Sun, sea, beach, and exercise! It may not be the first thing that comes to your mind when you are on holiday. But staying fit during your vacation is quite important. Everybody knows that enjoying life comes with good food. Laying on your beach bed is not very good for your condition. If you want to stay in shape during your vacation, we recommend exercising. How do you do that? Read all about how you can stay fit and healthy when you are on holiday!
Why exercise when on vacation?
Going on vacation means relaxation. It does not matter if you go on a city trip or on a sun vacation: you just want to fully enjoy your time off. For many, exercising is not something to enjoy, but it is essential to stay fit. Even when you are on holiday.
When you hit the gym at home, but don’t want to exercise at all when you are on vacation: you will notice that your stamina and strength are greatly reduced when you get home. Not working out for 1 week will not harm you, but you will be in worse shape after not exercising for three weeks. When you get home, it will be pretty hard to get back to where you were before you went on holiday.
Your physique will appreciate it, but there is another reason why you will benefit from exercising. When you’re on a trip, you probably don’t want to think about what you eat or drink, and you’ll likely gain some weight. Exercising compensates for this, and you can fully enjoy all the great foods and drinks at your destination.
How to exercise on vacation
Exercising when you’re on vacation is not as complicated as you think. You don’t need much to stay fit and healthy. It’s clever to choose a sport you don’t normally practice at home. This will keep things fun and relaxing. You can do all the sports you want, but there are a few options that are fun to do when you’re on holiday.
Running
The upside of running is that you can run everywhere. All you need are running shoes and you’re good to go! Run the boulevard, or through the forest. Run wherever you feel like! You’ll really enjoy the environment while you’re on the run. Just make up your tour in advance. Otherwise, chances are you’ll get lost and won’t be able to find your apartment or hotel.
Swimming
Hanging out at the swimming pool is such a fun thing to do. What else can you do? That’s correct! Swimming! Use all the facilities that you don’t have at home. Swimming some laps benefit your body, they don’t take a lot of effort, plus you don’t need any equipment for this great work-out.
Cycling
Cycling is a great way to discover the area by bike. Find beautiful places that you won’t be able to access if you’re a pedestrian. Mountain biking in the woodlands is an adventure on its own. Not every location has a bike rental, but if possible, it’s definitely recommended.
Fitness
Many large hotels have an indoor gym. This is great for doing your work-outs and stay fit. Just keep in mind that most hotel gyms don’t have premium quality fitness equipment. Nevertheless, it’s a wonderful way to stay active.
YouTube work-out
YouTube is your best friend! Even when you’re on vacation, the work-out tutorials are a perfect way to stay fit. In general, you don’t need any equipment, and you can do your work-outs anytime, anywhere. The beach, the city park, the woods are perfect for you to do your exercises.
Walking
When you’re on holiday, you walk a lot more than you realise: to your favourite restaurant, to beautiful sights, or strolling in a city. Due to the heat, you take your time and don’t walk very fast, but hey, you walk long distances! You may want to try to speed up your walking pace when you’re on vacation. For example, each morning, challenge yourself to walk to the local bakery for your freshly baked artisan bread as quick as you can.
Regional sports – discover the local culture
When you’re on holiday, you can discover the area by practising a local sport. You discover a new culture, plus you stay fit. Local sports differ per area, so immerse yourself before you go on vacation.
Beach volleyball
The beach is very versatile for practising sports, but beach volleyball is one of the favourites. Some areas already have a little playground. If this is not the case, all you have to do is ‘draw’ a line into the sand and there you go! You have a volleyball net! To play a nice game of volleyball, all you need are team members and opponents. Playing volleyball is a massive workout, plus it’s a fun and social thing to do. You may make some new friends!
Yoga
Yoga may not be the most intense sport, but it certainly helps you stay fit and balanced. You can practice yoga anywhere you want to: just throw your towel on the beach, or in the woodlands, or at a lake, or anywhere where you feel completely zen. You can also contact the local yoga studio and find out if there are any lessons you can participate in. This way you stay fit, healthy and you get to meet the locals
Training materials on vacation
When you go on holiday, you don’t want to take too much with you and certainly not a suitcase for all your training materials. When you do your packing, it is clever to look at what you really need. Taking your full equipment with you is not necessary. To practise most sports on holiday, all you need is some sportswear and sports shoes. Do you want to practise a sport that requires using large items? Well, you can rent most equipment at your holiday destination. You can always rent a surfboard at the local surfing school or tennis rackets at the tennis court.
When do you exercise?
When you’re on vacation, finding the right time to do your exercises can be a pickle. The mornings are perfect for relaxation, in the afternoon you want to head towards the beach or discover nature. In the evenings you want to spend time at local restaurants and enjoy all the great food. When do you have time to exercise? The best time to do your exercising depends on what you’ve got planned for the day, but exercising in the mornings is certainly recommended. Generally speaking, you’re most motivated in the morning and you’re full of energy. When you’re on summer holiday, temperatures rise during the afternoon, and exercising in hot weather is often quite hard.
When you’re in the Mediterranean, exercising before sunset is a great idea, but we totally understand that you don’t want to get up at 5 AM to do your running. Whatever time you do your exercising, we recommend that you wear fresh, light sports clothing to keep your body cool. The advantage of AM exercising is that you’re done early and have the rest of the day to enjoy. Be kind to yourself; you don’t have to set a new personal record. It’s all about being active, but you can slow things down.
Motivation on vacation
Many find it hard to be motivated and do exercises when they’re on vacation. The choice between relaxing and working your booty off in the gym is often quickly made. No matter how hard it is, try to do at least some exercise when you’re on vacation. To make it easier on yourself, you can reward yourself afterward. Did you do your exercising early in the morning? Then cut yourself some slack for the rest of the day. This way it’s easier to stay motivated.
Active vacations
Are you a sports fanatic and are you not planning on doing any relaxation when you’re on holiday? Then opt for an active vacation. This will keep you busy and fit. Ski trips are a good example of active vacations, but you can also go on a hiking trip, climbing trip, or cycling trip. Whatever active trip you choose, just be sure you have some experience. You can do this by taking lessons at your destination, but you can also practice in your home country.
