It can be really difficult to maintain your workout routine while traveling. Maybe you start off strong and then you lose steam throughout your trip, or you fall out of your routine due to jetlag. It’s happened to all of us, and it’s certainly happened to me. I’ve spent years traveling for work and leisure, and these are my top tips for how to maintain your workout routine while traveling. Ultimately, it comes down to discipline and doing something that you find fun, but these tips have definitely helped me!
Find Travel Workout Equipment
One essential thing for me has been finding good, packable, portable, travel-friendly workout equipment to make it easy to keep a workout routine while traveling. I now know my staples and I bring them on almost every trip. For me, one of those items is a good portable travel mat. I use the Jade Yoga Voyager Yoga Mat and I love it. It is a thin mat, but it folds up and fits in your suitcase or carry-on and doesn’t take up much space, making it ideal for travel.
Another piece of gear I always travel with is Bala Bangles. These are a great way to add weight (but not too much for packing!) to any workout. Finally, another way to add weight to exercises without taking up too much suitcase space is workout bands. I have many, but this option is great! They don’t need to be fancy.
Pack Cute Workout Clothes
I’ll take motivation where I can get it, and for me, sometimes that’s a cute outfit! I always pack 2-3 workout outfits for a week-long trip, and if I need to, I’ll bring a little travel-size detergent to wash them in my hotel room. I love Lululemon – especially the Align leggings – and bring them with me everywhere. I also love the Energy Longline Bra. It has medium support, so it’s good for almost anything, and you can match the colors with the leggings!
Figure Out Which Workouts You Love
Your workout doesn’t need to be two hours. Even if you can get 20 minutes in, it will change your whole mood. I personally love The Sculpt Society because it’s portable and it has quick workouts I can do anywhere. I’ve also used the Peloton App in the past. My husband loves to run, and you can do that almost anywhere. I often do a quick workout while he is running. Having an accountability partner also helps you maintain your workout routine while traveling. Just find what works for you and start with 10 minutes!
Try Out Local Studios
Something I’ve always loved to do is try out new workout studios in different cities I visit. Almost every city has a yoga studio and many have cycling studios. Even better, a lot of them offer a free trial for your first class, so you may even be able to go for free or for a discount.
Make Your Vacation Into a Workout
My husband and I personally love to hike. So whenever we are in a new place, we try to see what hikes are around. For example, we recently hiked Victoria Peak and MacLehose Trail Section II in Hong Kong (check out my post here, How to Hike MacLehose Trail Section Two in Hong Kong). When we were in Lake Atitlan, we hiked from Santa Cruz to San Marcos and another trail called Indian Nose. In addition, we walk almost everywhere we go when we travel if it´s an option. All of this helps you get exercise into your routine in a low-impact way.
Get Your Rest!
Ultimately, if you aren’t well-rested, you’re not going to have a great workout. So for me, it’s important above all to try to eat well and get my rest while I’m on the road. This is especially true when you are jet-lagged. Even if I get only one or two 20-minute workouts in, or a stretch, that’s enough!
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