glo. With this platform you can choose any type of yoga, and it provides the experience of being in class at your own home. You can even filter the teacher, style, level, and duration, really making it exactly what you want. I adore Kathryn Budig and her hilariousness throughout class if anyone cares or needs pointers. Disclaimer: $18/month, but totally worth it.
And there you have it! My workouts (I won’t say routine) while away. They consist of a messy mix of adventures near me, outdoor running, indoor yoga and 8 Minute Abs whenever I can find wifi, although that’s not entirely true. I know it by heart!
Girl, you are an inspiration!! Wish I had another one of those falafels right now!! 😀
Thanks, girl! Me too – guess we’ll have to go back!
Loving the shout-out to 8 Minute Abs! I had no idea that other people in our generation even knew about 8MA, let alone still practiced it. One of my favorite, quick exercise routines. Another tip that I follow when I travel the world is to always use the stairs. Climb up to the top of a tower rather than take the elevator, take the stairs up to your hotel room or apartment rental, etc. Works wonders and helps to burn off some of the good food you consumed earlier in the day.
Heidi – I had no idea other people knew about 8 Minute Abs! I’ve been spreading the word whenever possible b/c I’ve always loved doing it. Love your stairs tip! I do the same when I can – great advice!
Thanks for the tips! I travel about 80% of the time for my job and had no idea about Yoga Glo. I appreciate your candor when it comes to enjoying food and the difficulty of keeping a routine. So true!
All great tips and all things I do to stay fit while traveling! I know when I am on the road for long amounts of time, routines are obviously disrupted and I cannot get mad at myself for not going super hard or doing an hour workout that I might do at home. I love doing 10 minute HIIT workouts, and including the elements I am in like beach sprints or box jumps in a city park!
Another thing I do is learn about the fitness routines that are important in different cultures, so for example I am in South Korea now and taking tae-kwon-do. Or trying out thai boxing in Thailand or surfing in Hawaii or Jiu Jitsu in Brazil, those are ways to introduce totally new fitness elements to my routine.
Great shout out to 8 minute abs btw, I remember doing that in 8th grade gym class!
Looking forward to seeing your modern spin on the 8 minute abs!
thanks for sharing…
This is a great post! Thanks so much for sharing!