15 Ways to Stay Active While Traveling

When traveling for work or even for leisure, it can be extra hard to find the time and energy to squeeze in a few good workouts during the week. Travel can suck an entire day out of your normal routine and jet setting through multiple time zones can make even the most motivated person want to avoid the gym like a plague.

Staying healthy and fit is imperative if you want to maintain the ability to travel consistently while sustaining a good mood, energy, effective sleep, and low levels of stress. Unfortunately it’s really easy to use work travel or vacationing as an excuse to “give yourself a break” from staying active.

As a flight attendant and world traveler, this issue is usually on the forefront of my struggles to maintain wellness. I am constantly looking for ways to keep my workout routines steady, exciting, and achievable so I stay on track with my week even when spending it on the road.

I know I am most definitely not the only one with this struggle, so I put together a list of my favorite fitness tips to keep you physically active and energized no matter where your life takes you.

1: Plan Ahead

One of the best recipes for success is preparation. By mapping out your schedule for the week in advance, you can easily pinpoint uninterrupted gaps of time that you can dedicate to exercise. If you normally live by a set routine, planning ahead can help you feel as if you are maintaining a sort of schedule similar to a routine day at home.

2: Find a Local Gym

If you don’t have access to a free hotel gym or prefer a bigger variety of workout equipment, make sure to scout out local gyms nearby the place you are staying before your trip. Call ahead to get information on one-day guest passes so you can budget things out and compare pricing.

Pro Tip: Many local gyms offer a free day pass to first time visitors to give them the opportunity to check out the facilities. Some even offer a free personal training session or free fitness classes, so make sure to inquire about all the perks when you call!

3: Sign up for Class Pass

Class Pass is a great option if you primarily travel between bigger cities within the US, Australia, or Canada. The pass allows you to use pre-paid credits to book exercise classes at any of the participating locations they have partnered with (listed on their website). You can find a wide-variety of class types from cycling to yoga to boxing and much more. If you like to have things scheduled in to keep you accountable, this is the best option for you. They are currently offering a free trial as well for first time members!

If you are watching the budget or already pay for a local gym membership at home, check out the work out facilities in the area for free classes for first time members. I love using the Mindbody app for this as it makes finding nearby classes, information, and sign up both seamless and effortless. Most of these still require signing up in advance which can also assist in keeping you accountable to show up. Just make sure to check these out before you leave for your trip!

4: Pack an Accessible Archive of Fitness Videos/Routines

Have a stockpile of at-home routines and videos saved up on your tablet, laptop, or phone. By having quick 20-30 minute workouts available, it helps relieve the stress of having to locate a gym or think about what workouts to do. This is also really helpful if you are staying somewhere that does not have a gym available. I keep my videos organized by time increments so I can easily select a workout based on the amount of time of have to complete it. You can also organize these by workout type, intensity, etc., I also use the EVERNOTE app to organize and categorize photos I’ve pulled from fitness magazines. This way I have a constantly fresh influx of different workout routines handy offline whenever I need them!

5: Utilize the Hotel Gym

What could be better than a free gym? Especially if you are already forking out for a gym membership at home and don’t want to have to pay for additional fitness costs during your travels. I stay in hotels often and I would say nine times out of ten I end up with the gym completely to myself. Another plus side is that a lot of hotels offer a range of different styles of fitness equipment which can help keep your workouts fresh and interesting.

Pro Tip: Travel with resistance bands in case the gym is very basic with simple free weights and a treadmill. This can allow you to still pop in some resistance training alongside your cardio for a more effective workout.

6. Keep a Fitness Diary or Health Tracker

Look at it daily as part of your morning routine to keep your head in the game. Set reminders or alarms when you have scheduled workouts etc., so you can’t miss it. There are tons of fitness apps like MapMyRun or JEFIT that can track your progress and even give you daily workouts to complete. Some apps like MyNetDiary can help you track your nutritional numbers along with syncing to your fitness watch to pull any workouts you have done automatically.

