As summer approaches, many of us are eagerly planning our vacations, dreaming of sun-soaked beaches, vibrant cityscapes, and adventurous getaways. However, amidst the excitement of exploring new destinations, maintaining our fitness routine can often take a backseat. It’s easy to fall into the trap of indulgent meals, lazy days, and neglected workouts when away from our regular gym and daily routine.
But staying in shape while traveling doesn’t have to be a challenge. With a little creativity and planning, you can enjoy your vacation without compromising your health and fitness goals. Whether you’re traveling for a weekend getaway or embarking on a month-long adventure, this guide will provide you with practical tips and strategies to stay active and healthy on the go.
From packing the right gear to finding creative ways to exercise, we’ll explore various methods to keep your body moving and your mind energized. We’ll also delve into the importance of balanced nutrition and share tips on making healthier choices, even when faced with tempting local delicacies. And what if you do take the time to rest and recharge, will a break really undo all the work you’ve done at the gym? Of course not!
So, get ready to make the most of your travels while staying fit and feeling great. After all, a healthy body is the best souvenir you can bring back to AFAC gym in Thornton, Colorado!
How to Stay in Shape While Enjoying Your Gym-Free Getaway
You’ve worked hard at the gym to achieve your beach-ready body, saved up for a two-week escape, and arranged care for your pets. Yet, a peculiar challenge still looms: figuring out how to maintain healthy eating and exercise habits during your vacation so your beach body can become your year-round body, all while fully enjoying your trip.
First and foremost, remember that a vacation is meant to be a break from daily stress, a time to relax and have fun—not necessarily to keep up with your 4:00 a.m. gym routine. While you might have packed an abundance of workout gear, without a balanced plan to stay fit on vacation, those outfits might never see the light of day. Thankfully, with a bit of thoughtful preparation, you can showcase your new workout attire and give your muscles the attention they deserve.
Your holiday is a time for relaxation, so let us take the stress out of planning a healthy holiday for you. We’ve compiled essential tips to help you maintain your fitness on vacation without compromising your enjoyment.
Read on for our top tips on staying fit during your holiday, ensuring you keep those gym gains while making the most of your getaway.
Remember the Advantages of Staying Active
Even if you’re not gearing up for a major event or endurance challenge, it’s worth considering incorporating fitness and movement into your vacation. Physical activity is known to boost mental health and happiness, and it offers long-term health benefits such as maintaining muscle mass, stability, and endurance.
Long flights, extended periods of sitting, and the stress of a new environment can all take a toll on your body. Integrating some form of movement into your daily routine can help you relax, settle in, and counteract these stressors. It also helps you maintain consistency so you don’t lose momentum when you return home to your gym routine.
If your vacation is activity-focused, like camping, hiking, kayaking, or climbing, use this time to appreciate your active lifestyle while also allowing yourself to relax a bit. Even if your trip isn’t inherently active, it’s still simple to incorporate movement and fitness activities into your days.
It’s also worth noting that it takes two to three weeks of inactivity for noticeable changes in muscle mass or strength to occur, so a short break from the gym may not impact you as much as you think.
As you plan your time away and set fitness goals, remember to be kind to yourself. Vacation is a time to step away from daily pressures and stress, not to push for your fastest run or hardest workout. Enjoy the break and the balance it brings.
Think About What Type of Vacation You’re Taking
Before creating your getaway fitness plan, take a moment to evaluate how much movement your vacation will naturally include and the types of activities you’ll be engaging in.
We often associate fitness with structured activities like gym classes, long bike rides, or intense strength training sessions. However, movement encompasses a wide range of activities, including walking, exploring, and even golfing or fishing.
Planning a trip to an amusement park, a foreign city, or a family hike? That involves plenty of walking. A kayaking adventure? That’s a great upper-body workout. A day exploring mountains? That’s a full day of physical activity.
Many people overlook how much exercise they can get from certain vacation activities.
If your vacation already includes a significant amount of walking, hiking, or other physical activities, you might not have the energy for additional workouts like weightlifting or running. Consider saving those more intense sessions for a day with less planned activity. On the other hand, if your vacation is more relaxed and your main movements will be to and from the pool, plan some workouts in advance to ensure you stay active. Evening beach walks, for example, are great for building leg and core strength and can be a delightful way to maintain fitness.
Most importantly, remember that vacation is not the time to be a perfectionist about your workouts. It’s about finding fitness alternatives that work for you.
Set Realistic Fitness Goals
Whether you’re an athlete training for a specific event, or simply looking to stay active and healthy during your getaway, it’s crucial to define your fitness goals before heading out on vacation. Assess your specific objectives and determine how much training you want or need to incorporate into your trip.
If your aim is to stay generally active or maintain a basic level of fitness rather than being completely sedentary, setting clear and intentional goals will help you achieve that.
Also keep in mind that taking a recovery week, or deloading, is a key part of any athlete’s training regimen. It allows your body to recover and prevents overtraining. Even if your vacation isn’t a dedicated training camp, incorporating lighter activities for joint mobility and stability, as well as stretching and active recovery, can be beneficial.
