Summer vacations are certainly a time to unplug, relax and spend quality time with friends and family. They are definitely a time to treat yourself perhaps by sleeping in, enjoying some of your favorite foods and stepping away from your daily routine a bit. But not too much. Here’s why you should always workout on vacation.
Why You Should Always Workout On Vacation
Fight back against jet lag
Working out on vacation helps ease jet lag and helps to adjust to new time zones. Getting outside in the daylight can encourage your body to adapt to the current time and reset your internal clock.
Sleep more soundly
Getting in some exercise will help you sleep better and thus help further with symptoms of jet lag.
Stay on your routine
Exercising at your normal workout times will help you stay on your same routine. Even if you don’t exercise to the same intensity while on vacation, staying on your schedule with help you ease back into your routine once you return home.
Counteract extra calories
Eating out at restaurants while traveling invariably provides you with extra calories that you would not normally consume. Yes vacations are made for a little indulging. Working out on vacation helps to burn off some of those extra calories before you get home.
Try new things
Traveling often gives you the opportunity to try new activities and exercises that you may not normally do. Hiking, snorkeling, biking, rock climbing just to name a few. Checking out new fitness studios while traveling is also fun and many offer the first class for free. Win win!
Tell me-Do you typically workout on vacation? Why or why not?
Linking up
Coach Debbie, Running on Happy, Train with Marc,
MCM Mama runs, Marcia’s Healthy Slice
I try to workout on vacation but I also like to use that time as my reset time. If it’s a new to me place then I’d rather save my legs for lots of exploring but if it’s my parents house then I don’t mind lacing up my running shoes for a few short runs.
I love exploring new places by foot too. You see so much more of the culture
I enjoyed seeing your workouts while you were in Vegas. Especially when I saw that you went to some of Carisses’s classes! I love when my blogging world and fitness world collide!
That is such a fun coincidence! I love when that happens too. Now I just have to meet up with you one of these days
I like to run on vacation–even if it’s a short distance. It gives me that sense of routine like you said, It’s also fun to explore new places on foot. It’s also fun to try new things. I’m definitely someone who has to keep moving, even if it means looking for shells on the beach.
Yes me too exactly 🙂
Totally agree with all of your reasons! I also find that running while on vacation is a great way to explore the area.
You see so much more on foot and can really sense the culture that way
I am a HUGE routine person so working out on vaca is always a must for me or I go a little cray cray 😛
well yes, there’s that too!
Yes and MORE YES! I ALWAYS DO!! Whenever I travel I always make sure there is a gym at the hotel (a total gym rat I am)… And I always wake up early in the AM to get it done. Even if traveling means we are going to walk around all day, etc – I still want to get gym time in because it keeps me sane!
Yes I totally agree and it’s nice to start off the day with a little me time sweat sesh
It depends on the vacation. If I’m having a “lazy” vacation (something along the lines of a cruise, an all-inclusive, or just a lazy B&B-type vacation in a new city), I definitely work out. I’ll run, go to the hotel gym, find a local Crossfit gym or yoga studio. My last vacation was to Italy. We did so much walking every day that there was no way I was exercising on top of that. We were exhausted. Before that, my last trip was to Vermont, where we did 1-2 hikes per day. On trips like that, the exercise is basically built in. But I totally agree that you should try and remain active on vacation!
I was surprised by how much walking we got in while in Italy too. More pizza and pasta!
I also pick a hotel with a gym! Love keeping up with my routines
Yes I always check out the hotel gyms and nearby fitness studios to map things out beforehand
I usually do! I’m not a gym-goer (even if our hotel has a fitness room), so I just do a lot of body resistance stuff (planks, squats, push-ups, burpees, etc.) in my hotel room. Oh, and OF COURSE I try to get in a run or two 😉
Well of course!
It really just depends on the type and location of vacation if I workout or not. With the little kids it can be hard to fit it all in.
It is definitely harder to work things into your schedule when you have little ones
I always work out on vacation exactly for all of these reasons! Great post as always Deborah, you always nail it on the head.
Thanks friend! Hope you are enjoying that Florida vacay 🙂
BTW my comments don’t seem to go through on your blog today. It says that I am a bot-I am pretty sure I am not 🙂
Those are great reasons to stay active! I always try to do something while on vacation!
It always makes me feel good to do something active too
I almost always work out while on vacation. Most places were stay have pretty decent gyms. If not, there is always running. Half the time my family is still sound asleep by the time I get back to the room. It definitely makes me feel more accomplished.
Sounds like our families are quite similar! Go figure 🙂
I usually do sooooo much walking when I travel. That’s how I love to see a city, and stay in shape at the same time!
It’s a great way to do both for sure
Yes! I totally agree with this!! I love running in new places, so always enjoy doing it on vacay!!
It’s a fun way to explore
I love the point of trying something new! there are definitely fun ways to move everywhere, whether it’s a different exercise class, a hike, or swimming, or whatever else. thanks for sharing!
Yes totally agree! Hope you are having a great summer
I actually really enjoy working out on vacation! I feel like I have more time to get it done and it helps to feel like I am sort of sticking withe my normal routine.
Yes that’s exactly how I feel
I agree. I either play tennis, run, race or hike. Justifies all that fun eating and drinking.
It sure helps!
Yes! I def enjoy some relaxing on vacation, but I always feel so much better when I workout and stay on routine! I also love trying out new things on vacation and walking a lot to take in the new sites!
Best way to vacation right?!
I’m always active on vacation, one way or another. Even when I’m really active I still tend to gain weight on vacation!
Yes alas, me too probably. I chock it up to all of the extra salt 🙂
Great post and points, Deborah! I pretty much always workout while on vacation. Last year, I bought dumbbells in pairs from 5 to 20 pounds and a yoga mat to leave at the beach house so I’ll always have them down there. This summer I’m added a set of 25’s. When we’re staying in a hotel, I always make use of the gym.
That is a great idea to leave a set at your beach house too 🙂
It depends. I try to be active — like hiking — but feel bad taking time for a solo workout.
I used to feel bad when the kids were really small but not anymore 🙂
Great post! I try so hard to do yoga when we go on vacation. It really helps recover from flying and hiking we do.
It sure does! Plus, it ‘s fun to go try out new yoga studios
All excellent reasons to stay active while on vacation. My favorite of course is to just go for an easy run because there’s no better way to get the true feel of a city or town than on foot! However, I don’t think I’ve ever attended a new class while traveling and that spin class you tried sounded incredible. I may have to be on the lookout for something like that next time we travel.
I really love to check out local studios when we travel it’s a fun way to meet people too
I love working out and staying active on vacation! To me, it is a way to explore and keep up my appetite for extra goodies 😀
yes indeed always a good plan
Yes! I hit on some of this in my weekly wrap, but I think running two days while on vacation helped keep the vacation weight gain to .2. Chasing my nephew helped too as did bench pressing my niece who loves “flying”. Why can’t weight training always be that cute?
I’m looking forward to the countering jet lag/airplane stiffness part this coming weekend,as well as exploring my hotel’s neighborhood.
Hope you are having a great vacation
Travelling can really put on some weight. You try out all the foods and local cuisines you all around the world. Its really great to stick to a routine you could do anywhere like on your hotel room. That’s why I really invested in home workouts and didn’t rely much on gyms.
That’s a great idea too!
These are all definitely good reasons! :] I pretty much plan my travels around food and places I can go hiking/exploring in! 😛
That sounds like a fantastic idea