What’s the best way to stay active on the road?

With summer vacations just around the corner, many of you may be planning to get out of town, and your normal routine. While it’s great to relax and unplug, one thing you don’t want your vacation to do is derail all the hard work you’ve been putting into your improving your health.

Fortunately, many of my clients are on the road regularly for work and we’ve come up with a few tried and true ways to still hit their goals while enjoying a change of scenery.

  1. Plan ahead – don’t conveniently “forget” to pack your workout clothes and then use that as an excuse upon arrival. Decide how many times you can really get in a good workout and lay out what you’ll need. This includes clothes, shoes, pre-workout, etc.
  2. Choose your destination – hotel gyms offer convenience but typically little else in the way of equipment. Fortunately, we live in the time of Uber and Lyft so grabbing a quick ride to a local gym is also an option. Most chains allow daily or even weekly passes for just a few bucks or look for what you use at home – L.A. Fitness or Gold’s Gyms, for example, are pretty easy to find in most areas.
  3. Train don’t try –  a lot of my clients will take photos of the gym they’re visiting so we can utilize the facilities to best keep up with their personal plan. Don’t get there and walk around unfamiliar areas before deciding to leave. Ask for help with new machines or work with your trainer to ensure you get the best workout for your time.
  4. Make it fun – when I travel I take the person I’m with along to check out new gyms. It gives us a chance to explore the area and try out different gym atmospheres. It’s not the same as sitting on the beach but enjoying it together makes it a great activity to do before we grab breakfast!

Vacations are a needed break from normal routine but often times they end up being an excuse to binge on unhealthy foods and quit moving altogether. While they should be relaxing, there’s no reason to bring back regrets – instead of souvenirs.