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Yesss, your trip or holiday is about to begin! The tickets have been printed, suitcases packed, ready for the trip. But wait, you've been working really hard on yourself this past year. Your diet was in order, you went to the gym 3 times a week and you lost a few kilos. You are fitter than ever and look fantastic in your bikini or swim trunks. How can you stay fit? Hello! My name is Jeroen and I am a personal trainer and lifestyle coach. In this article I would like to give you a few useful tips to get through your holiday healthy and fit.

Tip 1: Let it go

Living healthy and being fit is not just about paying attention to your diet and exercising. Recovering and relaxing are just as important. My first tip is: let it go. Just enjoy your holiday. Spend a day at the beach, stroll through an old town or enjoy a hike through nature. The latter can also be quite a workout. Especially if it is a holiday of a few weeks, you are not going to lose all the progress of the past year. After the holidays you just pick it up again. Relax and enjoy!

Relax!
Relax!

Also read: What does long-term travel do to your mental health?

Tip 2: Prepare

If you want to do something about your health or fitness during your holiday, a little preparation can help you. If you still have a little room in your suitcase, take your sneakers, a set of sportswear and maybe a pair elastics along. Please contact the property to check if there is a fitness room or if there is a gym nearby. Find out some beautiful walking routes in the area. Or rent a bicycle instead of a car. If you go on holiday with a caravan or camper, take a bicycle with you and throw a yoga mat in the back. Just think in advance which activities you can and want to do, so that you stay active.

Tip 3: Nutrition

If you have the option, continue to cook as much as possible and use local fresh products. Also continue to eat at fixed times as much as possible, so just breakfast, lunch and dinner. Try to limit snacking throughout the day.

Also read: Eat safe street food during your World Trip | 11 Tips

Healthy snacks

If you still want to snack, have something healthy such as a piece of fruit or a handful of nuts. Also be careful with local street food stalls. Besides the fact that hygiene sometimes leaves much to be desired, these types of dishes are often prepared with a lot of oil or butter. Not necessarily bad, but often very high in calories. If the accommodation offers food buffet style, choose fresh vegetables, salads and good protein sources such as chicken, beef or fish and limit fatty or creamy sauces.

Watch what you eat
Watch what you eat

A beautiful wisdom that comes in Japan and some other Asian countries is “Hara Hachi Bu”, which means: eat until you are 80% full. So continue to enjoy local delicacies, but don't fill yourself up every day. 

drink

Then one last tip regarding nutrition. Drink enough water and limit alcohol intake. A glass of wine at the camper or on the beach after a day of hiking or cycling is wonderful, but don't down a bottle of wine every evening. Drinking enough water is very important, especially in warmer places. Make sure you always have a bottle of water with you. Additional advantage: drinking water also prevents hunger.

Tip 4: Exercise

Of course, it all depends on how you plan your holiday. If you've been lying on the beach for days, it certainly doesn't hurt to take action every now and then and get your heart rate up a bit. If you have just spent the day walking with a backpack on your back on steep mountain paths or exploring the area on a bike, then you probably don't feel like doing push-ups, squats or going for a run that day.

If you still want to get moving, then... Google your friend. If you search for terms like body weight exercises of strength training elastic bands, you get an almost endless stream of exercises that you can do almost anywhere in the world. Choose a few and alternate. After the holidays you pick up your training routine again. Now maintenance is sufficient. Do something you enjoy and vary it a bit.

Go running, swimming or cycling
Go running, swimming or cycling

If the property offers any kind of sports/gym, please take advantage of it. You can also go for a run, swim or cycle.

Note: Not all places in the world are suitable for running or cycling, especially if you are alone. Pay attention to your own safety. In addition, be careful when exercising in heat or in full sun. Overheating and dehydration are then lurking. It is better to exercise in the evening or in the shade and drink plenty of water. Keep the intensity a bit low and listen to your body.

Personal trainer

I'm not a seasoned traveler like most of you. I have a busy and active life as a spinning and fitness instructor and personal trainer. Every now and then I like to do nothing at all. My holidays usually take place at a campsite in SouthFrance of Tuscany, or at an All-Inclusive resort on Mallorca or in Turkey. The motto is to relax in the sun by the pool, read a bit, eat and drink well and enjoy with my family. As an athlete, I obviously never just sit still. I often do a little bit of exercise, but that too is super relaxing.

Do you want to know more? Then take a look this website.

Jeroen Hendriks
Jeroen Hendriks

Also read: Happiness lies in the little things (also when traveling)

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