Holidays are a time to kick back and indulge but they can be even more rewarding if you stay active. So, why not stick with a fun fitness regime when on holiday so you can return home feeling relaxed and looking toned?
How to Workout
By maintaining your fitness activities on holiday, you will feel healthier and have a lot of fun. There are so many cardio exercises that don’t involve sweating in a soulless hotel gym. So, don’t waste your beautiful outdoor holiday location when you could be indulging in fun and fitness under the sun?
Enjoy water sports (kayaking, surfing, paddle-boarding, kite surfing etc.), burn calories by hiking through rugged but beautiful terrain, or even just swim in your hotel pool. If you want something more sociable, try group cycling excursions or tennis holidays for a fun and dynamic experience. On a tennis holiday, you don’t just play against others, you can benefit from professional coaching that will take you up to the next level whether you’re a beginner or more experienced.
Health Benefits
Just two weeks of inactivity can lead to decreased muscle mass. So, exercising during the brief period you’re away on holiday can be hugely beneficial. You may think that exercise isn’t for you, but you may not have just not found the right activity yet. Why not try a new one when you’re on holiday? Whatever you take up, it will seem more exciting and enjoyable in a relaxed, sunny environment. Get out in the sunshine (wearing sunscreen of course) and soak up the glorious vitamin D by jogging on a beautiful, secluded beach.
Studies show that vitamin D can reduce cancer cell growth, control infections, reduce inflammation and build bone density. Go cycling and take in the stunning vistas while building your leg muscles and getting a cardio workout. Splash out on water sports that tone your body. Flex at an al fresco yoga or Pilates class, with the sun on your back, for overall strengthening and balance. Exercise will enhance your vacation, not make it a chore, and improve your day-to-day fitness when you go home. Once you are home, find what works for you fitness-wise and mix it up so it doesn’t become a routine.
Locations
Different holiday locations offer you different fitness activities due to varying natural elements and terrain, so research what is best in your chosen destination. The world is your oyster! You could go horseback riding through Alentejo in Portugal, one of the world's up-and-coming wine regions. Try fly-fishing in Patagonia for trout, salmon and carp. Hike through Tasmania's Bay of Fires and enjoy camping, surfing and wildlife en route or dive amongst WWII wreckage off the coast of Crete.
Or hike the Camino de Santiago in Spain, an epic pilgrimage made through the centuries by the devout and those who just want to experience a fantastic walk. There are many different routes and the one you choose will depend on what you want to experience. The Camino del Norte (The Northern Way) perhaps offers the best challenge for hikers. You’ll hike the northern coast of Spain, starting in Basque Country and ultimately reaching Santiago de Compostela in Galicia. It’s a 510-mile route that takes around five weeks to complete. A shorter version, the 220-mile Camino Primitivo, takes a fortnight, fitting more easily into most people’s holiday schedules.
So, how will you stay fit on holiday?
ABOUTME
We overland. We eat plants and fungi. We live outside as much as possible. We are all connected. A female travel blogger overlanding and writing about ecotourism, ethical and sustainable travel, socially conscious travel and housesitting. An online travel magazine since 2015.
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