Stay in Shape during Your Holiday Travel

Here are some ways to make sure you stay in shape during your holiday travel.

Arranging your travel plans Many will get the benefit of flying to their destination when traveling. Be careful choosing a less desirable fight time to save a few bucks. As nice as that sounds, it can affect your “hard earned” exercise gains. Here are a few tips to stave off the affects flying can have on your body.

Book an early arrival – because fatigue can be brought on by flying, it is a good idea to plan a daytime arrival. This will give you time to get out and exercise with a walk or some other outdoor activity before going to bed.

Stay hydrated – even though airlines condition the air, I think you will find it to be extremely dry in flight. Not to mention how stingy they can be with beverage cart. Drink plenty of water before boarding and try to drink at least a bottle (8 oz) every hour of flight time.

Stretch those legs – Get up and walk around every once and awhile. Walk the length of the plane; of course, since you are drinking all that water, well…. you know. Sitting for long periods can make your back and leg muscles rigid. Walking will keep them loose and keep the blood circulating. If you’re not fortunate to fly first class, get an exit window seat for the extra leg room.

Maybe your holiday travels won’t be in the air. Well, the same rules apply. Make sure you bring plenty of water in the car, stop every hour or hour and a half to stretch those muscles, and on longer trips – requiring more than a day – plan layover stops to begin while there are still daylight hours.

Finding time in your schedule Are we there yet? Well, now that you are, I think you will find that you’re in a whole different time zone. No, not the time zones set forth by the rotational pattern of the earth and the horizontal position of the sun due to earth’s axial position established by it orbital patter around the sun; few…. no, not that time zone. It’s difficult because your exercise schedule is rearranged.

Now that you are in a foreign location – foreign to your normal daily habits – I’m sure you will find yourself lazing around with nothing to do. Well, don’t let that get in the way of a good exercise program.

You’ve taken some extraordinary measures to put into place an exercise regimen that keeps you looking great and in top condition, why throw that away for a few days or weeks of holiday travel. There’s plenty to do.

You should try finding a way to workout at least every three days of your travel. Add strength training and aerobic activity. It’s ok if you can’t make your typical workout schedule, but it is important to at least maintain a portion of it. If you can, try to work aerobically at least one half to one third of your regular schedule, keeping the normal intensity level. Also, make sure you keep strength training in the picture by addressing it once per week.

So, how do You do this To begin, you probably should have packed your exercise program with you. I know you can’t put the gym in your bag however; most of your exercise program is in your head. All you need to do is find a way to implement it. There are many ways to do that.

First, you can try to locate a gym nearby to where you are staying. Most gyms have some form of day pass that will allow you to use their facility without being a member. See if a relative have a membership that allows visitors. What better way to show you care then to encourage your loved ones to stay healthy.

If there are no facilities nearby, there are other ways. If you check the internet for ‘travel exercise equipment’ you will find you can pack your gym; at least a good facsimile thereof. Most travel exercise equipment, you will find, will consist of several elastic bands – ranging in resistive strength – with grips that will allow you to keep your strength training going.

For the aerobics, there’s always the front door. Step outside and go for a run. Chasing the kids around inside the house isn’t enough. Take them outside and see if you can keep up with them as you chase them around the block (several times). Burpies and jumping jacks are a good way to jump start your cardiovascular system and can be done indoors. Don’t be lazy with them; remember to maintain the aerobic intensity of your normal workout.

Finally, it is always a good idea to maximize your fitness before leaving. A great way to maximize your fitness before your holiday travel is to commit to a couple weeks with a personal trainer.

About the Author

Zach Hunt is a Personal Trainers Spokane expert and the owner of Physzique, a personal fitness coaching company in Spokane, WA helping people to look and feel great. Go here: personal trainer Spokane WA for more info on these services and more great fitness tips.

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