How to Stay on Track When You’re Traveling
Are you making travel plans for spring and summer? Be sure to include exercise in your discussions so you can stay active while you’re away.
Of course, traveling can mean a lot of movement just walking through airports and carrying luggage. Some people prefer activity vacations, like hiking or golf. Just sightseeing on foot will keep you moving, too.
Being able to travel is one of the top motivators for being in shape after 50. You worked so hard for so long that you don’t want to be stuck on the couch now just because of low stamina and strength.
We recently talked to Rick Mayo (above), a member of the advisory board of the Association of Fitness Studios and owner of Alloy Personal Training Center in Roswell, Georgia. As an industry leader, Rick is always on the go – and as he approaches 50, he’s living proof that consistency not only builds health but also allows for an active, fun lifestyle.
Rick loves to travel the world. One of his goals: ride his motorcycle on every continent. (And he’s almost done it.)
1. How can I keep up my exercise while I’m traveling to see family or on vacation?
“There are several options to maintain your fitness while traveling. First, if you are staying in an area that has nearby health clubs, visit as a guest. If you prefer to workout at home, in the hotel or outdoors, have a coach design something for you to do with limited equipment. At Alloy, we accomplish this using our app by designing personalized workouts for different travel scenarios.“
2. Is it important to not miss sessions on holiday? Or can I slack off for a couple of weeks?
“It’s important to stay consistent with your exercise as you age. Each opportunity that you miss to maintain your fitness means double the work to return to your same level of fitness. Ugh, I know!
“The good news: It doesn’t take much time to simply maintain your baseline of fitness. Just 15 minutes a day of some light strength training and movement can keep you fit and healthy away from home.
“Getting fit is much harder than maintaining your fitness. Investing just a little exercise time each day while traveling will keep you on track.”
3. Hotel gyms are pretty elaborate now, but what if our hotel doesn’t have much? Should I find a local place? Do body-weight exercises in my room? Just get in my steps while sightseeing?
“You can probably find a local place in a city or town. And remember that your
body doesn’t know the difference between a dumbbell and your bodyweight, so you
can always get a great workout anywhere with the right program.
“Be honest about the amount of movement that you plan to do on your travels. Example: If you’re planning on hiking in the Alps, you won’t need much, if any, structured exercise. If, on the other hand, you plan on eating your way across Italy, you may want to work in some time for some light to medium activity.
“Keep it simple and most importantly, keep moving!”
Thanks, Rick.
Remember also to drink plenty of water, get enough rest, and eat responsibly while traveling.
Come in and tell us at Project Body Smart about your travel aspirations, and we can help get you in shape to get the most out of your trips – and out of daily life.
