Working Out When Traveling to Lose Weight and Stay Fit
Posted Sep 22 2008 10:55am
Sticking to a regular weight loss and healthy eating routine is pretty easy when you are at home in your natural environment and you have that routine created. The problem for a lot of people who are new to a healthy lifestyle is that once their routine is broken it can be hard to get back into it. Travelling, for example, is a major killer of fitness routines because it totally disrupts your life in terms of exercise and diet. To keep making progress in your quest for a lean and healthy physique, you need to stay on course and have a plan to deal with those times when you simply can't go to the gym and follow your normal routine.
When I am travelling I often will not go to the gym. I hate paying $20 one time fees, going to a foreign gym where I feel stupid and I really hate wasting precious time at a gym when I am in a foreign city. And don't even try to tell me about hotel gyms! They always suck and are a total waste of time. Nope, instead I like to find different ways to train outside of the gym both as a mental break from my regular routine and to maximize time. Let's face it, if you are on vacation why waste time in the gym, and if you are on business you may as well enjoy the city you are in.
If you can't or won't go to the gym your best bet is probably doing body weight exercises in a circuit fashion. Pick anywhere from 3 to 10 exercises and do them all in a row, then repeat the circuit as many times as you can. The video below is an example of a challenging but powerful fat burning body weight workout that can be done in a hotel room or a park. What I really love about body weight workouts is they are super fast! No time is wasted waiting for a machine or getting your weights set up. You can move from one drill to the other instantly, allowing you to created a stronger metabolic effect in less time. The other nice aspect of body weight drills is you will still stress your muscles much like lifting weights. Muscles that are forced to adapt to resistance, be it body weight or dumbbells, become stronger and more toned making you stronger and better looking! I get sent down to Austin, Texas now and then for work and I live by body weight workouts when I am there. 20 minutes of pain each day and then I am done and ready to enjoy the Texas weather.
Another great way to stay active on the road is to walk, job or hike whenever you have the chance. Being that I live in Canada, when I do get sent down south in the winter I go for a walk every day after work. It is a great chance to get some fresh air and sun, plus I get to see the city that way.
As for eating, I swear by nuts when travelling. They fill you up, are full of nutrition and will not make you fat despite what the low fat craze of the 90's drilled into all of us. Nuts and water will keep you feeling healthy and keep the cravings away. I recommend almonds, cashews, hazelnuts or pecans. I stay away from peanuts due to the high allergens. When it is time to eat a real meal just get the salad with some meat on it. Yes I know you want the cheeseburger and fries but do you want a flat stomach more? The choice is yours.........
Sticking to a regular weight loss and healthy eating routine is pretty easy when you are at home in your natural environment and you have that routine created. The problem for a lot of people who are new to a healthy lifestyle is that once their routine is broken it can be hard to get back into it. Travelling, for example, is a major killer of fitness routines because it totally disrupts your life in terms of exercise and diet. To keep making progress in your quest for a lean and healthy physique, you need to stay on course and have a plan to deal with those times when you simply can't go to the gym and follow your normal routine.
When I am travelling I often will not go to the gym. I hate paying $20 one time fees, going to a foreign gym where I feel stupid and I really hate wasting precious time at a gym when I am in a foreign city. And don't even try to tell me about hotel gyms! They always suck and are a total waste of time. Nope, instead I like to find different ways to train outside of the gym both as a mental break from my regular routine and to maximize time. Let's face it, if you are on vacation why waste time in the gym, and if you are on business you may as well enjoy the city you are in.
If you can't or won't go to the gym your best bet is probably doing body weight exercises in a circuit fashion. Pick anywhere from 3 to 10 exercises and do them all in a row, then repeat the circuit as many times as you can. The video below is an example of a challenging but powerful fat burning body weight workout that can be done in a hotel room or a park. What I really love about body weight workouts is they are super fast! No time is wasted waiting for a machine or getting your weights set up. You can move from one drill to the other instantly, allowing you to created a stronger metabolic effect in less time. The other nice aspect of body weight drills is you will still stress your muscles much like lifting weights. Muscles that are forced to adapt to resistance, be it body weight or dumbbells, become stronger and more toned making you stronger and better looking! I get sent down to Austin, Texas now and then for work and I live by body weight workouts when I am there. 20 minutes of pain each day and then I am done and ready to enjoy the Texas weather.
Another great way to stay active on the road is to walk, job or hike whenever you have the chance. Being that I live in Canada, when I do get sent down south in the winter I go for a walk every day after work. It is a great chance to get some fresh air and sun, plus I get to see the city that way.
As for eating, I swear by nuts when travelling. They fill you up, are full of nutrition and will not make you fat despite what the low fat craze of the 90's drilled into all of us. Nuts and water will keep you feeling healthy and keep the cravings away. I recommend almonds, cashews, hazelnuts or pecans. I stay away from peanuts due to the high allergens. When it is time to eat a real meal just get the salad with some meat on it. Yes I know you want the cheeseburger and fries but do you want a flat stomach more? The choice is yours.........
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWKYI_2DRoU