Vacation Exercise

By: Emily Bush

You have left your gym membership in your hometown and now you’re at the beach, in the big city, or traveling overseas.  It is okay to let yourself slack off a little on vacation – but you should keep up some kind of routine.

As I have read in a million magazines, exercise keeps you healthy, engaged, and energized – all three things you want on vacation!

If you’re like me, you snack a little more than you usually do, you might have an extra glass of wine at dinner, and you might choose that amazing pasta over a salad at dinner.

There are very easy ways to exercise on vacation without spending a lot of money.  Gym memberships get expensive if they aren’t included in your hotel reservation and you probably won’t make it there everyday (lets be realistic!)

The easiest way to get in the exercise is to take a walk along the beach or around the city.  My family likes to play Pro Kadima (or beach tennis) to get us running around and exercising.

• Play wiffle-ball
• Build a sandcastle
• Dig a huge hole in the sand with your family
• Get in the ocean and toss a football around

If you need something more than walking or playing in the ocean, there are tons of exercise videos that you can use.

Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred is a 20 minute intense workout.  You will sweat like you have been working out for hours.  It includes 3 circuits so you won’t get bored.  She recommends that you have 5 pound hand weights, but if you’re traveling I would suggest using two full bottles of water or soda – whatever you have in the refrigerator.

If you’re into yoga, Yoga for Every Body is a great video you can take with you.  Instead of packing your mat or blocks, use a towel and your summer reading book to help you balance.

These videos and many others can be purchased through amazon.com for under $10.  You can bring them anywhere since they are so compact.

If you’re going somewhere that you will not have access to TV or a DVD player, there are other ways to get your exercise in.

• Get in the pool and swim some laps
• Tread water in the pool for 3 minute intervals
• Hold onto a wall in the pool and kick as hard as you can
• Play tennis
• Rent a bike – it’s usually cheaper if you rent for the week, instead of driving – bike around town!

There are lots of fun and quick ways to exercise on vacation, but remember to switch it up and have fun.  If you aren’t having fun and enjoying yourself – then you won’t keep up a routine.  Ask a friend to do a workout with you, it will keep you going and you’ll have someone to get lunch with afterwards.

Emily Bush is a student at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio studying History and Journalism. Emily wrote for Miami’s on-campus magazine called the Miami Quarterly. She has a passion for writing about things that she loves – Pittsburgh, food, and fun! She also loves sports and playing games. She was born and raised in Pittsburgh.