No tags yet.
Let's Talk About Traveling Light
I'm talking about health and fitness here. Packing fewer items is definitely smart, but this post will focus on my personal tips for coming home in the same shape you left.
New Zealand rural road. Hey look in that tree! That's Me!
I will start by discussing fitness related items that I pack on almost every trip I take.
I don't go anywhere without a pair of sneakers, my heart rate monitor and a couple of outfits I can work out in. I usually pack my resistance bands too. They take up very little space, so why not? 90% of the time I pack my pre-workout supplement and my whey protein powder too. I don't find that my strength workouts are strenuous enough to require my other supplements, so I leave them at home. My pre-workout gives me the kick in the butt I need to get out the door and my protein powder makes sticking to my body's macro nutrient needs much simpler. Lately, I have been packing a jump rope too. I have fallen in love with my jump rope for high intensity interval training (quick, effective workouts are the best for traveling).
Blacks Beach, La Jolla, California
Focus your site seeing on physical activities and walking tours.
Walking is vastly under rated. I think that when people really start getting into fitness they start jogging or running and never look back. I will always be a "walker." Why? Because I have a dog. Well, that and because walking is hands down one of the best forms of exercise we can engage in. It is easy to sustain for long periods of time and it isn't hard on our joints. If you walk at a fairly swift pace for 45 minutes or more your body's oxygen uptake increases which allows it to use fat stores as primary energy sources (aerobic exercise). At higher intensities energy comes from glucose stores instead of fat stores (anaerobic exercise). (If you are interested in the exercise physiology of this I can do a blog post, but it's not fun reading, haha. Just trust me, and every other trainer you speak to.) This is a very very good thing for weight loss and more importantly for retaining muscle mass. If I can go hiking on vacation, I always do. If I am vacationing in a city center then I choose a walking tour instead of hopping on one of those wretched "open top buses." When I am traveling, I probably walk 3-5 miles a day. These walks take place of running or other forms of cardio I do at home.
A French-inspired cafe's take on Salad Niçoise. Vienna, Austria.
Try the local delicacies, but keep everything else light.
I eat intuitively and keep track of my macro nutrients instead of counting calories. (I will make a blog post about this later. I also offer macro nutrient nutrition plans under the "Services" tab, check it out!) This type of eating makes travel very easy. If I have a fat laden breakfast I will focus on healthy carbs and protein for my other meals. If I plan on a couple carb-heavy beers with dinner, I will focus my meals on lean protein and healthy fats earlier in the day. The salad above is a prime example of a meal rich in lean protein and healthy fats.
An AirBnb kitchen in San Luis Obispo, California.
Rent apartments instead of staying in hotel rooms whenever possible.
This hint is one that I take advantage of as often as possible, not just for staying fit but because I greatly prefer it. Websites like AirBnb, HomeAway and VRBO have made renting an apartment as easy, if not easier, than booking hotels. Having a kitchen makes eating healthy food ten times simpler. I like to eat at local restaurants when I travel, but attempting to order healthy meals from menus three times a day takes all the fun out of it. Healthy snacks from convenience stores or street vendors are almost unheard of. I prefer to truly enjoy one meal at a restaurant each day and then self cater the rest. I love cooking, so for me it's part of traveling. I visit local markets and butchers like a normal tourist visits museums and monuments. If you do not fancy yourself a "chef" there's no worries. Having a fridge full of fresh fruits and veg will be enough to keep your snacking on track and a rotisserie chicken goes a long way towards packing a healthful bagged lunch for picnicking.
My final tip is pretty simple but it always works to keep my motivation level high when I'm on the road.
Take "before photos," measurements and weight yourself before your trip. These keep you motivated to stay on track and come home in the same shape you left. I, unlike many other fitness enthusiasts, believe the scale is a useful and necessary tool in tracking progress. If you disagree, then skip that step. I'll do a blog post later explaining why I feel the way I do about the scale.
These are just a few of the ways I've kept fit while traveling. I've spent months at a time on the road or out of the country and have never come home regretting a thing. Good luck and bon voyage!