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You've spent the last however many weeks getting fit, staying active and living a healthier lifestyle. You're proud of the results you've achieved and, like many people, you book a holiday to celebrate. But slip a little too far into holiday mode, and all the hard work you've put in could be undone by a few bad choices at happy hour.
Goodlife Ambassador Jess Connelly recently returned from a week in Bali after taking out the top gong for Queensland in our 12 Week Challenge Fitter Faster Stronger category, and she reckons staying in shape while you're travelling is easier than you think. With these 4 tips, you can keep up the fit factor while unwinding and exploring on your holiday.
I'm all for getting away and enjoying time off with friends and family, but there's nothing worse than returning home from your holiday feeling unhealthy, sluggish, and with a few extra kilos joining you (and I'm not talking about your luggage!). The only thing I want to bring home from my holiday is a golden tan and lots of shopping, so here's 4 things I do to maintain my health and fitness while on holiday.
The easiest way to foolproof your fitness when you're away from home is to make sure your accommodation has gym facilities. Websites like booking.com [link] make it really easy for you to filter hotels by facilities - including gyms. I don't need anything fancy, as long as there's a treadmill, cross-trainer and some free weights like dumbbells, then I'm set. I prefer to train in the morning, before my brain figures out what I'm doing! You'll start your day the happy way, and you're more likely to make good food choices, too. Plus, it's pretty hard to find the motivation once you're nursing a food baby after breakfast and lunch.
Don't let the no gym-factor give you a mental leave pass from exercise. There's still plenty you can do in your room, or around the hotel, to burn extra calories. At the moment I'm loving Tabata for a quick, fat-burning, high intensity workout. It involves 20 seconds of hard work at your maximum effort, with 10 seconds rest in between, for four minutes. Repeat this for about 15-20 minutes. And the best part? This type of training spikes your heart rate and boosts the amount of calories you will burn for the rest of the day (second glass of vino, perhaps?). Try this easy 10-minute Tabata routine:
Alternating lunges
Squats
Mountain climbers
Star jumps
Burpees
Skipping
Side skaters
High knees
2 minute plank to finish
As soon as I arrive, I drop my bags in the room, put my runners on and start exploring on foot. Rather than turning on the TV, or flicking through the tourism brochures, start pounding the pavement and get your exercise fix at the same time. Getting out and walking around your holiday destination, rather than driving or catching taxis, is a great way to stay active while exploring. Venture off the beaten path and you'll probably stumble across some awesome finds, too!
Meal prep never sleeps, even when you're on holiday. If you're like me and eat very regularly throughout the day, pack some pre-prepared snacks alongside your passport. Your accommodation package might include breakfast, lunch or dinner, which is great for consistency, but finding healthy options in between can often be a needle in a haystack situation. The easiest way to avoid a blowout is to take protein bars, protein powder and individual portions of fruit and nut mixes with you.
What are your tips or tricks for staying healthy on holiday? I'd love to hear them!
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