The coronavirus has really put a stranglehold on a lot of the vacation plans many of us had this spring/summer. And though we are by no means in the clear when it comes to the virus, some of us are starting to take those long awaited vacations. That’s great! We need that time to decompress and unwind. But it is oh-so-easy to use that vacation week to gorge on huge amounts of food and alcohol without the first thought of exercise. 

It isn’t uncommon to come back from a week at the beach and stare down at horror the first time we step on the scale and find out that the seafood buffets and 32oz margaritas have added 8 lbs of shock and awe to our hard earned physiques. Oopsies. 😬 

Now we aren’t saying that you should go on vacation and chew on raw broccoli while soaking up rays by the pool. Far from it. Eat like an animal if that’s what you want to do. Drink like a fish. Vacations are supposed to be fun. Don’t ruin it by stressing over the extra calories you are sure to ingest or the week away from your regular gym routine. However…

As your coaches we have 2 great suggestions that may help cut that 8 lbs of shock and awe down to a more manageable 1 or 2 lbs. 

Make It Fun

Going to the resort gym sucks! We know, we’ve tried. It’s boring, the equipment is lame. HOWEVER… the beach (or whatever interesting environment your vacation is located in) is an awesome place to have fun doing a workout.

Here’s a suggestion that has worked well for us. On the first morning, wake up, have a cup of coffee then take a stroll around the resort/beach/lake, etc. Look for running trails (the beach is great for this), places to climb, something to jump on, a structure or playground to do some pull-ups. Get creative. 

Once you’ve both done this then create 2 workouts using your creativity and sense of adventure. It doesn’t have to be movements you’ve ever done before (though it certainly can be). Make up some crazy stuff. Try to come up with a workout idea that you think sounds awesome and fun. You’ll now have 2 unique workouts that you can do at some point over the course of the week and since you designed them yourself you are more likely to get them done. And if you lack creativity, shoot your coach a message and they will be happy to provide you a few vacation workouts.

And we can assure you that a fun workout in a beautiful location is much easier to embrace and get excited about!

Make A Connection

On 1 or 2 other days just find a nice place to take a walk or a leisurely jog if you’re so inclined. This shouldn’t be anything overly taxing. In fact, the primary motivation is to go out together and move, talk, and take in nature. Leave the phones in your room and really take the time to enjoy connecting with your travel companion.  

We sometimes lose sight of how beneficial a quick disconnect from the technological side of our lives can be. Maybe you walk for an hour without ever saying much or maybe you have an amazing conversation. Either way, we guarantee you’ll be glad you did it. These moments are great even at home but can be even more powerful when surrounded by the unique environments provided by our favorite vacation spots. 

There you have it, 2 really simple ways to make moving and getting exercise on vacation something you can look forward to. These suggestions probably won’t be enough to completely offset the typical vacation-style gluttony but they may help you feel better about enjoying yourself.