It’s easy when you’re traveling to treat yourself, give in to temptation and get thrown off your routines. As a traveler, more than ever, you need to be exercising, eating healthy and taking care of your mind & body in order to get the most out of your trips. Here are my top 12 reasons every traveler should get fit before they hit the road.
1. You will walk a lot
One of the best parts of travel is exploring new cities on foot. Walking outside of your hotel every morning and turning a different direction, getting lost and discovering some of the best restaurants are memories that every traveler looks forward to.
2. You will be more willing to try new things
When you are in shape, you don’t let your fitness level hold you back from trying new things. During your travels you will constantly be facing new opportunities. Whether it be sky diving, a 5 day hike or propelling down a waterfall, you won’t let your out of shape mindset hold you back.
3. Your body is better able to handle sweat
As you exercise more often and your body becomes fitter, it is better able to sweat. Sweat is a good thing. It rids your body of toxins, cools you off and controls your mood swings. You do need to be careful not to exercise during the hottest part of the day and keep hydrated, but don’t stay inside with the air conditioning, get outside and sweat!
4. You will be more confident
Let’s get serious. The fitter you get, the better you look. You’re introducing yourself to a lot of strangers and meeting new friends every day. When you feel good, you are more confident and more apt to go out of your way to join a group of new friends vs. shy away from big events.
5. Your immune system will be stronger
With regular exercise your heart gets stronger, your lunges are better equipped to deliver oxygen to your body and similarly the cells in your body work faster to attack bad bacteria. Getting sick on the road is the worst, you aren’t in your own bed or around your own doctors. The stronger your immune system is the less you will get sick when you travel.
6. It will relieve stress
Travel is by nature stressful, which is why exercise is the perfect solution for your stressful travel days. If you are having trouble sleeping, or need to clear your mind, schedule in a long run and feel your natural pain killers take over your body. The rhythmic flow of the repeated motion of running soothes your mind and body and lets you focus on nothing but everything all at the same time.
7. You will look and feel good in a bathing suit
Let’s be serious some of the most beautiful destinations are on exotic islands and remote beaches. Get fit so you will look and feel good in a bathing suit so you aren’t spending the day hiding out from the crowds.
8. It makes it easier to lift your carry on bag
If you are traveling often, you are constantly having to lift your baggage into and out of overhead storage, taxi cabs and busses. If you carry a backpack, there have been times when I have to lug my backpack 3+ miles before I reach my destination. Unless you pack extra light, luggage can get heavy!
9. You will be a happier person
Endorphins are real. When you work out, your body creates natural opiates and releases them throughout your body. Usually this occurs when you are lifting heavy weights or doing anaerobic activity. A runners high is also very real, lace up your tennis shoes and find out!
10. You can fit into a variety of clothes
Travelers need to be flexible, if they have to replace something in their luggage or forgot to pack a certain piece of clothing, they need to be able to fit into a variety of styles. If you get fit and lose excess weight, you will feel confident picking up new clothes around the world. Trust me, depending on what country you are in the sizes vary drastically!
11. Eating out all of the time can still be healthy
Temptation will almost always win. If you don’t set up a healthy routine before you travel, it will be hard to avoid the fast food, fried treats and dessert options. By setting up routines such as adding in fruits and ordering healthy back home, you will be better prepared to eat on the road. When I travel, I always go to the local markets and pick up fresh fruits and veggies to have on hand for snacks.
12 You have to hike for some of the best views around the world.
Nothing ever came easy. Machu Picchu, Patagonia, Camino de Santiago, Mount Kilimanjaro all are work to get to, but the sweat is worth the reward. Don’t let your fitness level hold you back from seeing the world’s most incredible sights!
I want to hear from you i the comments below. How do you feel your fitness level affects your travels?
Here’s more about Caroline Eaton the author of 12 Reasons Every Traveler Should Get Fit.
Caroline Eaton is a personal trainer and former corporate ladder climber currently traveling the world in search of a location independent lifestyle and writing about it on Traveling 9 to 5. She is an exercise addict and a healthy eater with an insatiable sweet tooth. She hopes to inspire you to travel and to write a better story for your life.