If you have more specific goals, such as training for a marathon or a long-distance cycling event, it’s essential to clarify what you want to achieve while away and plan accordingly. Research what resources will be available to you at your destination to help you stay on track.
A vacation is a great opportunity to give your body the recovery it needs while still engaging in activities that keep you moving and feeling good.
Plan Your Vacation Fitness Routine
Creating a fitness plan for your vacation depends on your goals and the types of activities you’ll be doing. For instance, if you’re training for a marathon, pencil in some moderate morning runs (many hotels have treadmills) but consider scheduling your next long run after you return home. If you’re preparing for a century ride in the fall, find opportunities to bike once or twice during your trip, or focus on core strength training instead.
For a week-long vacation, aim to include two strength training sessions and two light cardio workouts. Think of this as a maintenance phase, not a time to set personal records. If you have a trainer, ask for specific recommendations based on your goals and progress. Or, consult your training program to determine essential workouts for maintaining your fitness base and where you can be more flexible.
Make sure to research fitness resources at your destination. Once you know how often you’ll realistically work out, check if your hotel has a gym or book accommodations with fitness facilities if that’s important to you. Look for local gyms offering day passes or studios with drop-in classes. If running is your thing, see if a local running store organizes group runs. Schedule your workouts and add them to your calendar to stay committed.
You also can prepare offline workout options. Download workout videos or plans in advance if you intend to exercise in your hotel room or Airbnb, so you don’t have to search for them once you’re there.
It also helps to get creative with fitness activities. Incorporate movement throughout your day to maintain joint health and mobility. Do squats while waiting in line or take a walk after dinner. Explore your destination on foot or by bike. If you have a pool or beach day planned, commit to swimming laps for a set time. Traveling with friends? Suggest a run, hike, or bike ride to explore together. At your hotel, run up and down the stairs. Or, dance the night away at a nightclub.
Finally, be flexible with your plan. You might find that after a day of extensive walking, you don’t have the energy for a planned workout. Be adaptable and consider your fatigue and energy levels. Most importantly, remember that you’re on vacation! Enjoy the balance between staying active and relaxing.
Adapt to Your Vacation Schedule
Sticking to your fitness plan while on vacation can be challenging. The hotel gym might lack the equipment you’re used to, or you might be camping and reluctant to roll out a yoga mat on the ground. Plus, you won’t have the usual cues, like beginning your day with a workout at the gym or a scheduled class that tells your brain it’s time to work out.
In an unfamiliar setting, creating reminders to move can make a significant difference. Keep your yoga mat and resistance bands in a visible spot. Set reminders on your phone. Use sticky notes to reinforce your commitment.
If your travel companions are also keen on staying fit, make them your accountability partners. This is especially helpful on family vacations with packed schedules. An accountability buddy can join you for a visit to the nearest yoga studio or jog with you while sightseeing.
Pack Light Fitness Gear
When traveling, space for fitness equipment is usually limited. Fortunately, you don’t need heavy weights to stay fit on the road. Here are some portable and packable options that are ideal for travel.
Yoga Mat
Any yoga mat will do, but a lightweight travel version can easily be folded into your suitcase. Roll it out for yoga or stretching sessions, or use it as a non-slip surface for bodyweight or High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workouts in your hotel room. It’s perfect for lunges, squats, planks, or a relaxing stretch after a long flight.
Resistance Bands
These light, stretchy bands are excellent for strength training while traveling. Resistance bands take up minimal space in your bag and provide versatile workout options, from resistance exercises to muscle toning.
TRX Suspension Trainers
TRX suspension trainers are a fantastic option for maintaining your strength routine on the road. They are lightweight, portable, and can be anchored to doors, trees, or other sturdy structures. TRX systems enable a full-body workout using bodyweight exercises that enhance strength, flexibility, and core stability, making them perfect for any travel fitness plan.
Exerbell
The Exerbell is an ideal piece of travel exercise equipment for regular kettlebell users. You can fill the softshell bell with water or sand to your desired weight, roll the top down, and buckle it tight for a ready-to-use kettlebell.
This travel-friendly kettlebell is versatile and effective, allowing you to perform a variety of exercises. Whether you’re focusing on specific muscle groups or engaging in full-body workouts, the Exerbell helps maintain your strength and endurance. Best of all, it packs flat, making it easy to slide into any suitcase and take your fitness routine on the go.
Aquabell Dumbbells
For those who enjoy weightlifting, the Aquabell Dumbbells are a great travel companion. These foldable dumbbells weigh only 2.2 pounds when empty and can be filled with water to reach up to 45 pounds. They are perfect for keeping your body strong whether you’re on the road or at home.
Enjoy, But in Moderation
We understand—you’re at an all-inclusive resort, surrounded by endless premium drinks and delicious food. It wouldn’t be a vacation if you denied yourself all of life’s pleasures just to maintain washboard abs. The secret? Moderation.
