Working In Working Out When You Travel

Man, I cannot believe its August! Where the heck did this summer go? What a difference a few months can make. I’m sitting in the airport waiting to travel to Nantucket for a long weekend… without the kiddies! GASP! If you would have told me eight months ago that I would be flying for a weekend away, just me and the hubs, there is no way I would have ever believed you. It’s been at least three years since I've been on an airplane. I can’t even begin to list all of the differences between then and now. But one of the biggest changes (aside from the obvious one that is covering half of my face), is this blog. 

Since the blog is just an extension of my life, it makes sense to do a little piece on working out while away. (This encompasses the “beyond” piece of “Fitness Finds on the Main Line (and Beyond)”). I’m all about balance so I do plan to workout a little, but I will definitely be taking advantage of the ability to sleep in and relax. I can’t remember the last time that was a real possibility for me. What’s a vacation (especially, a kid-less vacation) without a little restoration and relaxation?

Packing for fitness while traveling can be a daunting task. I am only using a carry-on bag for this trip. When it came time to pack, I was concerned about how much luggage “real estate” was available to me. I had to plan ahead and be strategic with the items that I was bringing along for my trip.

First up, sneakers. Instead of packing my usual, clunky running sneakers, I decided to bring a pair that are actually cute with regular clothes. This way, I could get more than one use out of them. While the Nike’s that I brought are not exactly perfect for running, they are fine for the one or two short runs that I plan to do while away. If you are training for a race or want to do a long run on vacation, you may have to suck it up and bring along your usual running sneaks. Going to the hospital with an injury shouldn't be part of your travel itinerary. Since my Nike’s are the only closed-toe shoes that I am bringing, I am wearing them on the plane, which freed up valuable space in my luggage. Smart!

I am also wearing my new wearable weights on my wrists while traveling. Bringing weights on a trip would have been complete craziness until recently. Who wants to add weight to an already heavy piece of luggage? But, with my LaceUp Fitness Weights, it is so not a big deal to pop the 1 pound wraps around my wrists while walking through the terminal. The weights are comfortable to wear, even while carrying my bags. And then I will have weights with me for anything I want to do while I am away. I can wear them on a run, a walk, a bike ride. But, even wearing them through the airport serves a cardiovascular purpose.

It’s not feasible to travel with a yoga mat, but a hotel towel can serve a similar purpose, if necessary. I packed my new yoga towel from Slow Tide because it’s very lightweight, lies flat and is the perfect size for all of those Downward-facing Dogs poolside or on the beach.

I also packed my Club & Court Ashby Dress because, like all of the C&C pieces, these dresses are cute on and off the court. This dress would work for more than just the hour I played tennis. That’s what I call strategic packing!

I am planning to just play tennis in the sneakers I brought and not my court shoes (shhh!) simply because I don’t have room to pack another pair of sneakers. Had I checked a bag, I would have included my tennis shoes… in this adorable shoe bag so as not to get the Har-Tru all over the white clothes I packed for Nantucket.

The LARQ Self-Cleaning Water Bottle is great to bring on vacation to easily keep you hydrated. If you are traveling someplace that doesn’t have a clean water supply, this bottle can also clean your water. I know— pretty amazing stuff! And a full charge on the bottle lasts for weeks so no worries there. A small travel pack of laundry detergent is always a good idea to pack, especially for hand-washing your activewear.

So, that’s what I packed for my little get-away. Only a few extra things that will help to keep me active while on vacation. I’ll be back after my trip to share how my fitness plans worked out.

I’m back. What an amazing place. If you have never been to Nantucket, I highly recommend it.

So, what did I do while I was away? Working fitness into travel doesn’t have to be a big, lofty goal. Make it enjoyable. Use it as a chance to explore your new surroundings. As long as you do something to get your body moving, while taking in your environment, you can check the box, and it will be a positive experience. 

We were visiting friends who live on Nantucket so they had access to a gym that we could have used. But the idea of taking a jog around the island, doing yoga on the beach, playing tennis with our friends, or going for a bike ride through town was much more appealing to me. But some may have opted for a quick gym workout. It’s so important to make fitness pleasurable to you so that it is actually achievable. Fitness is so personal. Do what works for you.

I love to run and I love to use a new enviroment to make my runs more exciting. I was fortunate enough to meet up with one of my running buddies who was also vacationing in Nantucket. A huge plus was that this friend was familiar with the island. If you will be running alone in a new environment, make sure to do a little homework ahead of time to stay safe. Plot your path. Never run in an isolated spot. There are numerous apps that you can use to track your run and not get lost. I use Map My Run. We ended up running 6 miles because our surroundings were just so motivating. Taking in the new scenery is often therapeutic, interesting and a great way to learn about your travel destination. We hadn’t planned to run 6 miles, but we just kept on going! A walk or a bike ride would serve the same dual purpose of exercise and exploration.

If walking, jogging or biking isn’t your thing and you want to do a class, there are so many wonderful online classes available right now. It's easy to do a workout from your phone or tablet that is part of your normal routine back home or something you know that you will enjoy. There is something online for everyone, with every type of workout covered! Comment below if you want any specific online recommendations. I love the in-person Bulldog Yoga classes at home and know that their virtual platform has a huge variety of online classes. I chose a quick 30-minute strength yoga class so that my working out wouldn’t interfere with the other plans of the morning.

On the last morning in Nantucket, I slept in a little longer. I sipped my coffee a little slower. And I took a nice stroll into town with my husband, something he had enjoyed doing during his mornings on the island.

I had high hopes of playing tennis while in Nantucket but we just didn’t have enough time. Next year! Right now, we live in a world where we have so much available at our fingertips. Take advantage of this time! Make fitness enjoyable for you. And, make fitness work for your vacation.

Happy travels!

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