7: Take a Dip

Most hotels have indoor or outdoor pools (weather permitting) for use, so take full advantage and start your day out with a quick round of laps. Swimming is an incredible full body workout with so many benefits. There’s no healthier way to beat jet lag or the dreaded early-morning wake up call than with a nice refreshing dip in the pool.

8: Set Out Your Workout Clothes

Nothing makes you feel guiltier about hitting the snooze button 10 times and skipping a workout than seeing your gym clothes staring you at the face first thing in the morning. Lay out your workout clothes and shoes at night next to your bed before you hit the hay as a sign of commitment to being fit and a friendly reminder that living a healthy lifestyle is a priority. It’s no secret that anything you can do the make a work out less effort to accomplish is helpful (especially early in the morning).

9: Get Outside

I love a good outdoor run. It’s a great way to explore a new city, releases feel good endorphins, and is an opportunity to breath a bit of fresh air. On a long week of indoor business meetings, airplane flights, and hotel stays, getting outside always feels better and increases your general mood. Take a walk at a nearby park, go for a quick scenic hike, or ride a rental bike! There is always something that can be done outdoors (weather permitting of course).

10: Reward Yourself

Positive reinforcement is proven as an effective way to stay on track with your goals. Set an incentive to work towards like a new pair of workout pants, a mini-vacay, or a massage. If you accomplish your activity goals for the week or month, reap the rewards – you deserve it! Tell yourself how proud you are that you beat the week of travel and still managed to fit in staying active. It’s not an easy feat so make sure you applaud yourself for it.

11: Read Health and Fitness Magazines

Traveling comes with down time and a lot of waiting around. Pick up a health or fitness magazine to stay up to date with new workouts, meal ideas, and motivation. By creating a mind set around wellness, you are more likely to stay focused and on track with your fitness goals. Driving? Check out some health and fitness podcasts to break up the drive! Shape magazine recently wrote an article on some good ones that you can find here.

12: Find a Workout Buddy

Scout out a fellow coworker who wants to stay on the healthy track. You can help each other stay accountable to your fitness goals on business trips and having a workout pal makes exercise more fun! I always mention going on a run, hike, or bike ride to my fellow crewmembers on layovers and if they decide to join they always thank me for it! It’s a great way to get to know someone better and enjoy the great outdoors.

13. Skip the Happy Hour

Having a drink every night creates an unhealthy routine that can be really hard to work your way out of, especially coming into a weekend. Try and cut down the number of happy hours or alcoholic/sugary drinks you have during the week and replace it with a workout or two to help keep things in balance.

If networking at social hours is an important part of your job, make sure to make time in the morning for a quick cardio sesh or let people know you will be a little late because you made a promise to spend a some time in the gym! If possible, try and hit the weights and have a healthy snack or protein bar before heading out for dinner and drinks to help balance things out if you do decide to indulge.

14: Go Dancing

Okay not all of us are “good” dancers, but so what! That’s what dance lessons are for right? Sign up for a local dance class to burn of those extra calories and learn something new! There are so many unique dance styles around the world. You can salsa, tango, square dance, you name it! Get on the dance floor and shake your booty with some friends or co-workers to make the night unforgettable and fitness friendly! Who knows, you may even find your hidden talent!

15. Don’t be so Hard on Yourself

Traveling is exhausting and stressful and a total routine killer. If you have a lazy day and simply cannot get yourself to the gym, don’t kill yourself over it. Give your body the adequate rest and adjustment it needs. Just promise yourself you will make up for it the next day and make a plan to do so.

Remember that consistency is key. In the end do what you feel you can manage without overdoing it. Setting small achievable goals helps keep you motivated without the added stress. Exercising even a small amount each day is more effective than just one or two long workout sessions in a week, because you are consciously setting a habit to be active daily. Good habits lead to permanent results!

Do you have any motivating tips for staying fit and healthy on the road? Share them in the comments below!