I grew up equating travel or vacations with indulging in guilty pleasures. I put on a couple of kilos and called it holiday weight.

But as I decided to take on more trips, these gains easily stack. And if the lifestyle change is permanent, this mindset is unsustainable.

The fundamentals remain the same – keep a healthy diet and remain physically active. So any activity that keep those two in check should move me in the right direction.

I’m no fitness expert. But here are five ways I stay physically fit during my travels:

1. Walk like there’s no tomorrow.

I believe the best way to explore any city is through walking. It’s a good way of seeing everything the place has to offer – from the visible landmarks to undiscovered gems.

There are minimal reliability and dependence issues that other modes of transportation are prone to. I can estimate my schedule accurately. And I can adjust my pace if necessary.

My body’s cardio requirements are easily met. 10,000 steps a day is a benchmark people often aspire for. And that milestone is a piece of cake when traveling.

And not to forget, this kind of footprint has no environmental impact.

2. Choose activities that challenge the body.

Lying on the beach, drinking coffee in a nice cafe, and wine tasting are nice. And I do them. But I try to balance those with other activities that are physically draining.

Hiking is one alternative. Although I would make the caveat that I use the term “hiking” loosely. Walking tours or bike tours are also great ways to get sweat in, while soaking in some history.

And when on the beach, why not swim for it or join in on some volleyball groups? I deliberately stopped using the pronoun “I” in this paragraph. I can’t swim for my life or join in on team sports.

3. Remember that new places do not mean a change in eating occasions.

I would admit that there’s a temptation to try everything a local cuisine has to offer. But even if I ate 20 times a day, I would never be able to complete the list. The sooner I came to terms with this reality, the less FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) I felt.

Some rules just never change. And I follow them even if my heart says otherwise.

⁃ There are only two to three meals a day. And that is true even in other cities or countries. This is truest in a long haul flight.

⁃ If I genuinely wanted to enjoy the food like a local, I must remember they do not eat more than necessary.

⁃ I don’t enjoy eating vegetables. But I need my greens.

4. Drink a lot of water

While this sounds obvious, my need for hydration increases when I travel. Heat and exhaustion are generally aggravating factors. But note how I specifically called out water.

Water satisfies a need. And that may not necessarily be a desire. The temptation is real… to get that cola or ice cream cone.

There is a caveat – the more I drink, the more I pee. And toilets aren’t always easy to come by. Nor are they generally free. So that must be balanced.

5. There is no excuse for skipping strength training.

I used to have a personal trainer. And going to the gym was essential. But nowadays, I have equipment at home. That gave me some flexibility to adapt to the situation.

With travel, hotels often have gyms. And where there are none, signing up for a class or two in the area of visit is easy. And worst case, there are a lot of body weight exercises! And they can easily be accessed through Youtube!

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For other travel tips, you can visit this link.