Work Your Workout into Your Vacay (and Make it Fun)!

Work Your Workout into Your Vacay (and Make it Fun)!

We know the struggle. You’re on vacation, and the LAST thing you want to do is take time out of sightseeing/beach laying/eating/drinking/the list goes on … to work out. Well luckily, there are a TON of ways you can keep your fitness routine going strong (pardon the pun!) and still have your dream vacay. Now that’s what we call having your cake and eating it, too. Here are some tips for how to stay in shape no matter where your travels take you.

YOGA ON THE BEACH

We know you want to enjoy your tropic time. But won’t you be much happier with an om or two? Head down to the water’s edge for yoga—the packed sand works as your mat, and you can really dig your feet in and let the waves work with your body as you go through the poses. We especially like downward dog and Warrior II.

SEE THE CITY ON FOOT

Leave the bus tours for the rest of the hotel. The best way to see a city is by walking through it—especially if you’re somewhere with a ton of rich history! Throw on your sneakers, grab water and traverse the paths. You can even kick it up to running for some added cardio. Give yourself a goal of how many steps you’ll walk in a day—aim for the requisite 10,000.

TAKE THE STAIRS

Any city you’re in is bound to have a set of stairs. Find out where the coolest ones are and run up and down them for 20-30 minutes! Bonus if you can do it in the morning before you start the rest of your day. And, if you happen to be somewhere EXTRA cool (like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Statue of Liberty, Montmartre or the Eiffel Tower), opt for stairs instead of the elevator. THAT’S your real workout!

GET IN THE WATER

Beach vacations are obviously the perfect time to get in the water—not to mention so easy to get in a workout! Rent a kayak, surfboard or paddleboard and brave the waves for an hour or two. You can also take lessons—how about paddleboard yoga or surfing in more intense waves?

SHOP ‘TIL YOU DROP … LITERALLY

Aside from doing a historic walking tour, you can SHOP while you walk, too! Find the shopping district wherever you are and challenge yourself to walk or run the entire thing before you walk into a single store—shopping is your reward!

EMBRACE A WELLNESS RETREAT

If you want to combine your love of fitness with your vacation even more, try a wellness retreat. Canyon Ranch, Kripalu and Big Sky Yoga Retreats are just a few examples of vacations that are focused around fitness, health and wellness, so your every waking moment will be encompassed by what you truly love.

And, when you’re done with all of these workouts, you’ll need to roll out those sore muscles! No matter where you’re headed, our foam roller is small enough to throw in your travel bag (and it’s perfect at the end of a long day). Subscribe to our 5-item box this month and get a foam roller and headband included with your set.