Motivational Monday – 3 Tips that encourage fitness during vacation

Sweat danced at the edge of my hairline, the bright sun activated the transition lenses of my glasses, and my bare arms felt like they were on fire. It was day one of my vacation. I dashed inside an air-conditioned building for a moment of relief. Then it happened…I heard music, it was a familiar upbeat sound. It was an ice cream truck.

To indulge, or not to indulge? I made my way back into the blistering heat and handed the ice cream man my $2.00. In return, I received a soft serve twist, ice cream cone…chocolate and vanilla. I was on vacation.

Vacation is a time to relax, enjoy and indulge. It is a time for guilt-free pleasures. However, don’t completely throw out your fitness regimen. Below are three tips for including fitness while on vacation.

1.      Find the fitness – once you are settled into your temporary living quarters, find out if there is a fitness center. Most places have at least a few machines. If there is no fitness center, you can always do movements in your room. A few simple movements include squats, high knees, jumping jacks, and stretches.

2.      Swim – or play in the water. If you’re not a swimmer, wade in the water. You can hold onto the sides of a pool and kick your legs. Do movements to create your own style of water aerobics.

3.      Make an effort to walk every day – take a friend and get moving.

Day one of my vacation would have been Muscle Monday at the fitness studio where I workout. Monday sets the tone for your week. Ready to set the tone for my week, I found my way to the fitness center at the time I usually work out (before the sun makes its appearance over the horizon).

There was a sign near the door of the fitness center with the hours of operation…7am. I was an hour early so I paused, but entered anyway. To my surprise, there was another person who had defied the rules this one time for the sake of fitness. It was a friend in my traveling group. We were setting the tone for our week.

It’s your turn, set the tone for your week and beyond. Keep this habit during your vacation. Are you ready?