It’s tempting to put your feet up and recharge your batteries while on vacation. But there’s no reason why you can’t incorporate exercise into your getaway, so you can return home relaxed, happy, and healthy. The Weight and Wellness Center at Tufts Medical Center in Boston is dedicated to helping you reach your weight loss goals, no matter where you are. Here are some fun ways to incorporate daily workouts into your next travel itinerary:
Step it Up and Explore
Clip on a pedometer, or use the “Health” app on your iPhone, to keep track of your steps, and set out on foot to explore your new surroundings. Walking is a great way to see the sights and uncover hidden gems. Aim for 10,000 steps throughout the day.
Rent a Bike
To cover more ground, and get a bigger cardio boost, rent a bike to travel around the city or countryside. Many cities, and hotels offer bike rentals by the hour, or day. If you’re not comfortable exploring on your own, look for a company that offers local bike tours.
Try a Local Activity
Take advantage of this opportunity to try your hand at something new. If you’re at the beach, sign up for stand-up paddle board lessons or kayaking, hike to the top of a mountain, or go snowshoeing or horseback riding. The key is to find something that feels like play, so you enjoy it even more.
Bodyweight Exercises
There’s no need for a full-service gym to get a full-body workout in. Instead, there are lots of exercises you can do anywhere, at anytime, without equipment. Lunges, squats, push-ups, burpees, and planks target all areas of the body, simply by using gravity.
Pack a Jump Rope
If there’s one piece of equipment to bring with you on your excursion, it’s a jump rope, which is light and easy to pack. This aerobic workout can be done anywhere, whether you’re inside your hotel room or outside by the pool. And it doesn’t take long to reap major rewards. Jumping rope for as little as ten minutes torches calories while strengthening your legs, core, and arms.
Drop-in classes
There's no better time to take advantage of drop-in classes than when you're traveling. Search the web or area exercise classes, or ask the hotel concierge for recommendations. The best thing about drop-in classes? In many cases, the first class is free!
Posted November 2017
The above content is provided for educational purposes by Tufts Medical Center. It is free for educational use. For information about your own health, contact your physician.