5 things you can do to stay fit on the road

Staying fit can be hard at the best of times, but when you’re travelling with work you need to think outside of the box, so here are 5 things you can do to stay fit on the road…and stay on track with your health goals.

1. Hit the hotel gym or pool

These days many hotels have swimming pools and fitness facilities. If this is the case, then great! Often with long opening hours, hotel gyms and pools offer the perfect setting to keep up with your fitness regime, whether that’s a workout to set you up for the day ahead or an evening session to let off steam. Many hotel gyms also have a resident personal trainer who can help you if you are unsure of what to do or how any equipment works.

2. Create your own gym

If you are close to green space or any open area, then take your own lightweight equipment such as resistance bands, a skipping rope and some free weights. Set up a small circuit involving this equipment and other exercises such as shuttle runs. To some extent, some of these exercises may be carried out in your hotel room, depending on space and safety.

3. Take a walk

Providing the area in which you are staying is safe, walking to and from meetings and from the hotel and back is an ideal way to not only stay fit but also take in the surrounding area. All too often business trips involve a string of meeting rooms; by incorporating some walking into your day, you not only get your heart rate up and get your body moving but you also get fresh air and a sense of freedom. Remember to keep that map handy, though!

4. Use your body

The beauty of body-weight exercises is that you don’t need any equipment and they can be performed almost everywhere and anytime – before you go to bed, in a gap in your schedule or when you wake up. Simple body-weight moves such as press-ups, lunges, burpees and squats work large muscle groups and, if you’re looking for a more intense workout, you could incorporate them into a Tabata workout. For example, with burpees you could do as many as possible in 20 seconds, followed by a 10-second rest. Repeat eight times to form an intense four-minute workout, which would not only burn calories there and then, but also for many hours after.

5. Join a running group

You could go out for a run by yourself, but if you’re unsure of an area or prefer a more structured run and time beforehand to do some research, then an organised run could be for you. Many cities have organised running tours. If you’re in the US then search for City Running Tours. If your destination is Europe, then search for Go Running Tours to find a city-run nearby. Many UK-based running shops such as Sweatshop offer free runs from their stores, which you can check out online.