10 ways to kickstart or maintain your fitness while on holiday

Think booking a holiday means sacrificing your hard-earned health gains? Just follow these expert-backed tips and you’ll come back fitter and healthier than when you left.

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While a vacation may spell good news for your stress levels, hit the cocktail bar and breakfast buffet a little too hard and it can do serious damage to your fitness goals.

With so much to see and do, it can be hard to stick to your health and exercise routine, but with the right tips, you can turn any kind of holiday into a fitness-boosting getaway.

Here’s how:

1. SWEAT LIKE A LOCAL

“Going on holiday is the perfect time to try something new, especially when you’ve hit a fitness plateau,” tips Health and Fitness Travel director Samantha Lippiatt.

“Keep yourself inspired by trying out new activities — swap lounging by the pool for a surfing lesson or, if you have zero yoga experience, maybe it’s time to try out some downward dogs.”

Try some yoga while on vacation.

A vacation is the ideal time to try something new — you may even want to stick to it when you get home

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2. PICK A FIT HOTEL

Choose a hotel which has fitness options for you. Picture: iStock

Whether you’ve fallen off the fitness wagon or want to maintain the workout gains you’ve made back home, booking into a wellness-focused hotel will help you on your health journey.

Hotel chains like The Westin — which offers maps for local running routes, in-room yoga mats and workout gear for rent — are committed to helping you boost your health while you holiday.

You can leave all your gear at home and save luggage space for extra shopping. It’s a win-win!

3. LISTEN TO MUSIC WHILE SIGHTSEEING

You’re bound to rack up an impressive step count during your holiday, but if you want to turn your sightseeing into a serious fat-blaster, pack your headphones.

According to a study published in Frontiers in Psychology, people who listen to fast-paced music while walking tend to walk faster and more energetically, which translates to an even bigger kilojoule burn. So pump up the volume and get those legs pumping, too.

Give hiking, walking or running a try while on holiday.

4. TAKE THE PATH LESS TRAVELLED

The main streets may be home to the hottest tourist attractions, but swap city paths for a stroll along a beach or mountain track to give your fitness a leg-up while experiencing a different side to your destination.

Walking or running along uneven surfaces like sand or rocky trails not only activates more muscles than pounding the pavement, it also forces your heart to work harder and improves agility.

5. SWAP THE BUS FOR A BIKE TOUR

Too much to see in too little time? Before you jump on a bus tour, rent a bike or join a cycling tour instead.

Cycling is a great way to experience your surroundings as well as keep you fit.

Not only will you cover more ground than you would on foot, you’ll also be able to visit hard-to-reach places a bus tour may skip.

Plus, cycling is a great low-impact exercise that targets all your major muscle groups, so you’ll be boosting your stamina and aerobic fitness at the same time — just one hour of cycling burns 2228kJ — and the harder you pedal, the bigger the gains!

6. BRING A (FIT) FRIEND

“Keeping up with your health and fitness isn’t always easy on holiday, so join a group retreat or sign up for a group activity to meet like-minded people on the same journey as you,” Lippiatt says.

In addition to the extra motivation, a study by Kansas State University also found that working out with a slightly fitter friend can increase your workout time and intensity by up to 200 per cent, so to make the most of holiday exercise, company is key.

7. BOOK ACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT

“You may not be able to maintain your usual fitness routine on holiday, but there are plenty of other ways to be active while you’re away,” Lippiatt says.

Choose to be active while on holidays by taking classes, even on cruises. Picture: iStock

If you’re going on a cruise, for example, choose one that offers active entertainment options.

Cruise liners like Regent Seven Seas offers on-shore excursions like clifftop yoga sessions, tai chi in ancient palaces and hikes up to medieval castles.

Beautiful surroundings are a terrific distraction when exercising, so it won’t feel like hard work!

8. JOIN A COOKING WORKSHOP

Take a cooking class in whatever exotic location you are holidaying at. Picture: iStock

Nothing shows off a culture more than its food, so if you’re keen to immerse yourself in your destination and pick up some healthy cooking habits while you’re there, sign up for a guided cooking tour or one-off workshop.

You’ll learn all about the local cuisine and skip a fast-food fix at the same time.

9. DOWNLOAD AN APP

Use your vacation time as a way to establish new healthy habits by downloading an app like RunGo, GoGet.Fit or Les Mills on Demand (all free on iTunes & Google Play).

As well as being able to connect with local PTs, you’ll also have access to in-room — or by-the-pool — workouts and discover local running routes so you can take your sweat sesh to the streets.

Book some local activities that will keep you fit while you sightsee.

10. BUILD MUSCLE WITH YOUR BACKPACK

Fill your bag with an extra water bottle or two to maximise your energy burn while you’re out and about.

Research shows that carrying extra weight — like that of a weighted vest — can increase the kilojoule burn of your walk or stair climbs by up to 14 per cent.

So if you can handle the extra cargo, you’ll help turn your breezy shopping sprees into muscle-building workouts.