Traveling these holidays? Stay in shape ‘on-the-go’ with advice from Sam Wood

Traveling is one of life’s greatest gifts and something I have been lucky enough to do plenty of for both business and pleasure. I know that for some people, being out of your routine can throw your health and fitness out the window despite your best intentions. With this in mind, here are some of the tips and tricks I’ve garnered over my time as a traveling trainer to stay fit, healthy and active on holiday.

Do your research

If you love going to the gym, make sure when choosing your hotel that there is going to be at least some kind of facility to satisfy your training needs. You could even take it one step further and stay somewhere surrounded by great training options to shock your body, get you out of your comfort zone, meet new people and add an x-factor to your trip. With technology at your fingertips, do your research and see if there are any gyms or studios nearby to where you are staying. Lots of places have a free trial or a discounted intro offer available which is perfect if you’re there for a good time, not a long time.

Embrace the outdoors

Traveling is a fantastic opportunity to get outside and explore your surroundings. Head off on foot to check out the area and get some incidental exercise in along the way. Find some stairs, a nice walking track or simply get from a to b on foot to add some incidental exercise into your day. I love nothing more than getting to the end of a long day when travelling, checking my steps on my phone and seeing how that compares to my daily average. I am often pleasantly surprised.

Pack healthy snacks

We tend to make poorer food choices when running around on an empty stomach. Avoid the impulsive chocolate bar inhalation by having a stash of nutritious snacks on hand. Don’t rely on what you may be served in your in-flight meal. A handful of nuts or piece of fruit can be a lifesaver.

Plan some body weight workouts

There are so many different exercises you can do using your own body weight. An example of a great body weight workout that you can do anywhere is:

Burpees
Push-ups
Squat Jumps
Mountain Climbers
Alternating Lunge Jumps
Alternating Shoulder Taps
Bicycle Crunches

Do each for 40 seconds with 20 seconds rest and repeat the circuit 4 times. You can pick 7 different exercises every day to have a new, dynamic workout to do whenever, wherever.

If I could only take one piece of equipment it would be a resistance band. Light-weight, versatile and perfect for a hotel room workout.

Don’t go overboard

There’s a tendency when in a new place to “eat all the foods”. If you can, try to cook at your accommodation so you know exactly what you’re eating. If this isn’t possible then opt for a fresh food strategy and remember- traveling isn’t an excuse to throw caution to the wind. Balance is key to avoid piling on the kilos.

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