When I first started this blog, I shared something very personal, and I’m sure it’s a vulnerable topic for other people as well. I shared in the 8 Simple Ways to Get Back into Exercising After Vacation post that I got FAT while traveling.

I know weight can be a subjective topic to a lot of people. My definition of “fat” for myself may be entirely different for someone else. In the context of this blog, I’m defining the term “fat” as me not liking the girl staring back at me in the mirror.

When I started travel nursing and frequently traveling internationally while not on assignment, I fell out of my normal daily routine and gained weight at an alarming rate. I’m one to openly admit that while on the move, it gets tough to stay healthy.

I never really had to worry about my weight in my younger years. But after I turned 25, things began to change. Before, I used to be able to go weeks without working out or eating a single piece of lettuce and not gain a pound. Now, if I fall off the wagon for even a week, I begin to feel the difference.

I guess this is a normal part of growing up. Your body changes. Your metabolism changes. And of course, life’s circumstances can make your habits change as well. I am in no way contributing ALL my weight gain to just getting older. I, too, made the mistake of not taking care of myself and my health while on the road.

A year ago, I realized I needed to make a change. I just hated the person looking back at me in the mirror. And I realized I couldn’t use traveling as an excuse to not take care of my body anymore.

When I started a new travel assignment in Los Angeles, I researched all the local gyms. My browser cookies on my cell phone must have caught on and sent me an advertisement for a “six-week weight loss challenge” at a gym less than a mile from my new apartment.

The six-week challenge and gym membership was pretty pricey, especially for someone who had just finished traveling abroad and had depleted almost all her funds. But I took the plunge because I knew it would be an investment in MYSELF and my health.

For the challenge, I had the choice of what I wanted my goal to be at the end of the six weeks. I chose to focus on body fat percentage rather than weight because it was also a priority for me to gain back some lean muscle. I knew I had lost muscle mass while living a sedentary lifestyle from lounging on the beaches of Southeast Asia. And I knew inadvertently that by losing body fat, I would shed the pounds as well.

It was a challenging six weeks, but I’ll admit I felt amazing. Even before I started seeing any real results, I felt like I had more energy and a positive body image. I’m attributing this to the new mindfulness I had acquired with my eating, physical fitness, and daily routine. There were days I woke up at 4:30 am to get a workout in before work. At the beginning of each week, I constructed and organized my meal plan and went grocery shopping accordingly. I meal prepped for at least six days a week, and I said goodbye to a lot of the junk food that had been holding me back. Not only that, but I made an effort to drink 2-3 liters of water a day, get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night, and meditate for at least 20-30 minutes a day.

While I was in Los Angeles for the majority of the six weeks, I did do some work-related traveling to Boston, Wisconsin, and San Diego. Because I was so dedicated to my new lifestyle, I was able to maintain a substantial effort to staying fit while traveling.

By the end of the six weeks, I had lost a total of 10 pounds and 8% body fat! And not only that, I was confident in the person staring back at me in the mirror.

To this day, I keep my mindful eating, exercise, and wellness habits to the best of my ability. I’m more lax now than I was on the challenge, but I make a solid effort to stay healthy and fit while traveling. I’ve realized that it doesn’t need to be “all or nothing,” it just needs to be good enough. EVERY decision helps, which is why I strongly believe in mindfulness while traveling. If you’re looking for some helpful tips on how you too can stay in shape while traveling, then you’ve come to the right place.

Regardless of where you’re traveling or your fitness level, staying physically active will not only keep energy levels up but help keep you in shape. Whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, don’t use the trip as an excuse to stop exercising and taking care of yourself. I speak from personal experience when I say the longer you go without exercise, the tougher it is to get back into your fitness routine. The good habits must be reestablished, making your once regular workouts feel more exhausting than you remember.

See also:

• Is Travel Ruining Your Health?
• 7 Reasons You Should Care About Your Health (Even When You’re Traveling)

If you’ve made it this far in the article, here is a list of 12 easy ways to stay fit while traveling! (I know because I’ve done them myself!)

