Why do most people fail when they try to add fitness in when traveling? I know I failed hardcore with fitness when I first started traveling. I bounced from place to place and put no priority on fitness. I soon lost almost all the fitness I had built before my trip. It was disappointing coming home and realizing that my mile times had dropped, I could lift less, and I couldn’t complete all the workouts I had done before. Where had I gone wrong?

Out of shape in Italy

My biggest issue was that I never built a routine! At home, it is easier to exercise because we have less competing commitments. We wake up at the same time, drive the same way to work and come home at the same time. We know where we are going to be and the approximate time we are going to be there. A routine comes easy. On the road, routines are turned on their head. We could be waking up in a new bed and even a new country every day. So, how do you create a fitness routine on the road when everything else is so up in the air?

Changing your Mindset

The first step is to change your mindset. Instead of want to, it should be have to or need to. You should know that you have to train. You don’t want to train, you have to train. This is the key to creating a fitness routine. Training is a non-negotiable aspect of your life on the road. You will protect it at all costs. If this means skipping a night at the bar or an early morning tour so be it. You have to program your mind to value training above all else.

Biking on the road!

Once you do this you will find training easy. It will become a part of you that your brain needs to thrive. We all have felt this way after missing a workout after consecutive ones. You feel guilty! This is because we have programmed our brains to need to train. It is no longer a passing desire; it is required to maintain our habits. This is the basis of any good routine on the road.

It All Starts With Planning

Just like training and goal setting, fitness on the road requires planning. If you’re sitting on a plane for 12 hours you will not be able to train. You know you have to get on a plane, so build your training around this. You could plan your training around this by training in the morning or the day before. Schedule in a good time to train even if it means putting it on your calendar.

You will not have time every day to train. This is especially true when you are fast traveling (moving from place to place quickly). Decide what days you want to train on before the week starts. You will be able to get a much better handle on how much time you have, and when you want to train. Get in the training you need, but be realistic. Missing your set training days can result in a downward spiral where you aren’t training at all. You still want to have time to enjoy your new surroundings!

Start Something!

Even if you are new to fitness, training on the road can be amazing for your health. Start with one to two sessions per week for 10 minutes. Mostly anyone can dedicate ten minutes twice a week. Remember you already set the have to mindset. You have planned around busy times. You should have no excuse to get out there and train. If you are looking for a quick body weight routine on the road check out my post. Build on your sessions until you are training every other day.

If you’re more advanced or you’re training for an upcoming race, be diligent about building in training. Have a plan for the week with times you are going to train. Don’t come home having to make up ground over lost training time. Build a routine and stick to it. Make it painful to miss a training session.

It All Begins with Creating a Routine

People fall by the waste side when it comes to training on the road because they never get started. They never build their mindset around training or plan out training days. It never becomes a routine. The key to training on the road is to create a routine. Make this the only non-variable part of your travels. Mold your training around your goals and experience. Build fitness on the road instead of losing it. Creating a routine on the road can help you live a healthy life. To do it right follow these steps:

1. Change your mindset to have to instead of want to
2. Plan your training week and navigate around busy days
3. Start somewhere even if it’s one day a week and build

Don’t neglect your training on the road. Travel is not an excuse to slack off. You can still build fitness and lose weight on the road! Get your training time in so you can enjoy your trip even more.

Biking in Australia!

How do you create a fitness routine on the road? What tips do you have for someone trying to start a fitness routine while traveling? Let me know in the comments.

Join the Fitness Crusaders to FIGHT the battle for fitness

Need help creating a routine on the road? Join the FREE Fitness Crusaders FB group for support and challenges to live healthier. Eat healthier, train smarter, and FIGHT the demons of bad health! Join the community that will support YOU in your fight for good health. Pick up your lance and mount your bike to conquer the battlefields of life!