On the Road: How to Take Your Exercise with You

Traveling for business or leaving home on vacation does not mean that you have to leave your exercise habits behind. Here are some of my strategies for fitting in exercise when I’m traveling.

Preparation

As someone who travels frequently I have found that it’s really helpful to plan ahead for how I’m going to get exercise while I’m away from home. Whether for business or pleasure, if you travel a lot like I do, you may want to consider signing up for a gym membership that has either nationwide locations or access to affiliate gyms. I always check my local gym or jump online to find the closest affiliated gym to where I am traveling. If this is not an option, check to see if the hotel you are staying at has health club facilities. Many business hotels now cater to frequent travelers by having in-house exercise facilities. And I always make sure to pack workout clothes and shoes.

Frequent 100-Calorie Short Bouts of Exercise

At least 75% of all the physical activity I get while traveling is walking. I specifically look for opportunities to get short 15-20 minute bouts (that works out to 100 calories for me) of walking while traveling. To find out your own calories burned per minute of activity, click here. Some examples: Since I’m at the airport an hour before a flight to get through security, I always have at least 15 minutes where I can get a 1-mile(100-calorie) walk in before I have to board the plane. Even when carrying on luggage, I have a bag with wheels, so I can still get my walking in, even with my suitcase – no excuses. If I am making connections, the first thing I do when I get off the plane at the next airport is get a one-mile walk in (another 100 calories – bonus!) before I head to the next gate.

And finally, as soon as I check into my hotel – if possible – I head to the hotel gym to get 10 minutes in on the stair machine (another 100 calories). If you have been keeping track, you can see I just got at least 300 calories in for the day (which happens to be my daily exercise goal when I travel).

“Book-End” the Trip

I can be tempted to slack off with my exercise the day before I travel, as well as when I get home. Getting out of my daily routine can be the worst thing for my goal of consistent physical activity. In anticipation of this problem, I pay particular attention to making sure I “book-end” my trip with my regular exercise routine the day before I leave, and again when I get home (I also try to get in a bike ride before I leave for the airport, if I have time). My regular routine is a 300-calorie bike ride first thing in the morning, a 150-calorie workout at the gym in the late afternoon and a 100-calorie walk around my neighborhood with a friend after dinner. (My daily goal when at home is 550 exercise calories). That way, I’m focused on getting right back into my routine, without missing a beat.

What is your best strategy for getting in exercise when you’re on the road?
 

by BodyMechanic on 10/17/2011 | Share Story With a Friend

tags: Weight-Loss, exercise, planning, strategies, travel