1. Do It Together!
One of the best ways to get active at home is to do it with other people, and this is still true when on holidays. We don’t like letting other people down, so if we agreed to do something with someone else we’re more likely go than cancel. It’s also just more FUN to go with other people! This could look like going for a short morning run with travel buddies, going to a local park for some bodyweight exercises, or hiking up that mountain for a memorable sunset that you wouldn’t usually do. And when you start looking, there are LOADS of ways to do active fun things with your friends!
2. Take A Gym With You
If you really bring activity to its very basics, you don’t really need any equipment. But having a few key (packable) pieces of equipment, your ability to get a great full-body workout increases dramatically. He recommends that travellers pack a skipping rope and camping dry bag, just fill with water and BOOM you’ve got a portable kettlebell. These 2 items combined with a brisk run and a few bodyweight exercises (like squats and pushups), you can get an awesome short cardio and strength workout. This approach is so good, Michael does this at home for a time saving workout!
3. Plan For Activity
This is especially important if your chosen form of exercise requires classes or equipment that you can’t easily travel with – dance or martial arts class, a bicycle or barbell, etc. Plan in advance where you will go, where you can rent the gear or what you need to do to get that workout in. Some of your best experiences with your chosen activity may be when you’re overseas! Like zumba dancing in USA, or doing tai chi in Japan, or cycling in France. So make planning for activity part of your overall holiday planning!
4. Eat To Support (not Sabotage)
Diet is hugely important when it comes to supporting our overall health, but it can also support our chosen activity levels. The opposite is also true, where eating poorly can negatively impact your physical ability to exercise, and also your discipline around actually doing what you planned. Have you ever had a massive dinner or woken up hungover, and thought ‘There’s NO WAY I’m doing that this morning!’. Well, planning to indulge a little bit and not too excessively will raise the chances of you doing the activity you were planning. Plus eating junk foods really gets in the way of feeling like you want to go for that run. So choose your foods with that in mind.
5. Do Whatever It Takes
We’re now talking about something that is crucial to your ongoing success, but something most people don’t want to admit what they’re actually thinking – Your COMMITMENT to the task of being fit and healthy. How committed are you, really? Do you value excess, comfort and relaxation more than your ongoing good health? NOW is the time to build momentum towards the body and lifestyle you want. Holidays come and go, but you’ve got your body everyday, so make it one you’re happy to live in! Even activity a few minutes each day, or 15 minutes every few days will be WAY better than doing nothing.
Remember – PREVENTION is BEST, and Michael will see you in the clinic!