3 Tips to Keep Fit on Vacation

Summer has officially begun. And like all things, with the good comes the not so good:

With sun... comes sunburn.

With trips... come long travel time.

With family time... comes family squabbles.

With vacation... comes a break from fitness... Or does it?

No. You don't need to take a vacation from being healthy just because you're on a vacation from your day to day life. It’s certainly not easy to stay fit when you’re on the go. Why can’t you take your gym, training buddies, workout equipment, and group fitness classes with you in your suitcase? For those of us who can’t fit all of those into our bags or don’t want to pay the terrifyingly high baggage fees, there are several tips to keep in mind in order to stay active when you’re enjoying your well-deserved vacation:

1. Wander Around

John Steinbeck said: “A journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it.” The shortest distance between two points may be a straight line and the fastest trip may be using motorized transportation, but when you’re on vacation, efficient transportation is not the most important goal. Walk or jog to experience your new environment. Get a little lost. Explore. Take it slow and enjoy your surroundings.

2. Bring Portable Equipment

Pack something small to incorporate into your workout. Small, light-weight products like jump ropes, the Perfect Pushup or an ab roller may work well. They will inspire you and will serve as a friendly reminder to be active. We value the space that items take up in our suitcases, so if you bring it you’ll likely use it. One thing I know you’ll bring that’s perhaps the best portable equipment is your body. Performing simple bodyweight exercises is extremely effective. Push-ups. Planks. Lunges. Squats. Dips. Leg raises. The list goes on.

3. Follow the Locals

Find activities the locals do to stay fit. They aren’t on a permanent vacation. Many of them work out, stay fit and lead healthy lives just like we do when we’re at home. This is their home. You may learn some new and interesting techniques. In Jamaica, cliff diving is common. When I was there recently, I gave it a go. For me, it was more like cliff jumping while screaming rather than diving, but leaping off a 40 foot cliff and controlling your body to avoid rocks and swimming back for the shore certainly will burn some calories. As Pulitzer Prize-winning author, James Michener, said: “If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home.”

We'd love to hear from you. What do you do to stay fit when you have the luxury of taking a vacation? Comment on our Facebook page at facebook.com/flytefitness or tweet us at @flytefitness.

Be Flyte Fit,

Jeremy Greenberg

Co-Founder & CEO
Flyte Fitness