If you plan to indulge in a hearty pasta dinner, start your day with a healthy, high-protein breakfast and lunch to keep things balanced. If you’re going out for drinks (and let’s face it, you probably will), make sure to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Your body will thank you in the morning. Also, try to limit sugary drinks like those tempting piña coladas by the pool.
And before you head off for vacation, surf the internet for local restaurants that serve healthy, lower-calorie options so you can plan some fitness-friendly meals in advance.
It’s also helpful to log your calories and macros, even while you’re on vacation, so you can keep yourself somewhat accountable for your dietary choices.
Try These Workouts Anywhere
Whether you want to include exercise in your daily itinerary or just do a few quick workouts to kickstart your day, these exercises are great and require no equipment.
Lunges
While you can do these in your room, try lunging or power walking on the beach or in the snow. The instability of sand and snow makes your muscles work harder to maintain balance, plus you get to enjoy the beautiful scenery.
Planks
You can do planks anywhere, anytime. Hold a plank for 30 seconds (or as long as you can) to strengthen your core and improve your posture and balance.
Crunches
Use a hotel pillow as a fitness cushion for sit-ups to sculpt and slim your waistline. Focus on making small, controlled movements.
Dips
Use the edge of the bathtub to perform dips before you hop in. Lower your body up and down with your legs straight out, keeping the movement slow and steady.
Push-Ups
Classic push-ups may not be the most exciting exercise, but they are highly effective for toning your upper body and adding definition to your arms.
Squats
You squat to sit in a chair, so do a few extra squats every time you sit down. Aim for 5 to 10 squats a couple of times per day.
Rows
Use the time waiting for luggage at baggage claim to engage your rowing muscles. For a more adventurous option, rent a canoe and combine rowing strength with exploration!
How Long Does it Take to Lose My Gains at the Gym?
Maybe you had the best intentions to stick to a fitness plan on vacation but ended up skipping all your workouts. Travel fatigue, rich restaurant meals, and disrupted sleep patterns might have left you feeling sluggish. Don’t worry—this is completely normal. It takes two to three weeks of inactivity before you start losing muscle mass or strength, so your gains are likely still intact.
Muscle Strength in Athletes
An “athlete” is generally defined as someone who exercises five to six times a week for over a year. According to a 2013 study, athletes can start losing muscle strength after about three weeks without working out. However, they usually retain more muscle strength during a break compared to nonathletes.
In general, you can take up to three or four weeks off without seeing a significant drop in your strength performance.
Cardiovascular Fitness in Athletes
Cardiovascular fitness tends to decline faster than strength. A study involving 21 runners who participated in the 2016 Boston Marathon found that after reducing their weekly mileage from 32 to 3-4 miles, their cardio fitness significantly declined after four weeks. However, they would have seen greater declines had they stopped exercising completely. Even minimal running helped maintain some level of cardio fitness.
If you must cut back on exercise due to time constraints or injury, maintaining a minimum level of activity can help preserve your cardio fitness.
Nonathletes
For nonathletes, or those who don’t work out about five times a week, you can also take up to three weeks off without a noticeable drop in muscle strength, according to a 2012 study. However, taking longer breaks can lead to more significant losses in progress.
The good news is that both athletes and nonathletes can regain peak fitness levels more quickly after a break than it took to achieve them initially, according to a 2010 study.
Cardio fitness, on the other hand, can start declining in just a few days. A 2012 study found that endurance decreases between 4 and 25 percent after a three to four-week break in cardio. Beginners might find their aerobic fitness nearly back to zero after a four-week break.
When you return to your fitness routine at the gym, assess how your body feels. Check your form on exercises like squats, push-ups, and rows. If they don’t feel the same, reduce the intensity. Ease back into your workouts, and listen to your body. Start from where you are, not where you left off.
Enjoy Your Vacation and We’ll Be Here to Welcome You Back to AFAC Gym
Taking a vacation doesn’t mean you have to abandon your fitness goals. By planning ahead, setting realistic goals, and incorporating movement into your daily routine, you can maintain your health and fitness while enjoying your getaway. Remember, balance is key—indulge in the pleasures of your vacation but be mindful of staying active and eating right. With these tips, you can return home feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, and proud of your commitment to your well-being. Enjoy your travels and we look forward to seeing you back at AFAC gym when you return!
If you’re looking for a local fitness center, we hope you’ll stop by AFAC to speak to take a tour of our gym and speak to our team about our affordable memberships. Our personal trainers can get you started with a fitness program that’s tailored to your fitness level and goals. AFAC gym is committed to supporting your health and wellness efforts, so you’ll see the results you’re working so hard for. That’s why we’re the best gym in Thornton, Colorado, with hundreds of 5-star reviews.
To learn more about our top-rated gym and our incredible array of strength training and cardio equipment — as well as our unique offerings and amenities like daily group classes, cryotherapy, InBody 770 assessments, hydro massage, and our rock climbing wall and cave — we hope you will contact us or visit for a personalized tour. Our team will be happy to help you. For more information and assistance, you can also contact our gym owner, Susan, at 720-849-0245 or susan@adventurefitness.club.
