Our resident fitness expert Sarah Gorman gives her advice on what fitness equipment to take away with you if you want to continue working out on holiday…
I often get asked how I work out while I’m away. The absolute honest answer to that is…I don’t!
For me a holiday is about taking a break from the norm, making a change from what I do every day, and as my job requires me to work out every day, I personally need a break from this.
That is not to say that I am inactive when I’m away – quite the opposite. I’m not one for sitting by a pool doing nothing all day. Not that there is anything wrong with that – it’s just not personally for me.
When I’m away I like to walk and swim as much as I can. I usually try to go canoeing, paddle boarding and generally getting out and about as much as possible. Simply put, I do things that make me happy and get me moving.
Taking the time to relax when you’re away is hugely important for your body as well as your mindset but trying to keep active while you’re away has huge benefits as well. And trying to make sure that the activity is something different from how you usually stay active at home is key – as the old adage goes, a change is as good as a rest.
However, all of this is personal preference and you may decide that in fact you want to continue your workouts whilst on holiday. That might be because you have just back into the swing of exercising and you don’t want to let the ball drop. Or maybe a holiday is the only time that you can actually finally fit a couple of sessions in! If this is the case I have a few suggestions as to how to make the workouts work for you within your time away:
Don’t overpack your kit!
Don’t be lugging your weights away on your holiday! You need to adjust your training to what you can easily pack in your case. Small bits of very effective kit will keep you sorted. They include:
- Resistance Bands
- Sliders
- Pilates Ball
With these three small but powerful bits of kit you can pretty much hit every muscle group in the body. You’re working your core, glutes, legs, upper body, abs and back.
Keep it short
Try not to annoy the rest of the family by making them wait until you’ve finished your workout before you can get on with the day. Ten minutes per equipment type gives you a 30-minute workout – more than adequate on a normal day, let alone on holiday. Or you could focus on one piece of equipment per day and do 10-15 minutes and boom you are done!
Make a plan
If you know that you want to work out whilst you’re away then schedule it! Know exactly what you are going to do and when. You can prep your clothes and any equipment the night before so you can simply get up, throw on your workout gear and get it done.
Don’t worry if you change your mind
If you decide that actually working out while away isn’t what you want to do after all – then be kind to yourself and make the decision to let it go. Don’t give yourself a hard time for not doing a workout.
Personally, I do usually pack those few small bits of kit in my suitcase, just in case. I guess it’s a bit like a security blanket for me…but I can promise you that those sliders do not ever see the light of day!
The other day I read that for every hour you exercise you will live another three hours! So, you literally have nothing to lose…just get moving!
