Last Updated on August 1, 2018

Looking after your wellbeing while travelling is very important, and many travellers like to stay fit and healthy while they’re away, whether it’s a holiday or a business trip. But maintaining a routine can be hard, so we caught up with personal trainer Kirsty Warren for some tips and advice on how to keep fit and healthy while travelling.

Here at Jayride.com, we think it’s important to look after your health and wellbeing while you travel, which is why we’ve done a series of blogs on the topic including on exercises for long-haul flights, keeping a healthy diet when travelling for business, and advice for staying in tip-top condition when travelling from health coach and naturopath-in-training Manon Dallee.

In keeping with the theme, we spoke to personal trainer and passionate health and fitness advocate Kirsty Warren, who has been in the industry for six years, to get her advice on how to maintain an exercise routine while travelling, whether for business or leisure.

Keeping up the routine

‘A lot of it is about habits,’ says Kirsty, first off. ‘They take a long time to develop and can be lost very quickly. By keeping up an exercise routine while you’re away, it’s much easier to go back to your usual one once you get home, plus it minimises the loss of fitness while you’re travelling.’

Kirsty has five specific tips she advises travellers to follow to maintain fitness while away. The best bit? You don’t have to be a fitness pro and much of it is about staying mindful and true to yourself.

1. Don’t try to do too much

‘Firstly, be realistic about how much you can fit in while you’re away, and give yourself credit for any workout you manage. Accept that your exercise routines may not always go to plan, or that you can’t do as much as you usually do, and don’t beat yourself up about it. Understanding and accepting this is a good place to start.’

2. Manage your schedule

‘This is especially useful if you’re travelling for business,’ says Kirsty. ‘Spot any openings in your schedule, then set aside that time for exercise and stick to it – just as you would a meeting. It’s a great way to keep up a routine while you’re away.’

3. Every little bit counts

‘Remember that some exercise is better than none. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t manage to fit in as much as you normally do back home, it’s good for you no matter what you manage. Walking as much as you can is a great way to keep up exercise if you don’t have much free time available.’

The best bit? You don’t have to be a fitness pro and much of it is about staying mindful and true to yourself.

4. Keep it simple

‘Trying to work in an advanced training program while travelling is only going to add stress to your trip – and that’s not what you need on holiday or on a business trip,’ says Kirsty. ‘HIIT (high-intensity interval training) is your friend when you’re travelling. Try five different exercises such as squats, burpees, push ups, lunges and squat jumps. Do each exercise for 30 seconds until you’ve done all five, then repeat four times, with 10 seconds of rest between each set. Another idea is to get up 20 minutes earlier than you need to and go for a jog outside. If you happen to come across a park bench, use it – it’s a versatile piece of equipment (see my tip below). You want to work as hard as you can in the time you have; that way you have more time for sightseeing or planning that business meeting.’

5. Use what’s around you

‘Many people need to travel light, and so of course packing kettlebells or dumbbells isn’t going to work,’ says Kirsty. ‘But that shouldn’t stop you. Instead, make the most of what you have around you. Use stairs instead of lifts or escalators wherever possible. Park benches and steps are great for tough body-weight exercises, for example step-ups, box jumps, single leg lunge with one leg on the bench, tricep dips, push ups… There are so many options! I always pack a pair of running shoes that I can also use in the gym if there’s one available. A resistance band takes up very little space in a suitcase and can be used to replicate many of the kettlebell or dumbbell exercises you usually do. And don’t forget to pack a swimsuit so you can do some laps if you find a pool or your hotel has one.’

Keeping fit and healthy while you’re travelling is as much about mindset and keeping up habits as it is doing the physical work, and Kirsty’s parting words of advice echo this: ‘It’s just as important for your wellbeing to make smart food and alcohol choices, and prioritise sleep. The most important thing I tell everyone is to never beat yourself up about slipping out of your routine. Just do what you can while you’re away and when you’re home, get back to your normal routine as soon as possible. Remember, every little bit counts!’

Kirsty Warren has been a personal trainer for six years, and has been involved in many sports clubs throughout the USA, the UK and Australia. Kirsty was a semi-professional women’s football player in the UK, and keeps up her footy skills playing for the The Flying Bats Football Club in Sydney.

As well as planning how to keep up your health and fitness routines while you’re travelling, remember to pre-book your airport transfer on Jayride.com before you leave. It’ll save you a whole lot of stress, so you can fit in a few more push ups when you arrive!