1. Workout in a nearby park. 

When I was visiting Boston, I was fortunate enough to have my hotel located next to a local park. Parks are great because they provide all the equipment equivalent to an elite gym! Here’s a workout I use and recommend if you’re planning on doing a short workout routine in the park:

1. 1. Warm-up with a light, 10-minute jog
   2. 12 pull-ups (use the monkey bars)
   3. 12 bar dips (use the parallel bars)
   4. 12 tricep dips (use the park bench)
   5. 12 box jumps (use a picnic table)
   6. 12 planks w/tucks (use a swing set to secure your feet while you plank, then work your abs by tucking in your legs and engaging your core)

If you’re at a beginner’s fitness level, you only need to complete this set once or twice. If you are at a moderate to advanced fitness level, 4-6 sets will do.

2. Go on a run for some sightseeing. 

It’s easy to kill two birds with one stone by enjoying a pleasant morning run around the new destination you’re visiting. I like to use the MapMyRun app that helps set up a running route for me to follow. All I do is input how many miles I want to run, whether I want a point A to point B route or a “return to starting point” route, and if I want road, trail, or both. So simple!

3. Take the stairs. 

It’s convenient to want to just take the elevator everywhere you go. Still, you’ll actually burn a lot of unnecessary calories by taking the stairs. By taking the stairs, you’re sneaking in some extra cardio and strength training, without setting up extra time out of your day for a workout! It’s a simple, easy way to stay fit while traveling.

4. Do some yoga.

The art of yoga is popular all over the world, so it’s rarely ever tricky to find a local gym, studio, or class that offers yoga. Yoga is also another workout that can be done right in the comfort of your hotel room. There are many apps, Youtube videos, and blogs that help curate a yoga workout designed just for you!

5. Go on a hike. 

Hiking is a fantastic physical activity and keeps you fit while traveling. It not only provides us with breathtaking scenery, fresh air, and nature, but it also challenges the body. Especially when there are hills or even some rock climbing involved.

6. Walk everywhere. 

This kind of coincides with “taking the stairs” mentioned earlier. Although it may be convenient to just take a cab, walking gets you outside, gets your body moving, and helps keep you fit while traveling! If you’re feeling up to it, you can even sign up for a walking tour of the city you’re visiting!

7. Watersports at the beach. 

Instead of just lounging on the beach all day, participate in some water sports to get the blood pumping. There are so many to choose from. From swimming, snorkeling, surfing, stand up paddleboarding, kayaking, beach volleyball, etc., you’ll never be bored! Just get moving!

8. Find a local gym or hotel with a gym. 

Many gyms offer day or week passes, and many discount codes can be found online. Don’t hesitate to shop around and see if there are any gyms near you. The best and probably most convenient way would be to just book a hotel that already provides a gym. I like to use Agoda for my hotel bookings because I can narrow down my search results to only hotels that have a gym included.

9. Hotel room workout. 

If your hotel doesn’t have a fitness room and there are no local gyms around, opt to do a workout right in your hotel room! Many exercises require ZERO equipment but still get your heart rate up! If you’re interested in the best travel-friendly workout equipment, check out my post, here.

10. Participate in local activities. 

Vacations are a great time to be adventurous and try new things. While on vacation, try out a new local activity that will challenge your strength and fitness. Depending on the activity, you might have to participate in a class, group tour, or even hire an instructor. But what’s the point of traveling if you’re not trying something new?!

11. Go dancing. 

Spend a night out on the town and go dancing. It’s fun, a great way to socialize and meet some of the locals, and you’ll burn a ton of calories by just shakin’ your booty!

12. Rent a bicycle. 

If walking isn’t really your thing, or you want to cover more ground, renting a bike may be a better option for you. Many cities have bike rental companies that will allow you to purchase a bike by the hour or for a full day.

Participating in at least a handful of these activities will help keep you fit while traveling. Now, while staying physically active is extremely important, so is our diet. In fact, food is 80% of the battle. If you talk to any personal trainer, they will tell you that 80-90% of getting fit and staying fit is based on what you consume in your diet. And unfortunately for many of us, they are right. Read my guide to healthy eating while traveling, coming soon.

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