One thing that bothers travelers who believe in staying fit and healthy, is how to stay fit when they travel. When I travel, I have flight and trains and buses at all possible hours, I live in a hotel that may not always have a gym, I have to be somewhere at a certain time to make the most of it, and amidst all that, there is no time to work out and focus on my fitness habits.

When I am home, I like running, I do yoga and I also do a bit of kickboxing and zumba. And I try to carry on those habits even when I travel. If the place I am at has a suitable climate then I like to go outdoors, especially in the early hours of the morning or late in the evening or even in the night (keeping safety in mind), and go run. I look up runner’s routes in that place online. Most urban places now have runners groups and they have their hangout and spots where one can run it out. One way that has proved very effective for me is to run a marathon at whatever place I am travelling to. Off late I have been hooked to running marathons, so I look up marathons happening in the place I am travelling to on the date I am going to be there, and then enroll for it. It just means I need to pack n my running gear in my luggage, but that’s doable. And at the end when I get that medal around my neck, it becomes worth all the efforts that went into it. Plus running in a new destination is a great feeling. Doing hiking trails and trail runs is even better.

I also carry with me a foldable yoga mat, which is light and can fold up into the size of an A4 page. This yoga mat also doubles up as a sitting mat in the outdoors, say in a garden or ground. I prefer doing yoga out in the open to breath in fresh air, maybe by the pool, however that may not always be possible. When it is not possible, I do my yoga in my room itself. You can find trendy, light, foldable yoga mats like the one I use, here.

If you are someone who finds it difficult to keep fitness habits in continuation or does not have any particular workout routines but would still like to stay fit during travel, there are some things you could do.

Watch what you eat. It is great to try local cuisine and sample new delicacies. However, keep an eye on the calories you are stuffing in and try to cut back where possible.

Sometimes, the best way to go around a place and truly experience it is to do so on foot or maybe on a cycle. Bicycle or walk your way through all the spots you wish to see instead of in a cab or bus. This will also let you capture some spots that you would never have seen in a cab or bus and do things at your own pace.

If your room in the hotel is a few floors up, even if just one (anything in fact, instead of the ground floor), then take the stairs. You can do some jumps and jogs on the stairs and burn off quite a lot of calories. However, check with the front desk if the stairs are reliable and monitored. Sometimes, the stairs are maintained only for the service staff or for customers in case of emergencies and you don’t want to end up on totally deserted dark staircases.

If you plan to be for a longer time in one place, take a membership of a local gym or join a yoga class. You could visit a local park early in the morning where chances are you bump into a group of people who engage in fitness activities at the park, and maybe you can join them for the few days you are there.

Always start with a hearty big breakfast. That way if you don’t get a chance to have lunch, you can still pull through. Try to have at least one bowl of yogurt a day. Also, drink lots of water to stay hydrated. I also make it a point to carry granola bars or protein bars or energy bars with me in my bag. I keep having it in between meals to keep at bay those cravings.

Do you have any such tips for travelers to stay fit on the go? Share them with us in the comments and you could get featured on my blog.