How to Stay Fit While Travelling

I don't gain a lot of weight, but my body likes to store unnecessary fats in some areas, such as the sides of my back, upper legs and arms, and midsection. In the middle part of 2016 up to the first part of 2017, I let myself go; eating whatever it is that I wanted, attending all food blogging events in which I got invited, and bingeing on chips, fast food, fried food, and other unhealthy meals and snacks. To make it worse, I was physically inactive, resulting in stubborn tummy fats. I noticed that I could no longer fit into my clothes and I get easily tired of doing physical activities.

After months of hating myself whenever I stare at my reflection in the mirror, I started taking my fitness journey seriously in the second quarter of the year. Aside from counting calories and conscious eating, I followed different workout routines and did them consistently every day with only one or two rest days per week. My effort has paid off quickly; I started shedding the extra pounds, and I was able to fit into my old clothes again. I was able to create and maintain the habit, but I have one struggle; adhering to the routine whenever I travel. When I returned from a trip, I felt a few pounds heavier from all the food adventures that I willingly subjected myself to, not to mention the lack of exercise. Eventually, I realized that I shouldn't waste my effort every time I go on a holiday, thus I started searching for effective fitness strategies to apply whenever I travel. Today, I'd like to share with you how travellers like you and I can stay fit while travelling.

Note: Calories burned depend not only on the type of activity but also your weight and metabolism. The calculation presented in this post are just estimates.

Walk a lot

If for some reason you cannot do any workout, which usually happens when you are staying in a shared accommodation like a hostel, you can still burn some calories by just taking long walks. One of the best ways to do this is by signing up for a walking tour. In Taiwan, for instance, I joined the free walking tour of a group of young Taiwanese students who like to practice their English and imparting knowledge or sharing their culture with tourists by organizing walking tours in the city. Not only will you get valuable information about a city from a local's perspective, you will also be forced to do a lot of walking. Depending on the group and location, tours may last from 3 to 4 hours. Walking is kept at a moderate pace, and if you weigh between 120-140 pounds, you can burn up to 600 calories and that's by just walking for 3 hours. Of course, you are bound to burn more if you walk for more hours in a day, and that is regardless of your pace.

Use the hotel gym

If you are staying in a hotel and it happens to have a gym, take the opportunity to spend at least 30 minutes doing some weight training or by running on a treadmill. According to Harvard Medical School, a general 30-minute strength training session can help you burn an average of 90 calories (25-pound person). If you use a treadmill, on the other hand, 30 minutes of running at a speed of 4.5 mph can burn around 150 calories for a person who weighs 125 lbs.

Go swimming

Not only is swimming fun, it will also assist you in your fitness journey. Based on the research data on the website, Nutristrategy.com, a person who is 130 lbs may burn over 590 calories by swimming fast and over 413 calories by swimming slow. More calories can be burned by a 205-pound person; 931 calories for swimming fast, and 651 for swimming slow.

Find the nearest park and run

Most cities have a park that is popular with both tourists and locals. Find the nearest one to where you are staying then spend 45 minutes or an hour in a day for running. Now that I mentioned it, make sure that you bring gym or fitness wear whenever you travel so you can easily go and do your workout routines or other physical activities wherever you may be.

Book physical challenging adventures

Water-white rafting in Cagayan de Oro the Philippines, skydiving in Palm Jumeirah, United Arab Emirates, mountain hiking to the Himalayas, ice skiing in Zermatt, Switzerland. Satisfy your thirst for adventure while torching calories by booking or engaging in adventures that are set to challenge you physically.

Find a yoga studio

If yoga is more of your thing and you do not have a space to practice, research on a yoga studio nearby. Most yoga studios offer walk-in classes that everyone is free to join.

Eat more vegetables and fruits

If you cannot stop yourself from eating (hey I won't stop you, you're on a holiday after all), then at least try your best to add more greens to your food. Always include a vegetable dish and fruits in your every meal. And while you're at it, keep yourself hydrated at all times.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Marjorie Gavan is a writer by profession and by passion. She has a degree in B.S. Journalism and now has 15 years of writing and editing experience under her belt. She currently works as a knowledge specialist in an IT company in Quezon City, Philippines. She chronicles her travel adventures in her blog, Coffeehan.