Stay on track with your New Year’s resolution to prioritize your health and stay fit, even if you’re spending extended periods of time away from home. These tips are to help you with workouts you can do anywhere and help you eat healthy while staying at a hotel for an extended period of time.
How to eat healthy while staying in a hotel.
Before we focus on how we move our body, let’s pay attention to how we fuel our body. The first step of staying fit while traveling is building healthier eating habits, no matter where you are.
- Limit fast food and eating out. There is nothing wrong with enjoying the local cuisine or treating yourself to a meal at a restaurant, but that shouldn’t become a habit. The key is moderation. For example, one fast food or restaurant meal a week is normal. If it becomes a nightly thing, that’s when it becomes unhealthy quickly.
- Learn the basic macronutrients. Once you learn macronutrients, it’s easier to know what your body needs for strength, energy and muscle.
- Protein: This is what helps build and sustain your muscles, keep you full and increase your metabolic rate. They also help many parts of your body build and function, like bones, muscle, blood and skin. Examples of protein are meats, dairy, eggs, beans, nuts and quinoa.
- Carbohydrates: Carbs are sugar molecules that are broken down to provide energy. These can be divided into two categories: simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates, like sugary snacks or a candy bar, are broken down quickly by the body and give you a quick jolt of energy, but then a crash after. Complex carbohydrates take longer to break down by the body, provide longer term energy and regulate blood sugar levels. Examples of complex carbs are oats, corn, potatoes and vegetables. These are high in fiber, which is a complex carb that plays a part in keeping you full longer.
- Fats: Not all fats are bad. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are good for you, as they help absorb vitamins and minerals. Things with a good amount of healthy fats include avocados, eggs, nuts and salmon. Eating the right amount of these fats can help with weight loss, too. Unhealthy fats, like trans fats and saturated fats, are the ones that are dangerous in excess. These are things that are highly processed, have high contributions to weight gain and heart disease and are found in fried, greasy and over processed foods.
- Meal prep to start your week. Planning your meals for the week in advance is a great way to save money and stay fit while traveling. Make a grocery list for all the ingredients and snacks for the week and then prepare the food in advance on Sunday. Then, when you’re low on energy and don’t want to cook a full meal on Wednesday night after work, you can just grab your prepped meal from your in-suite kitchen and pop it in the microwave.
- Drink enough water. Water helps you stay hydrated, keeps your organs functioning and contributes to your overall health. According to the Mayo Clinic, men should drink about 3.7 liters of fluids a day and women should drink about 2.7 liters a day.
How to build a travel fitness routine.
- Create a schedule. For example, if you don’t have time after work to get your steps in, set your alarm an hour earlier and get a workout in before work. Try to keep your workouts at consistent times so they feel ingrained in your routine.
- Switch up exercises. Keep some variety in your exercises and activities so you don’t get bored of your routine. For example, do cardio some days, but if you’re feeling unmotivated or tired of that, try yoga or pilates in your hotel room.
- Utilize the on-site fitness center. If your Extended Stay America hotel has an on-site fitness center, take advantage of it. This free resource can add to your fitness variety and is a great resource when the outdoor weather isn’t in your favor.
- Get enough sleep. Give your body time to recharge so you have energy for the next day. It’s recommended to get around eight hours of sleep a night. If you are not getting quality sleep, your body won’t have the energy or strength to sustain a workout.
- Stretch first. Before you do any strenuous activity, don’t forget to stretch. Simple stretches warm your body up and help prevent injury or soreness later on.
How to stay motivated on your travel fitness journey.
- Create or join a workout playlist. There are plenty of fitness or motivational playlists on YouTube, Spotify or Apple Music. If you can’t find one you like, you can create your own. Add songs that make you want to get up and get moving.
- Designate a show for your workouts. One way you can develop routine and get excited for your next workout is to designate a show, podcast or audiobook that you only let yourself enjoy when working out or on the treadmill. Then, you have something you are looking forward to before each workout, and perhaps you want to stay on the treadmill five more minutes to see how the cliffhanger ends. It’s a great way to sneak in a few extra reps.
- Find a community to workout with. No matter where you are, visit a local gym or look online for local workout groups. Plenty of communities have fitness classes, outside yoga classes or group hikes. This is a great way to make friends and build a community where you are.
- Take advantage of the location. Being in a new place means you get to experience life like a local for the time being. Make the most of your exercises and step out into nature. If you’re on a coast, go for walks on the beach. If you’re in the mountains, hike them. If you’re near a cool National Park, go explore it. This makes your experience less of an exercise and more of an excursion.
If staying fit while traveling is one of your New Year’s resolutions, we wish you luck and hope you find these fitness tips for travelers helpful in your journey!
