Keep Busy During Vacation

Article posted in: Fitness

Vacation. It’s a time to relax, have fun and get back to the good things in life. For many of us, that means ditching our normal exercise routines. But it doesn’t have to be like that. Follow these 5 easy ways to exercise on vacation for maximum fun and health.

Hike: For real. There’s almost no vacation destination that doesn’t offer great opportunities for hiking of some sort or other—from casual walks on the beach with your sweetie, to serious trails for more experienced hikers.

Ride: What could be more relaxing than feeling the sun on your face and the breeze in your hair as you explore wherever you’re vacationing on a bike ride? If you don’t have a bike to bring with you, or simply don’t want to bring it, no worries. Bike rentals for the day or even just a few hours tend to be affordable, and are certainly less hassle than bringing your own.

Dig: The sand, that is, for all you beach vacationers. For serious. Get back in touch with your inner kid and dig a hole to bury your friends in. It’s fun for everyone and gives you arms, chest and back a nice workout. Got kids? Even better. What better way to spend some quality time with them than getting down to their level (almost literally) and digging some holes for a castle or, if you dig closer to the water, a nice little pool to splash around in.

Kick: Even if the Women’s World Cup has ended, soccer mania is reaching a fever pitch. Why not get in on the action? Bring a soccer ball on your vacation. It’s a really fun way to get active with your kids, and is also great with friends. And don’t worry about your skills. Just getting out and chasing the ball around is enough. Depending on how much you exert yourself, it can even be a fun way to get in some interval training (alternating bursts of intense activity with intervals of lighter activity).

Stand Up: Namely, your health. If you haven’t heard, sitting is the new smoking. Recent studies show that for every two hours spent sitting in front of the computer or television, you can raise your risk of certain cancers by up to 10%. It may seem simple, but finding ways to stand more on vacation (and in general) can be a great start to better health. Besides, vacation should be about leaving your work-a-day life behind. Stand more, sit less, and squeeze every bit of enjoyment you can from your vacation.