Usually, vacation is the time of the year, when most people do not take their fitness routine too seriously and take a break to indulge on fatty, sugary foods and lots of alcohol. Of course, that is totally fine, but if you are planning to go backpacking for a couple of months or even a year you might wish to not get completely out of shape or just live off fried street food and pasta.
So, here is some advice on how to stay fit and healthy on the road.
Fitness
1. Bring some light fitness gear
It is not necessary to have a fully equipped gym at your disposal in order to be fit. YouTube is full of workout videos that require no or very little equipment. Just bring some workout clothes, a foldable travel yoga mat and maybe some resistance bands or ankle weights with you. These do not take up much space but can be used for a great variety of exercises.
2. Use public fitness parks
Many cities offer free outdoor fitness parks with ladders, pull-up bars and benches, that you can use for your workout. Watch out for them when you are in a new city and then take advantage of them. You might even meet some locals, that can show you new exercises.
3. Find a place to exercise in your hostel
While fancier hostels might even offer a space dedicated to yoga or fitness, you can find a spot to roll out your mat in almost every hostel. Maybe there is a garden, a terrace or a common room that is not much in use during the day. All these can easily transform into your workout space for an hour, but of course you have to be comfortable with the fact that there might be other people around you watching that are not exercising.
4. Motivate fellow travelers to exercise
If exercising on your own is boring for you and you are having a hard time motivating yourself, just ask some of your fellow travelers whether they want to join you. For sure some people will like the idea and then you can push yourselves together.
5. Be active
Apart from working out also your daily activities contribute a great deal to your fitness level. That means if you are travelling in cities, walk to your destinations instead of taking public transportation or rent a bike to get around. Take the stairs instead of the elevator and so on.
If you are backpacking more in nature, go on hikes and outdoor adventures or maybe you can take some sport classes that are offered in the area. How about learning surfing, diving or snowboarding? Just don’t spend the whole day laying around at the beach or in a hammock.
Nutrition
What you eat is the other side of staying fit and it is no less important. Naturally, your options will be more limited when you are travelling and of course you also want to try out all the local specialties and have a few drinks every now and then. Definitely go for it and do not restrict yourself too much. Just try to follow a few simple guidelines.
1. Use the hostel kitchen
Eating out every day is not only bad for your wallet, but probably also for your body. Most hostels offer a communal kitchen with basic equipment, which you can use for your own cooking. It does not need too much to prepare a simple healthy meal with few ingredients. Some ideas would be an omelette with veggies, a hot curry or even pasta is not that bad, if you combine it with a homemade sauce.
2. Buy local and fresh veggies and fruits
Depending on where you go, there might be some exotic fruits and veggies to try out, that you cannot get at home or at least not in that quality. Do not miss out on them and do not be afraid to try new things! The variety is definitely good for you and what is local and in season usually contains most nutrients.
3. Bring healthy snacks when on the road
While travelling from one place to the next, try to always have some healthy snacks at hand, so you do not always have to go for the fried and sugary street food. Bring some energy bars, nuts or dried fruits with you to be prepared when hunger strikes.
4. Remember to drink enough water
This one is absolutely basic and crucial, but often forgotten during an adventurous day. But bring a water bottle and remind yourself to fill it up and drink regularly. There are apps you can download to help you.
5. Do not drink too much alcohol
While you might have difficulties drinking enough water, you might not have those kind of troubles with alcohol. Of course, you can have some beers enjoying the company at the hostel and party every now and then, but your liver will thank you, if you take a day or even a week off every now and then. This might be one of the most difficult challenges when it comes to staying fit while backpacking but getting drunk every day for a couple of months can be very bad for you.
You see, it is absolutely possible to remain in shape even when on the road. But at the same time do not be too strict with yourself. It is completely normal not to follow the same routine you do at home, when travelling and remember to also have fun and enjoy yourself.