Tips on how to maintain your fitness whilst travelling - 13/09/2010

Going on holidays or travelling with work is always exciting, however for those of us who regularly exercise holidays and travelling can be seen as a detriment to our exercise regime and current fitness levels. Never fear – just because you are going on holidays or travelling doesn’t mean you are going to undo all your hard work. Below are some tips that I provide my clients for when they go away;

Throw a resistance band in your luggage

A resistance band is light weight and can be easily hidden amongst your luggage. So when you arrive at your destination pull it out and perform a few exercises such as low row, chest press, bicep curl, upright row & tricep extension. You have a complete resistance workout with one piece of rubber. They are inexpensive and most come with handles for easy grip.

Find a park with exercise equipment

Some holiday destinations (even overseas countries) have parks with permanent exercise equipment. When you arrive at a new destination ask or look around for a park with this type of equipment. These parks also have signs detailing & even picturing the particular exercise to be performed. Performing exercise outdoors is a great way to get fresh air too.

Walk when sightseeing, rather than using public transport

Of course this only applies if anything you are seeing or visiting is within walking distance. Many major cities are easy to walk in. You might even find you have to walk up some stairs or a hill. This is great as this type of activity increases your heart rate and of course you burns more kilojoules. A great idea is if you plan do to a lot of walking is to invest in some comfortable walking shoes and a pedometer. You would be surprised how many steps you take whilst sight-seeing.

Book a hotel that has a gym and/or pool available to guests

This is another great idea as most large chain hotels have a small gym and/or pool that is available free of use to its guests. The other benefit is if the weather is not kind (i.e. too wet, too cold, too hot) you have no excuse to not exercise. You can walk/run, cycle or swim for as long as you like. Some hotels even have Personal Trainers ‘on call’ should you be lacking motivation.

Finally if you are flying remember to perform some simple leg exercises, such as calf raises, pumping legs and rolling ankles to help improve blood circulation and minimise DVT. When you can, get up out of your seat and take a walk, even if it is to the toilet or to get a drink.

If you are driving long distances remember to stop and rest every 2 hours. Get out of the car and walk around. Not only does this help you wake up, it also helps improve blood circulation in the legs. Sitting for long periods of time is not good for the muscles or your blood circulation.

Written by - Merendi Leverett, Lifestyle Management Consultant & Accredited Exercise Physiologist

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Tips on how to maintain your fitness whilst travelling - 13/09/2010

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