How to Exercise While on Vacation

beach workout

Being away on vacation is not an excuse to stop moving. In fact, exercising while away from home should be a priority, since you’re more likely to overeat and indulge on rich cocktails while you’re relaxing by the hotel’s pool.

Things You'll Need

• elastic bands
• foam yoga blocks
• plastic hollow dumbbells
• sneakers
• workout DVDs

Instructions

1. Choose a hotel with a fitness center or a pool. While you’re unlikely to stay on a treadmill for an hour every day while on vacation, doing a 15-minute run before going to bed or as soon as you wake up can help you increase your energy and burn the extra calories you consume at the bar.

2. Explore the area on foot. Rather than taking taxis to move from place to place, grab a map and make it a goal to walk as much as possible. You will also get a chance to see things that you would miss if you were riding.

3. Invest on a few elastic bands or yoga blocks. Dumbbells are too heavy to carry with you, unless you buy specialty ones, which are hollow plastic that can be filled with water before use. If your hotel room has a DVD player, bring some workout videos along.

4. Sign up for a walking tour of the area. Most tours of this kind take at least two hours and involve a lot of walking at a steady pace. Walking tours are usually cheaper than the bus version, so consider that a bonus.

5. Do more than just lie on the sand when you go to the beach. Go swimming, sign up for surfing lessons or join a kayak tour of the bay. If nothing else, take a jog on the beach. The sun provides an unstable surface, working your lower body harder than it would to run on a flat surface.

6. Take the stairs to your room. Unless you’re staying on the 30th floor of the hotel, skip the elevator at least once a day and instead head upstairs using your own legs. Even taking the stairs down can help work your backside if you step down at a quick pace.

Tips & Warnings

• Make exercising while on vacation fun, rather than a chore. Think of ways of making your overall holiday more active, even if you don’t have enough energy to step on a treadmill at the end of the day.

• Make sure you bring a pair of sneakers along. If all you have is flip flops and dress shoes, you are not likely to take long walks or to feel compelled to take the stairs or brave the hills. The same is true of comfortable, sporty clothing.