Published: 8/29/2021
By Malia Warren
I mean, to be honest, I wouldn’t blame you if you don’t want to read further.
We’re going to talk about how to stay motivated to workout while on vacation – but like, isn’t that the point of a vacation. The word vacation comes from the latin word nd directly from Latin vacationem (nominative vacatio) “leisure, freedom, exemption, a being free from duty, immunity earned by service,” noun of state from past-participle stem of vacare “be empty, free, or at leisure,” from PIE *wak-, extended form of root *eue- “to leave, abandon, give out.”
Mmmmkay that was long but you get the idea.
For some of you, working out while on vacation is not an option. Some of you wild people schedule a vacation around working out.
*clears throat* Disney Race people.
Which is totally cool. I’ve done that before actually, but what if you just want to go on vacation and maybe sweat a couple times?
Picture this: you’re deep into your routine, you’re hitting the gym 5 days a week, eating close-ish to your macros, seeing results and feeling great, but then BAM! Here comes vacation to ruin all your hard work.
It doesn’t have to be that way. And here is how:
Make a Plan
On my recent trip to CA, I tried to find local CrossFit boxes in the towns I was visiting and reached out to them the week before we left. I feel like reaching out to them and getting signed up, paying the drop-in fee ahead of time, and committing a day of my vacation to go was what kept me from sleeping in.
You also have to plan for plans to fail.
For example, when I reached out to a couple CrossFit boxes in Sacramento, near where I was staying to try to plan my visits. I had one not respond at all and one that responded a few days too late, after I’d already left the area.
So, I’m sad to say that I did not get to enjoy any Sacramento CrossFit. But I think I’m ok with it, given that the temperature was 100+ degrees and we got to go to a water park instead.
Regardless, if your plan is to workout in a gym while on vacation, it’s best to lookup drop-in information and fees beforehand (I’d recommend before you leave your home) so you can make sure whether they are even offering drop-ins.
Given the ongoing pandemic, it’s possible some gyms don’t offer drop-ins for the sake of prioritizing their members limited spots while also avoiding unnecessary exposure from travelers.
Factor in the Fun
Funny enough, that visit to a CrossFit Box in San Luis Obispo (shoutout to CrossFit Inferno, if you’re visiting SLO you should totally go!) was my only visit to a gym while I was in CA (for 12 days).
But it’s ok, because we did other fun stuff to make up for it!
We rented a surrey bike in Santa Barbara and pedaled around for 2 hours. I sweat so much in my cute little jumper I was wearing, but I still got a workout in.
We also spent two days in a row at the beach, playing volleyball, paddle boarding and boogie boarding. Sun burns and arm workouts everywhere!
Once we traveled up north to see more family, we were able to get in a couple hikes to the lake for even more paddle boarding.
See the trend here?
We stayed active and moved, even if we didn’t step into a gym for our workouts.
Pack Smart
If you feel like you need to sweat more, but maybe don’t have access to a gym, pack a little gym with you!
Grab a jump rope, glute band, and a clean space (hotel room floor or some grass outside) and get in a workout.
Jump ropes are so small you’ll barely notice it’s in your bag, and glute bands? Those things pack a mean punch in a small package!
See our go-to Glute Band Workout for some great glute strengthening workouts!
Here’s an easy one to get the sweat rolling:
Warm-up with glute burner workout
Stretch
40-30-20-10
Double Unders (or singles x2)
Squats
Sit-Ups
Then, core: alternate 1 minute plank hold then 1 minute of sit-ups for 10 minutes
Cool down: stretch + yoga
For yoga, alternate between down dog, up dog, cat, cow, childs pose in a flow, holding each position for at least 30 seconds, 3 times each.
Check out our post on important yoga poses for athletes, here.
Don’t Sweat It
Lastly, if vacation rolls on by and you don’t get a single workout in? NO BIGGIE. Truly.
Your body probably needed the rest anyway, don’t be hard on yourself.
Between summer beverages, the sweltering heat, and the FOMO of a good vacation, it’s ok to just be present in whatever moment makes you happy – including days of rest. If you a have a moment to just reconnect with yourself and reset your body: do it.
Sitting on a beach, the smell of salt water in the air, while listening to the waves crash unceasingly > working out. Any. Day.
You can quote me on that.
What do you do to stay motivated while on vacation?
If you have any questions or you would like to be a guest blogger, please email us at hello@liftingthedream
Bee Tee Dubs (BTW).
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