Take Exercise on Vacation With You

Movement is such an important part of my life that I always plan to exercise on vacation. It’s a great way to stay in routine, relieve stress or aches from travelling, and even see new places. To make fitness fit into your holiday, though, a little planning (and packing) can go a long way to ensuring it actually happens. 

How to Exercise on Vacation with Kids

When my kids were little, I’d pack my running shoes and some mini bands to work out with while on holiday. To be honest, though, those plans often didn’t come to fruition. Instead of sneaking off to the gym or for a run while everyone slept often turned into me sleeping in, instead. Between teaching aerobics and spin classes and taking care of three kids, I was beat and needed the rest. 

Still, we are an active family and ended up staying active even if it wasn’t the way I planned. Some things we did while the kids were young were playing in the pool and ocean, taking long walks on the beach or sightseeing, and “forcing” them to go on hikes and bike rides. Terrible parents, I know. As the girls got older, though, I had a bit more freedom to do the physical activities I wanted, and in their later teen years they would often join me for a run or even suggest going for a hike. 

How I Work Out on Holidays Now

These days, I’m much more rested and I tend to wake up at the same time even while on holiday. Sometimes my husband and I will go for a walk or hit the gym first thing in the morning or we’ll plan an active adventure for the day. Golf, tennis, swimming, biking, and even walking count. 

If you’re staying somewhere without a gym and are craving a good workout, you just need to get a bit creative! I’ve found that I can pack certain lightweight, small items to help me exercise on vacation no matter where I am. 

1. A Travel Roller. Small travel rollers often come with additional balls for rolling out your muscles, and have space in the middle where you can pack other items, too. 
2. A Stick. Massage sticks take up almost no space at all, and are another great tool to help roll out your muscles and fascia before or after your workouts.
3. Good Runners. I always bring a good pair of runners to run and work out in, plus they are super comfy for long walks.
4. Gliders. If you have a space with carpet, gliders are great tools. You can simulate a reformer workout or use them for strength exercises.
5. Mini Bands. I love mini bands to add resistance to my workouts. In fact, you can do a full-body workout with bands and gliders alone. 
6. TRX. The TRX comes with a couple of mounting options, including a door mount. Just be careful no one will open the door while you’re using it! You can also hook the mounting strap around a solid tree branch, a fence, playground equipment, or off of a stable piece of equipment in the gym.
7. Yoga Mat. While you don’t need a yoga mat to practice yoga or Pilates, it certainly makes the experience easier on your body. This one is foldable, which makes it perfect for travel. 

Now that you have your chosen equipment packed to exercise on vacation, how do you know what to do with it? You could rely on memory, but it’s a lot easier to follow a set routine. Check out the Sweat with Melissa App for a growing library of Pilates and strength workouts that you can do at home or wherever your travels take you. You’ll find a workout to suit whatever your mood that you can do with minimal or no equipment, so you can keep moving and feel great for your holiday.