Along with dusting off the cobwebs on your favorite pair of shorts, Memorial Day weekend acts as the official harbinger of summer. Now that the weather has turned the corner, it is time to pack the bags and go for a vacation, because you deserve it!
However, Memorial Day also marks the beginning of swimsuit season, so how do you keep the tummy tight during vacation nights? With that in mind, here are 8 Fit Tips for Travelers.
- Workout at the Airport
More and more airports around the world now have gyms for travelers. Before you travel, see if the airport you have a layover at has an accessible gym. Instead of hitting the bar for a cocktail, hit the treadmill to burn some calories. If your airport does not have a gym, use the airport as your own personal track and walk laps around the terminal. - Pack an Easy To Travel With Workout Kit
Find some space in your luggage for some exercise tools to allow you to workout under any condition. An example of some items are bands that you can use for strength moves, DVD for that motivational boost, the Fitdigits Saddle iPhone mount and a jump rope so you can do cardio right in your hotel room. Of course, don’t forget your sneakers! - Book a Hotel That Offers a Way to Workout
Book a hotel that offers a fitness center or a free pass to a local gym. Many hotels these days offer fitness gear to use in your hotel room as well, so check the website or call the front desk to inquire. You can also stream free workout videos using apps such as DailyBurn or on YouTube so you can workout right in your room. - Get Your Workout Out of the Way
Set your alarm clock for an hour earlier than you planned to wake up and get the workout in before the day gets going. Otherwise, you will run out of time and energy, while finding plenty of excuses to ditch the workout all together. - Consider the 10/10/10 Workout.
Whether you exercise for a full 30 minutes or split it up into three separate 10-minute bursts, you reap the same benefits, if not more, according to this article in the New York Times. So if you don’t have a full 30 minutes to an hour to workout, remember something is always better than nothing. Aim to squeeze in 3 ten-minute intervals of activities. Some examples are speed walking to pick up breakfast for the family, lunges and pushups before taking a shower, or jumping jacks or mountain climber intervals when you return from the day’s adventures. - Plan an Active Activity
Being a tourist can give you a workout as long as you plan it right. Choose activities that get you moving like a hike, bike ride and swim or just explore the city by foot. You never truly know a place until you get lost there, so go out for an aimless walk and enjoy the new scenery. Make sure to check with the front desk first about safe streets and areas to explore. Otherwise, opt to walk to destinations over driving or taking a taxi to fit in a workout when time is limited. - Track Your Calories
Fitdigits’s iCardio app will help you track calories burned during each activity like window shopping or a trail hike, this way you can plan your meals accordingly and not overindulge if you happened to be sedentary one day. Fitdigits syncs with the app MyFitnessPal, which allow you to track your caloric intake accurately. - Scope Out a Fun Fitness Class at Your Destination
For those who enjoy yoga, you may find a fun new twist on the class structure depending on your destination. Heading to the mountains means you may enjoy a mountainside morning flow class, while those headed to a lake cabin may get a chance to try yoga on a stand up paddleboard. Trying out these new types of workout classes gives you that sense of adventure you seek during your travels while still getting in a good sweat session. Groupon and LivingSocial are great sites to check for discounts on such classes.