Maintain Your Fitness While You Travel!

Written by Vilita Cruz

Yes of course most of us would prefer to work out at our usual gym, in person with all the shiny toys, cool equipment, familiar faces – and let us not forget, our favorite trainer! However, sometimes life likes to throw us a curveball.

Work-related travel is usually not fun, as the agenda tends to gear toward back-to-back meetings in stuffy conference rooms with bland food options and little to no time to enjoy the city you’ve been dispatched to. What is a workout fanatic to do??? 

With a little planning ahead, you can keep working on your fitness goals. Virtual sessions are a great way to stay accountable – let’s use technology such as Zoom and FaceTime to our advantage! Step one, talk to your trainer. I have my clients look for hotels with a gym. I ask them to send video and/or pics of the gym the day before. Before the session time, I text them a list of equipment we will be using, and all they have to do is gather said equipment ahead of time.

Travel can be fun – I think we can agree a change of scenery can be a great way to recharge. And now that the bulk of the world works remotely, jetting off to other parts of the world have become more feasible. Raise your hand if you’ve thought about escaping the Texas heat! Thought about booking that AirBnB where the weather doesn’t cook you alive? I have clients in that boat. And sure it’s easy to “take the summer off” from your fitness regimen, but why would you want to derail all your progress and gains?

If you happen to travel for an extended period of time and you are renting out a residential property, you can check the neighboring Y or local gyms for a short term membership. Seeking peace and quiet in a rural setting where access to a gym isn’t likely? No problem. Again, this is where planning ahead pays off. I have a couple of go to resistance band packages under $30 one can order from Amazon. These packages are light, take up little room in a suitcase, and can be used anywhere. Scout’s honor, I have trained clients in a villa in Tuscany out in the patio, in a garage in Wisconsin, and in a closet at an AirBnB in Milan, to name a few.

Now let’s manage expectations. Virtual sessions are not going to be the exact same as in person. Sometimes the camera angles may be off, or the laptop or phone may fall. The Zoom meeting may glitch out and you may have to hang up and re-dial. I promise, the more you use the technology, the smoother it gets, and before you know it you and your trainer will have it down to a science. Consistency is key in reaching your health goals. Don’t make excuses. In the famous works of Tim Gunn, “Make it Work!”

 

To work with Vilita or another great ASF trainer, click here to schedule your complimentary consultation and first workout!