This post contains affiliate links. Please read my Privacy & Disclosure page for more information.
Whether you travel for work or fun, here are some tips for staying healthy and feeling good.
Even with the COVID pandemic I am travelling for work or doing weekend trips to nearby regions. I call them my “romantic getaways” regardless of whether or not my partner joins, because it sounds so much cooler… Anyways, today I will share with you some of my trusted companions to help me stay fit and energized when I travel.
Use resistance bands
Whenever I travel, my suitcase always holds my exercise resistance bands. These take up almost no space or weight in your backpack or luggage, and can be used anywhere (including the plane, although you might get some weird looks – I speak from personal experience). Sometimes travelling involves long periods of time staying seated, like on a bus, plane or the airport. I like to use resistance bands to get my blood pumping, my lymph circulating and my muscles contracting to get a boost of energy and feel good. My favourites are these ones because they come in nice colours, are very lightweight and can travel in a handy little pouch.
Stay hydrated
The next important items are related to hydration. Trust me, this is not an overrated or over-discussed topic. If you want to have a great adventure, whatever it is, you need to stay hydrated to avoid feeling icky and to stay energized to experience everything. Dehydration can cause symptoms such as headaches, slower reflexes and reaction time (especially dangerous while driving), hunger pangs or cravings, low blood pressure, high blood sugar, fatigue, muscle cramping and spasticity, dizziness and irritability or mood swing. Who on Earth wants any of this to ruin their trip? Not me!
So I usually bring three items to keep hydrated. My water bottle and my tea/coffee mug. If I’m backpacking or hiking, I normally only bring my water bottle or a two in one bottle (an insulated bottle). My first essential is my water bottle, I have a bright pink Hydro Flask with a wide mouth which I’ve dropped so many times while hiking and working out that I think it might last me my whole life, at this rate. The Yeti brand makes comparable water bottles, which I would recommend as well. I know they’re expensive, but so far I’ve been happy with their quality, durability and reliability.
The third item to keep hydrated when I work out during my travels are hydration tablets or sachets. I’m still exploring all of the available products out there, and so far my favourites are the Nuun sports hydration tablets. They’re lightweight and stay in a compact tube so it’s easy to cary around in my backpack, and I can pop a half or a full tab into my water bottle. They don’t taste gross and aren’t full of caffeine and sugar and 100 other ingredients, so that’s nice. FYI my favourite is the strawberry lemonade flavour. 🙂
Drink copious amounts of tea
When I travel I always bring a few pouches of tea with me, and even sometimes some looseleaf herbal tea. Some common ones that I bring are: ginger, mint, chamomile or fennel for upset tummies or indigestion; holy basil or passionflower to ease my nerves (especially on the plane – I get nervous); Earl Grey tea or matcha to give me a boost of energy. For warm beverages, I love my Yeti tumbler for pouched teas and lattes – it’s solid, indestructible, and has an easy magnetized lid. I think my friends and family have started to associate me with this mug in their memories – that’s how much I use it. It keeps things warm (or cold) for hours. For looseleaf teas and matcha, I use the insulated “matcha maker” by David’s Tea. All the stuff that came with it was a bit overkill, I just use the top filter screwed on at the top for my looseleaf teas. And I promise you, your tea will stay hot for HOURS. I’ve burned my tongue more than a few times.
Stay dry
Depending on where I am going and the season I find myself in, I might bring only summer gear or I’ll have winter gear, so I won’t get into shoe wear or outdoor wear in this post. One item that I’ll bring no matter what, even when I stay in a hotel or AirBnB, is a quick-dry towel. So if I work out, if I go to the beach or spa or pool; if I get caught in the rain while hiking, backpacking or camping, I’m all set! Quick-dry towels are very lightweight, compact and take almost no time at all to dry after each use.
What are your essentials?
Of course there are some other items that I’ll bring to help me feel comfortable in my “fitness-travel journey.” Workout clothes, some lightweight running shoes, sunscreen and sunglasses are all useful things that I’ll bring with me, especially on longer trips. But these items will be for another post at another time! If you want some inspiration now, I highly recommend this blogger based in British-Columbia. Angela is a hiking & traveling Canadian extraordinaire!
So tell me. Whether it’s a day trip or several months of backpacking the world, what are your must-have items for staying fit and energized while your travel? Share with me in the comments below.
From one Spoonie sister to another, thanks for reading. 🙂
