Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Travel and Stay Fit at the Same Time!

Do you find yourself having trouble maintaining a regular workout routine while you travel?  Is it difficult to stay motivated when you're not in your normal environment?  Recently, I have taken inspiration from the Vegas.com blog to solve these problems for you.  My answer is to you is, all is not lost!  It is indeed possible to get a great workout in while on the road whether you're looking for a heart-pumping routine or something much simpler.

My job as a professional track and field athlete allows me to travel frequently to competitions in the United States and around the World, but at the same time it is crucial that I maintain my fitness away from home.  Even during the off-season, I must find ways to workout during vacations and holidays.

For me, the simplest and most convenient way to maintain cardiovascular fitness is to lace my shoes and head out for a run from wherever I may be staying.  Before I travel, I look online to see where my hotel is located and try to find possible running locations nearby.  Many times you can find a local park within a 5-10 minute jog from your hotel.  You can ask the front desk of your hotel as well, if you are unfamiliar with the area.  Running can be a great way to shake out the "junk" in your legs from traveling and it can be an opportunity to explore the city in which you are visiting!

There are options for strength routines as well.  In addition to maintaining cardiovascular fitness on the road, I have had to find ways to keep my leg, arm, and core muscles strong.  Many hotels have small fitness facilities that will allow guests to get the necessary weight workouts done.  But you can stay in your room and still get in a good workout.  Lunges and squats allow me to do some work on my legs.  I will do lunges down hallways if possible, but they can even be done in the confines of a small hotel room!  The same goes for arm exercises like pushups.  My core exercises include simple things like sit ups, but can range into other exercises, such as planks, flutter kicks, and/or pikes.  If you can spare just 10-15 minutes a day and complete some of these simple strengthening exercises, your body will love you for it, and you will burn a few hundred calories in the process!

Sometimes, even the thought of "working out" while on vacation seems like a chore.  I understand that!  Plan activities that will allow your body to get a good workout in while also allowing you to enjoy your trip and have fun!  For example, in a city like Las Vegas, The Aria Las Vegas resort provides a Hotel Hike which is an indoor hike through the hotel and surrounding area, guided by an instructor.  Escalators are a no-no for this activity, giving you a leg burning workout while enjoying the scenery of the hotel, casino, and shops/restaurants! 

The bottom line is, vacations should not be an excuse for you to come home 5lbs heavier and out of shape!  You can enjoy the luxuries of vacation while taking just a few minutes out of your day to keep your body toned and fit.  So next time you leave the comforts of home to see the world, take your fitness routines and goals with you!

Thanks for reading! Follow me here on Twitter to keep updated with my training. 

Click here to visit The Aria Las Vegas Resort and Casino website!