Staying Fit & Healthy While Travelling

Last Updated | 17th April 2023

Travelling can be an amazing experience that broadens your horizons and allows you to explore new places, cultures, and cuisines. However, it can also disrupt your fitness routine and make it difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle. And while it can be great to have some time out from your normal routine, relaxing and indulging yourself, after too long this might start to catch up with you. Equally, some people travel for much longer periods of time, such as several months or even years, and are likely to want to maintain some kind of routine and healthy lifestyle during this time. In this post, we discuss some tips and tricks to help you stay fit and active while travelling. Looking at 4 key areas to focus on, exercise, diet, alcohol & sleep/recovery. However, we also encourage you not to limit yourself too much and to just enjoy yourself. As with pretty much everything in life, it’s all about finding a balance that works for you!

Exercise

One of the most important things you can do to stay fit and active while travelling is to plan ahead. This could be by scheduling some time to do some exercise. For example, on certain days you know you’ll have a bit more free time, plan to do a workout, just like you would in a routine at home. Additionally, do some research on the area you will be visiting and see what fitness facilities are available. Many hotels and even hostels have gyms and workout equipment or offer fitness classes and yoga sessions. You can also look for local gyms, yoga studios, or outdoor recreation areas where you can get a workout in.

If you are travelling for an extended period, consider bringing some portable fitness equipment with you, such as resistance bands, a skipping rope, or TRX straps. These can easily be packed in your luggage and used in your hotel room or outdoor spaces and can add a good element of challenge to your workout. Equally, there are loads of body weight options available such as a quick 20-minute HIIT workout. While you’ll likely have to make do sometimes, working out somewhere a bit obscure and not in a fully airconditioned gym like you might be used to. At the end of the day, there’s always some form of exercise you can do, no matter where you are!

Incorporate physical activity into your itinerary. Travelling often involves a lot of walking and sightseeing, so by simply going out and exploring somewhere, be that on foot or bike, you can get a decent amount of exercise in without scheduling a proper “workout”. This will not only help you stay active but also allow you to experience the local culture and scenery when you otherwise might have missed things if travelling by car or public transport. Some of the best places are discovered serendipitously while out exploring on foot. Finally, many popular tourist destinations also offer outdoor activities, such as hiking, kayaking, or surfing. These activities are not only fun but also provide a great workout.

Diet

Eating healthy while travelling can be challenging, especially when you are trying to experience the local cuisine and not wanting to limit your experience. However, making healthy food choices can help you maintain your fitness goals and prevent weight gain. After all, no amount of exercise is going to make up for a poor diet. Just be mindful of what you are eating while on the road. It’s also a challenge if you are always eating out and not cooking for yourself as you can’t always be sure exactly what ingredients are being used, such as added sugar and salt. A good option is to visit local grocery stores or markets and purchase healthy snacks and meals. We aren’t going to tell you what you should and shouldn’t eat, we aren’t a nutrition blog after all. And by all means, experience all the culinary delights as it’s a major part of the travel experience. Just be mindful that what you eat is going to have a big impact on your health and fitness.

Another key part of diet, is ensuring you stay hydrated. Staying hydrated is crucial for maintaining your health, after all, you can go weeks without food, but only a few days without water. Even slight dehydration can lead to fatigue, headaches, and muscle cramps, impacting your physical activity and overall enjoyment of your trip. While severe dehydration can be life-threatening. Make sure you drink plenty of water throughout the day, especially when engaging in physical activity or spending time in hot and humid environments.

Alcohol

Everyone is aware of the negative effects of alcohol on your health, and we aren’t here to be your parents. We know going out, partying and having a great time is all part of the trip for many people. In fact, we’re all for it!! Head to that full moon party, dance till your feet hurt at that festival and sip sunset beers on the beach. Just remember to take some time off too, drinking lots and not having time off will soon catch up with you. As will binge drinking or drinking to excess. Even when consuming alcohol try to keep somewhat hydrated, by drinking water along the way, especially in hotter climates and countries (plus keep using suncream!!). Be careful of the measures, some places free pour, and while it might seem great at the time, it’s easy to drink far more than you thought you were this way. Also note the local measure, for example, a single in the UK is 25ml whereas in some countries this is 50ml. Also remember many drinks have a high amount of sugar, which will pile on useless calories and make that blood sugar spike then drop all the worse. Enjoy yourself by all means, just remember that drinking too much, too often, is going to negatively impact your health.

Sleep & Recovery

Getting enough sleep is essential for your overall health, well-being and recovery. You can be smashing the workouts and eating really well, but if you’re not getting enough sleep it’s going to undo a lot of your hard work. A lack of sleep can lead to fatigue, poor concentration, and a weakened immune system, all of which will make your trip far less enjoyable and make you more susceptible to illness. Again the odd late-night / all-nighter isn’t going to do long-term damage but if they happen too frequently it’s going to have consequences. Make sure to prioritize sleep and give your body a chance to rest and recover every now and then. This can be hard when staying in shared dorms for example, with lots of things out of your control, but investing in a good eye mask and set of earplugs will certainly help. Plus every now and then, treat yourself to your own private room to really savour the benefits of a restful night’s sleep!

Final Tips & Conclusion

Technology can be a great tool for staying fit and active while travelling. There are many fitness apps and websites that provide workout routines and healthy meal plans, which can be easily accessed on your smartphone or tablet. You can also use fitness trackers, such as Fitbit or Garmin, to monitor your physical activity and set daily goals. To stay motivated, set realistic goals and track your progress. Celebrate your accomplishments, no matter how small, and use them as motivation to continue on your fitness journey. You can also try new activities or workouts to keep things interesting and prevent boredom.

Finally, remember to be kind to yourself and enjoy your travels. Don’t beat yourself up if you miss a workout or indulge in a local delicacy. Balance is key, and allowing yourself to enjoy the experience will make for a more memorable trip. In summary, staying fit and active while travelling can be challenging, but with some planning and preparation, it is definitely achievable. Incorporate physical activity into your itinerary, make healthy food choices, stay hydrated, prioritize sleep and use technology to your advantage. But remember to enjoy your travels and do what best works for you and your goals. Happy travels!