Making sure you prioritize getting enough physical activity in your day comes with various health benefits. It is great for our physical health by allowing us to strengthen and stretch our muscles, and it reduces our risk for disease (heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers). It’s also great for your brain health. Just a single bout of exercise can help reduce feelings of anxiety. Regular physical activity can reduce your risk of depression and anxiety and help you sleep better. It can also keep your thinking, learning, and judgment skills sharp as you age.
Prioritizing physical activity while you are traveling can be easier if you take some time to plan before you take off.
Here are four things to try when you are on the go.
- Schedule activity into your agenda. Purposefully planning physical activity into your schedule makes it easier to get done because you have the time to do it. It’s ok to break up your physical activity throughout the day.
- Plan destinations that you can walk to or ones that require physical activity. This could be booking your hotel within walking distance from the facility you are working at or attending a conference. It also could mean finding vacation excursions that are either within walking distance of where you are staying or require physical activity. These could be hiking, kayaking, paddle boarding, or anything else that gets you moving.
- Book your stay at a place with access to safe walking routes, a swimming pool, or a fitness center. This will ensure you have the space to do your planned physical activity.
- Find exercise videos that you can do in your hotel room. There are a variety of different types of exercise videos available online. Search for whatever type of movements you can safely do, whether a low-impact indoor walking workout, Pilates, yoga, or standing bodyweight strength exercises.
Reimagining how you do physical activity while traveling will help you ensure you get enough physical activity. It just requires you to plan before you go. So wherever you are, make sure you stay moving!
By Coach Kayla