How can I stay Healthy Whilst Travelling?
It can be difficult to stay healthy whilst travelling. You have to accept that you probably cannot have the same fitness routine as you do at home, but that doesn’t mean you have to be unhealthy. But there is no denying that it is much more difficult to stay healthy on the road. Consistency can go out of the window.
Travelling can be unpredictable and long-term travel or working abroad shouldn’t be an excuse for not being healthy. It is possible to still enjoy yourself and stay fit on the road, it helps with mental health, and helps you deal with the stresses of travelling. A lot of fitness and staying healthy is to do with habits, and balance and you should not ruin your experience of discovering what is on offer in a new country.
The Top 8 Tips for Staying Healthy and Fit whilst Travelling
1. Walk Everywhere
It seems like a simple solution, but do you know how fit you can get from just walking places rather than catching an Uber or the bus? It’s also a fantastic way to see a place; you’ll likely discover new areas that weren’t on your original list. The only downside is that it usually takes much longer to walk from A to B, so factor that into your planning. This is particularly good for city breaks.
2. Visit ‘Outdoor’ Adventure Countries
If you’re a fitness fanatic, then sometimes it’s a good idea to travel to countries that allow you to experience ‘the great outdoors’. What I mean by this is countries that offer a lot of ‘hiking’ and outdoor activities. I can promise you I have never been as fit as I was after a month in New Zealand, we walked every day, climbed up mountains and it didn’t feel like I was going out of my way to exercise. If you are interested in travelling to New Zealand then click here to read about 10 reasons you should go.
Other places to consider if you enjoy these trips are Costa Rica, British Columbia in Canada or Austria. One of our favourite outdoor adventures was Gorge walking in South Wales. It is a great physical activity to try with your friends and family.
3. Hire Bikes at any Opportunity
One of the best ways (other than walking) to experience a new place by bicycle. This is especially good for cities that have great cycle paths (I did some epic rides in Brisbane, Australia) but it’s also good to have new experiences. So if the opportunity arises, you should hire bikes, as you get to see so much more of a place.
My 3 favourite rides on my travels would be cycling around Inle Lake in Myanmar, cycling to Santa Monica in LA and cycling on the beach in Port Douglas in Northern Queensland.
4. Use Youtube Videos for Motivation.
Sometimes, if you’re lucky your hostel or hotel might have a gym. If it does you should utilise it, and if it doesn’t you’ll need to find other ways to stay motivated.
When I travel (and when I don’t) I enjoy watching free YouTube videos to help me work out. I do a combination of Pamela Reif (for upbeat songs to motivate, and a range of short workouts), Fitness Blender (for longer, low impact and different difficulty levels) and Boho Beautiful (for yoga, meditation and stretching). What’s great about these videos is that they are short, require limited space and are fun. You can even do them on the beach! The perfect way to stay healthy whilst travelling.
5. Eat Healthy by Cooking Yourself
Eating out all the time is not as great as it sounds; you start to miss cooking your food eventually. If you can, book a hostel with a kitchen. This is not always possible and a big part of the travel experience is food, which means there needs to be a balance. Try the local food but avoid overeating, and don’t eat a lot of junk food, however tempting it can be.
6. Drink Water
Get your reusable water bottle at the ready and drink some of the good stuff. Not only does it prevent dehydration (especially when it’s hot), there are claims that drinking water boosts your metabolism. Win-Win. My biggest regret of travelling is drinking coca-cola over water. Don’t do this. Rookie error. This is similar to alcohol, don’t over do it, and get carried away with the hostel atmosphere if you do not want to. There is no shame in taking a day off drinking and wanting to stay healthy whilst travelling.
7. Wake up Early
Let’s face it; finding time to work out when you’re away is difficult. One of the best parts of travelling is the unknown when you don’t know where that day will take you. Anything can happen, and before you know it, the day is over and that workout you had planned turns into a beer with some new friends.
If you do your work out in the morning, then you can have the best of both worlds. Better yet, you’ll probably beat the heat. Another advantage is that most people won’t be awake, so it’s hard to feel embarrassed. It is likely that the only people that are awake will be working out too. Maybe you can make some friends this way?
That being said, getting enough sleep is also VERY important and don’t sacrifice it and there is nothing wrong with taking a nap in the afternoon, don’t feel like you have to be doing something every day. You’ll feel better for it.
8. Enjoy and Don’t Stress
Everyone is different and you should not put any expectations on yourself. Try your best to stay healthy whilst travelling, feel good and be happy. Small steps are key, keep it simple and don’t worry if you miss a workout or eat some unhealthy food. It is all about balance, and you do not want this to be the thing you take away from your trip. You’re good enough. You’ve got this.
There you have it. 8 Tips to stay healthy whilst travelling. Have you got any tips to share with us? We’d love to know. Let us know in the comments and we can learn from each other!
Photo Credit: averagelives.com and unsplash
