How to Stay Fit and Active During Long Term Travel

There are three basic elements which people need to honor in order to remain fit and healthy: sleep well, eat quality food and exercise in moderation. Although it might sound simple, it’s not uncommon for people to drift away from this lifestyle due to a variety of factors.

The most common ones include injuries, stressful jobs, and believe it or not, traveling. While this activity is definitely fun, and basically essential to any digital nomad, the fact it that long term traveling can offset our plans just enough to push us one inch closer to an unhealthy life. However, there are plenty of ways in which travelers can fight off the urge to slack, and stay fit for a long time. Without further adieu, let’s begin.

Walk your way to a dream body

Everyone believes that it’s necessary to spend long hours sweating in a gym in order to shed those few extra pounds that are somehow always floating around. What if we told you that a simple exercise, such as walking, can be an ideal choice? Well, you probably wouldn’t believe us, but hear us out.

Hitting the weights or eating up the miles on a treadmill is definitely helpful, but burning massive amounts of energy during those two hours, and then spending the rest of the day sitting on a couch can only go a certain way. If you find yourself in a foreign country where going to the gym is not an option, walking is the perfect alternative. While it might be a bit more time-consuming to walk around everywhere and not use any public transportation, staying active throughout the day will keep your metabolism going, and the pounds will simply melt away. Furthermore, walking will give you an excellent opportunity to meet the soul of the place you’re visiting, and it might actually save you a couple of bucks in the process. What’s the downside?

Swimming is underrated

Here’s a small personal confession. Even though I basically grew up next to a river, I only learned how to swim a couple of years ago. Due to my knee injury, I had to give up running for a while, and swimming was the ideal exercise to get back in shape. After just a couple of lessons, it became second nature, and from that point on, I never looked back. It was at that moment that I realized just how amazing swimming actually is.

Running and even hiking can put a lot of strain on joints, while swimming provides all the benefits, including improved coordination, muscle mass, bone density, and so on, without any drawbacks. Digital Nomads often find themselves visiting places with gorgeous beaches across Asia, and that’s where this activity can shine through. Still, even if you don’t have access to a large natural body of water, pools can be found across the globe, and this fun activity will always keep you coming back for more.

Eating well

Maintaining and nutritious diet rich of vitamins and minerals will keep you feeling at your best and looking great. Know what your eat and what to avoid. Try to keep stay on your normal diet as much as possible. 

Practice Yoga

In the world riddled with extreme sports, yoga might sound useless, but trust me, this statement couldn’t be further from the truth. There are lots of versions of yoga, and some can get quite vigorous. Practiced all across the globe, the best thing about this activity is that anyone can perform it, whether by themselves or with a group. Apart from a physical workout, it’s also a fantastic way to get your mind clear, and relieve you of any built up stress.

Don’t be afraid to make a plan

Living as a digital nomad is terrific because of the opportunity to live life without commitments. Because of this, a ton of people get into certain traps along the way and reach for the easiest solution. Don’t get us wrong, taking a few days off is perfectly fine, and you’re not supposed to behave like a drill instructor to yourself, but finding a balance by developing a plan of action can be really beneficial and productive.

Don’t force yourself into being miserable

Working out in a gym, running or swimming are all great activities, but not all people all created for this. There is more than one way to skin a cat, and all you have to do is find something that fulfills you and pursue it. Whether it’s dancing, cycling, or playing catch with a friend, the most important thing is to stay active. It’s the best way towards achieving a healthy life. Stay fit, nomads!