5 Ways to Stay Consistent To Your Workout Routine While Traveling

Staying consistent with your workout routine while traveling is usually where people fall away from their healthy habits they've formed and spend majority of the time eating and if they aren't eating, you're thinking where you should eat next as that is the most important thing it seems. Whether it's for work or for leisure, travel will always mess up our routine as we are out of place, on the move, different bed, oftentimes different time zone and don't have our same meals or workout schedule. This can lead to unhealthy habits that don't just occur when you're traveling, but will carry over into your normal day-to-day routine if you don't mitigate them. Here are a few ways you can make sure you're not setting yourself up for failure, but instead for success:

1. Plan Ahead: "Fail to plan, plan to fail." We've heard it a million times and it is quite true in this situation, but here is a way to avoid skipping workouts: Research the facilities available at your destination. Many hotels have gyms or fitness centers, and some even offer classes or equipment rental. If you're staying with friends or family, ask if there are nearby gyms you can visit. Knowing your options in advance will make it easier to stick to your routine. The hotel gym may not have everything you're used to for equipment, but there is no harm in doing workouts you're not used in order to adapt to your current situation. Bodyweight workouts are a great way to burn calories and maintain strength while traveling and you don't even need a gym to do these workouts, you can do them right in your hotel room quite easily. Squats, push-ups, sit-ups, planks, burpees, etc. do not require any equipment. Make due with what you have readily available and make the most of it. Even just 30 minutes will benefit you greatly and keep you at equilibrium.

2. Maintain consistent calorie intake and supplement protocol: As mentioned, traveling will often to lead you away from your typical eating routine and your typical meals which can cause you a lot of trouble if you're hoping to not set yourself back on your fitness goals. The same way you eat at home should be mimicked as best as possible when you're out of town. Hit your protein goals, avoid over-indulging for the sake of going out to eat for social reasons, stick to your meal times as best as possible and avoid the deadly duo of not exercising and over-eating as that's the quickest way to throw yourself out of routine. These habits you pick up when traveling often aren't temporary, but they can lead to unhealthy habits in your life back at home and before you know it you've gone weeks without touching a weight. Same goes for staying consistent with your supplement routine. If you're a regular Ignite user and it's how you start your day, then bring trail packs so you can maintain the same energy levels as you do when at home. Whether it's our Multi-V's, Reds, Greens, Collagen, etc. make sure to bring the appropriate amount for each day you're out of town so the consistency of your daily routine in intact. Stay disciplined, enjoy yourself and come with a plan to execute.

3. Set Realistic Goals: Understand that your workouts might not be as long or intense while you're traveling, and that's okay. Adjust your expectations and set realistic goals based on your available time and resources. Shorter, high-intensity workouts or bodyweight exercises can be just as effective when you're on the go. If you're following a workout plan you may be discouraged that the needed equipment to follow the program isn't available at your hotel, Airbnb or in-laws, but that's just fine. Use what you got. You know how to workout and you certainly don't need a cable machine to burn some calories and get your blood flowing. Understand this is temporary and use this as workouts to maintain what you've been building on. When you get home, you can go back to increasing the weight and strength.

4. Schedule Your Workouts: Treat your workouts like any other appointment during your trip by scheduling them in advance. Block out time in your itinerary for exercise, whether it's in the morning before you start your day or in the evening before dinner. Having a set time dedicated to fitness makes it less likely that you'll skip your workouts. Traveling often leads us to be BUSY because the reason for traveling is often just that, to be busy! Whether it's for work or for fun, our schedules can get away from us. We have to be diligent in our planning as that's usually where this can all go wrong: no plan! Nothing keeping us accountable and then once we return from our work trip or week-long vacation, we realize we haven't gotten our heart rate over 100 bpm for that whole time. Schedule it out and execute.

5. Stay Active Throughout the Day: Even if you can't fit in a formal workout, look for opportunities to stay active throughout the day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, go for a walk or jog sightseeing, or explore outdoor activities like hiking or biking. Every little bit of movement counts towards staying fit and maintaining your routine. This goes back to the previous point of do what you can with the limited resources you may have! It's possible you don't want to be in a hotel room for 30 minutes in a gym for an hour when you're at a beautiful place that you've been dying to see for months, if not years. We aren't asking you to do that and to ruin your vacation, but instead make sure you're at least staying active and planning activities that get you moving and get your blood flowing. Hiking is an easy way to kill two birds with one stone: exercise and beautiful scenery. Walking instead of taking an Uber is an all-time hack to stay in shape when out of town. Get your steps in and stay active no matter where you may find yourself.

By planning ahead, maintaining your supplement routine and calorie-intake, adapting your workouts to your surroundings, and staying committed to your goals, you can stay consistent with your workout routine even while traveling.