Staying True to Your Fitness Routine While Traveling this Summer

There is nothing quite as rejuvenating as summer travel... or as potentially disruptive to your fitness routine. Don’t let some off-the-beaten-path adventure wreak havoc on your commitment to exercise and stay in shape this summer. Focus on these four fast suggestions for staying in shape while searching for summertime adventure…

#1 -- Be Resourceful

When you’re traveling, you won’t be able to rely on the resources you have at home to maintain your fitness regimen. For example, if your trip requires hotel stays, you won’t have access to a kitchen or the cupboards full of healthy ingredients you stock at home.

In Forbes’ 9 Easy Ways to Stay Fit While Traveling, author Jennifer Cohen suggests making use of items like the coffee pot in your hotel room for access to hot water, easily added to healthy oatmeal and breakfasts on the go. Skip the continental breakfast and satiate your appetite with the kind of healthy fuel you would normally opt for at home.

#2 -- Reimagine Your Routine

There’s no denying that travel challenges whatever routine you’ve established for yourself. A big downside to this is that a disrupted routine often leads to dehydration. Whether due to lengthy air travel or many miles logged behind the wheel, it can be tough to stay hydrated (without needing an excessive amount of pit stops). However, dehydration can undo whatever gains you’ve made with respect to muscle tone. Make hydration, however possible, integral to your on-the-go routine.

Keep H20 on hand whenever possible and, if you’re concerned about unnecessary stops or aggravating your seatmate with bathroom breaks, opt for energy gels to sustain you in the shorterm, as suggested by Road Runner Sports’ Don’t Let it Slip! How to Maintain Your Fitness While Traveling.

#3 -- Eat Intelligently En Route

Food on the fly doesn’t have to sink your ship. The trick is to opt for smart snacks that are easy to access en route. Think proteins like almonds or nut butters; even protein in powdered or pouched form, like tuna, are great options. Obviously, you’ll want to skip the easy alternatives on the road, which are often processed, steeped in sugar, and loaded with empty calories. The key here is packing your own alternatives so that you never cave to lesser choices because of hunger pangs.

#4 -- Keep it Simple!

Stressing over your fitness routine while traveling this summer is a surefire way to suffer setbacks and strip the fun out of the whole experience. Keep Cohen’s foolproof formula in mind. She advises, “If you can get 10 minutes in every day and stick to normal food for ⅔ of your meals, you should come out of your trip in the same condition you left. You can be good to your body and still enjoy yourself -- it’s summer!”

Wise words, indeed!