Hey guys! I’m Lora and blog over at Crazy Running Girl about my running adventures, new life in Texas and everything in between.

I am so excited to be a guest poster for Nicole while she’s enjoying the sun and sand down in amazing Jamaica. And I felt like it was super fitting to talk about how to stay fit while traveling. Even with the best intentions, finding time to work out while traveling – no matter if its across the state or to a new country – can be challenging.

Here are my 7 tips that help me stay fit while traveling. 

1. Make a plan. All the best vacations start with a good plan, and working out while on the road is no different. Take a look at your schedule and figure out when you’re able to squeeze in some workouts.
2. About that plan… Don’t be over aggressive! Once upon a time I went to Tokyo while I was training for a marathon and told myself I would stick to my training schedule. I didn’t. We had too much fun doing everything else and I think I ran one time. I set myself up for failure. Make sure you don’t do the same.
3. Do your research. Once you’ve figured out when you might have time to work out, think about where you’ll do your exercises. Does your hotel have a gym that you can use? Better yet – are there some fun fitness classes nearby? If you are really short on time, check out Pinterest and blogs to find some quick HIIT workouts that you can do right in your hotel room (here’s one of my favorites). That way, you can knock out a quick sweat sesh right when you wake up without even having to leave your hotel room.
4. Tell everyone about it. One of the best ways for me to stay accountable is to tell everyone I know my plans. I know they’ll ask me how things were and I don’t want to be the one to say, so, about that run in…
5. Pack your cutest clothes. It may sound silly, but when I have a cute fitness outfit to wear, I am more excited to hit the gym. Make sure you give yourself extra incentive while you are traveling! It will make it slightly easier to get your sweat on.
6. Build exercise into your travels. Hitting the beach? See if you can rent a kayak for an hour for an arm workout. Checking out a local park? Try to hike some local trails for a cardio session. Finding different ways to explore while getting your fitness on will make it that much easier to fit in a quality workout.
7. Reward yourself. Let’s face it – vacation is supposed to be all about relaxing! And when you do work, you deserve a pat on the back. Set some (realistic) fitness goals while on vacation and show yourself some love once you conquer them. There’s nothing wrong with a little self-indulgence!

TALK TO ME

• Any other tips for staying fit while traveling?
• How do you find time to squeeze in a sweat session while on the road?