Wednesday 17 October 2012

The von Hagen vacation


You did it. You woke up early every day this week and met with a buddy to workout. Or you packed your lunch so you had time to workout during your lunch hour AND avoid the line at Tim Horton’s. You are proud of your accomplishment then WHAM, you go on vacation, let loose, and completely fall of the bandwagon.

A break in routine can wreck havoc on someone’s diet or fitness regimen. Having strategies to overcome these barriers and coping mechanisms to deal with unexpected setbacks can mean the difference between staying fit OR falling into a vicious cycle or yo-yo diets, weekend warrior workouts and feeling of failure.

This past weekend, I enjoyed a beautiful one-night getaway to Niagara Falls as a special anniversary gift. If you are serious about your workouts to want to have an active vacation, here are some tips for staying fit and keeping in a routine when away on holidays. As a follow-up to this, I promise the next post will be focused on healthy road trip foods!

1.     Pack comfortable shoes. If you feel good and your feet don’t hurt, you will automatically move more. I planed on walking up and down the Falls parkway, and this was much easier in my Birkenstocks than if I wore heels like some of those crazy tourists. Before you know it, you will spend the entire day walking around and taking in the sights, or burn some serious calories carrying shopping bags around the mall.
2.     Plan ahead. Does the hotel have a fitness centre or pool? If not, do they offer discounts to hotel guests at a nearby fitness club? Knowing what facilities are available can make it easier to enjoy exercise while away. I like to check out hotels online before booking, and if given the choice, I will choose one with a fitness center.
3.     Are you a runner? I have gone on some serious runs in all ends of the earth (except for when I almost died in Singapore due to humidity overload and walked around with an umbrella all day after some nasty heat rashes ensued, long story….).
Ask the hotel concierge for a safe path to go for a morning run. Or pick up a map at the front desk and see if there are any marked trails nearby. Likewise, many cities offer bike rentals, which makes for a great active and eco-friendly way to get around.
4.     Use your hotel room. Anyone who has roomed with me in the past knows I’m a big fan of Pilates and yoga in my room. Jumping jacks, squats, standing lunges, push-ups crunches, are all things you can do inside your room to stay fit. Check on Health and Fitness Pins on Pinterest for workout ideas that require no gym or workout equipment and very little space.

Keep watching for the next post 


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