Everyone loves a vacation, but we often come back from a holiday feeling more tired than we were before the trip! Part of this is because we fall off the fitness wagon and throw all caution to the wind during our trip. Don’t worry, a vacation can still be loads of fun and super relaxing while including regular exercise to keep you in tip-top shape! Many people would love to watch vlogs capturing highlights of your trip on Youtube. Guaranteed higher engagement and great visibility on your account. Here’s how to accomplish it: buy youtube subscribers.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE FALL OFF THE FITNESS WAGON?
While it doesn’t have to be a huge deal, a lot of times when we stop exercising for a period of time we are overcome with feelings of guilt or shame. There is nothing wrong with taking a break from working out, however many people find that keeping a regular exercise routine helps them to feel their best, have more energy, and stay in a positive mindset!
BRAIN FOG: After a couple of weeks of not exercising, our thinking may seem a bit foggier and we may have more trouble concentrating or remembering things. Less moving around means less blood flow to the hippocampus, the part of our brains that is in charge of memory and emotional regulation. Turns out exercise is good for the body AND mind!
SLUGGISHNESS: The longer we go without exercise, the more our stamina decreases, which can result in a feeling of sluggishness and fatigue. You may find that going about your daily tasks and errands is a bit more of a chore, and once you do go back to exercise, you might not be at your peak performance right away. This is because our body’s ability to hold oxygen diminishes the longer we stay inactive. Of course this isn’t an excuse to keep putting it off! Get out there and you’ll soon feel back to your old self!
LOSS OF STRENGTH: Ever notice that when you take a break from strength training, you have to work extra hard to lift the same amount of weight? This is because our muscles aren’t working nearly as hard anymore, so when they go back to lifting, they are shocked and need to work overtime to get back into the swing of things.
FAT GAIN: Months of inactivity can lead to fat gain in some people, especially if they’re not doing any kind of physical activity. You see, our muscles are fat-burning machines; when we stop exercising, our muscle mass decreases and in turn, so does our ability to burn fat. While you may not experience significant weight gain, you may put on some more fat if you refrain from getting your regular exercise in.
WORKING OUT WHILE TRAVELING
Here are some tips for getting your workout in while you’re away from home:
BREAK UP YOUR WORKOUT INTO SMALLER ROUTINES
DO A HOTEL-FRIENDLY WORKOUT
HIKE, WALK, BIKE, OR SWIM
GO SIGHTSEEING ON FOOT
CREATE A SCHEDULE
PACK FOR SUCCESS
When we travel we rarely have the same equipment, space or schedule as we do at home. That doesn’t have to derail our exercise routine though! When we have a trip that is filled with things to do, we can break up our workout into smaller routines. 10 minutes here and 15 minutes there can add up to a full workout we would do at home! If we’re staying in a hotel, we can check to see if there is a fitness center or swimming pool. Moreover, my videos are always there to put on before we head out the door or when we come back to our accommodations!
When traveling to a new place, it’s always fun to go sight-seeing. Rather than spend all that time on a tour bus, we can try some walking tours or scenic hikes to get some physical activity, stay fit and explore new sights! Sometimes sightseeing on foot even brings us to places that we wouldn’t see on the tour bus anyway! Trips to the ocean are a great opportunity to go for a swim or try out some water sports. Bike rentals are usually abundant near the coast, and biking is loads of fun! We don’t even notice we’re getting exercise when we bike!
It is crucial to prepare for success. If we set out to do something then we want to ensure that we’ll do it right! Packing resistance bands, workout clothing, sneakers and even a workout yoga mat will help us feeling motivated to get active. We can also let our travel companions know about our desire to get some exercise during the trip. This can help hold us accountable and who knows – our friends will probably want to join in on the fun! Another helpful tip is scheduling pockets of time when we can get our workout done. Is there more time in the morning? Maybe after lunch? If we add exercise into our travel itinerary then we’re more likely to do it!
20% FITNESS / 80% NUTRITION
Working out is important but what we eat is even more critical to our fitness success! When traveling, we don’t always know what will be on the menu, which is why I always bring my healthy smoothies along with me. They’re portable, packed with nutrients, and I can whip them up in a shaker bottle with some water and ice. Perfect for a quick breakfast or a post-workout snack!
