Tips to maintain your fitness gains while travelling

So, you’ve put in months of hard work at the gym and yoga studio, you’ve been mindful of your nutrition, dong your 10 000 steps a day and you’re thrilled with the results you’re seeing in yourself - both physically and mentally - and now you’ve booked that trip you’ve been looking forward to all year. 

Suddenly the flash of anxiety hits as you see yourself spending days supine on a sun bed by the pool consuming calorie-laden cocktails before moving onto a smorgasbord of whatever delicious local cuisine your chosen destination has to offer. The fear is real. You imagine yourself returning from your trip and having to re-start your journey from the beginning. Literally from the first step. The ‘how to stay fit on holidays’ conundrum is common. I’ve seen clients and friends grapple with it and I’ve certainly experienced it myself in times past. 

I travel a fair bit to far-flung places and I need to be in shape from the moment I return home as I’m likely to be working with clients and teaching group classes within a day or two of touching down. So as not to lose my gains - or my balance in front of a class - I’ve figured out some simple strategies to maintain my fitness while still enjoying the culinary pleasures of my chosen destination and getting in a bit of rest and relaxation as well. 

For a start, I walk. For me walking is the ultimate ‘slow travel’ approach to touring new places... and hiking through scenic wilderness is unbeatable. When you walk you notice the smaller details as well as the bigger attractions. What I don’t notice so much when I’m wandering through a magnificent city for the first time is the mind-boggling amount of steps I’m clocking up. I’m simply too engaged in the sensory feast of being in a new environment. 

Of course, all of this walking means that I can indulge a bit more than usual. The local cuisine is also a part of the sensory feast of a foreign destination and an important one at that. I delight in tasting the food of other cultures and I’ll shamelessly wash it down with a few glasses of wine if it’s on offer. 

This doesn’t mean I don’t get in some rest and relaxation. I will plan my days in ‘blocks’, generally dictated by the weather of my destination and what I want to see. For example, in the tropics I will be out and about exploring up until mid-morning, returning to my accommodation when the heat becomes unbearable where I’ll chill out doing whatever I feel like until venturing out again in the late afternoon and evening. In colder climates I’m more likely to be out during the ‘warmer’ parts of the day… and, yes, I put ‘warmer’ in inverted commas because places like Stockholm in the middle of Winter just aren’t.. but I still get out. It’s worth noting here that appropriate clothing for the climate you’re travelling to is worth the splurge.. as are decent shoes. 

So what about strength work, you ask? All this walking is great, but it doesn’t do much to maintain sculpted biceps. Personally, if I’m going away for two weeks or less, I actually don’t worry about it too much. A lot of experts advise the occasional short break from strength training and I’ll just view my holiday as my break. As long as you get back to your usual workout routines upon your return, not much will change. 

Flexibility, on the other hand, is non-negotiable - especially with all the extra walking - so even on a short break I’ll make sure I do a twenty minute yoga practice approximately every other day. It’s less than I’d do at home, but enough to maintain my flexibility in the short-term. I’ll also throw in a few balance poses just to make sure I don’t fall over while teaching my first class when I return.

If I’m going away for longer than a fortnight, I need a slightly more comprehensive plan than simply walking and stretching. For these trips I will tend to do what I think of as my “workout in a box” (it only takes about half an hour and it covers all bases) and I’ll do it approximately every second day. It essentially involves:

• 3-4 sun salutations to warm up.

• Squats and lunges for glutes and thighs. 

• A balance pose. 

• Down to the floor for some Pilates-style core work. 

• Pushups and tricep dips for arms and upper body. 

• Possibly a plank or two. 

• Winding down with some yogic stretches on the floor covering hips, a backbend, a twist and a few stretches for arms and upper body.  

• Savasana. Okay, not essential if you’re just after the exercise benefits. But I’m a yoga teacher. I can’t help myself. 

  
  

I’ll vary my “workout in a box” depending on the time I have (I’m on holiday after all) and the only equipment needed is a mat (although a towel on the floor will do in a pinch). Foldable mats are fantastic these days, my favourite is by Manduka Pro - it’s light and takes up very little suitcase-space, but it gives you a bit of cushioning and actually feels like a mat. 

It’s worth mentioning that a lot of destinations offer the opportunity to enjoy physical activities that  are not so easily accessible at home. Wherever you are, check out what’s on offer - snorkeling, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, surfing, skiing, snowboarding, rock climbing - all make for a great workout and add to the sense of novelty. If you’re visiting a city why not take a dance class or try a new type of group exercise experience. Travel is a great opportunity for trying new things as you’re already in a more adventurous (and less self-conscious) headspace. You may even discover a new passion.

When it comes to indulgence when I’m away for more than a fortnight, well, I’ll still eat the pastries or the curries or whatever deliciousness is in the vicinity… but I will be more mindful of portion sizes and limit my consumption of alcohol. Plus I endeavour to eat in alignment with how much energy I’ve expended throughout the day. Basically I aim to enjoy a bit of everything without overindulging. Fact is, a week or so of over-indulging won’t make much of a dent in your gains… but a month or so will.  

So, there it is. That’s how I maintain my fitness while travelling. It’s all about keeping it simple and time-limited so you can enjoy the wonderful location you are visiting.  

I think my final words of wisdom on this would be; if you’re into scales and tape measures, wait until you’ve been back for a week or two before you go weighing yourself or measuring your waistline. Especially if you’ve just gotten off a flight. Plane trips, particularly the long-haul variety,  cause bloating and fluid retention. Do your self-esteem a favour and give your body time to adjust.  

Hope you find these tips useful!

Clare

xxx