4 Tips for Staying Fit While Traveling & Backpacking

Is it possible to stay fit while traveling & backpacking?

Everybody travels: be it for world domination, business, vacation, pleasure or epic pursuits, at one point in your life, you will have to depart from the comfort that you derive from your individual shire and visit another location.

Regardless of the kind of trip you intend to make, there is one thing that you can be completely sure of: your normal routine will be thrown out of the window when backpacking.

For instance:

• If you are used to working out in a gym or weight loss retreat, you will suddenly lose access to all this high-tech equipment.
• If you are used to enjoying a full 8 hours of sleep each night, then this may no longer be possible when backpacking.
• If you normally run around your neighbourhood or estate each morning or evening, you will suddenly no longer have a familiar road or path to exercise on.
• If you are used to preparing all your meals, you will no longer have access to a fridge or kitchen.

Human beings are creatures of habits, especially when working a normal day job. This is when they get to stick to a particular routine that helps them control what they eat, when they exercise, and even how long they get to sleep. But this is bound to change when traveling. So how do you go about losing weight while traveling? 

1. Maintain a Healthy Diet

Many travel experts will freely tell anyone looking for tips on how to stay fit while backpacking that maintaining a healthy diet is very important. Doctors believe that close to eighty percent of weight loss is dependent on diet, while the remaining twenty percent is influenced by a person’s physical activities. But the reality is, it can be very difficult for a person who is backpacking to maintain a proper and consistent diet. 

If you are staying at motels and hotels, there is a very big probability that you will not get an opportunity to cook your own food. Therefore, the most essential thing that you can do is to make sure that your body gets all the foods that it requires to fuel it. Try and look for menu items that have lots of vegetables and fruits. Such menus should be low on carbs and meat. These days, healthy and nutritious meals can be ordered in-air. On some airlines, you can now request for low calorie in-flight meal. 

2. Less Party, Less Alcohol

This is something most people already know: drinking alcohol isn’t very healthy for you. It affects the brain negatively. It affects your physique negatively. This doesn’t mean you should cut it off completely. If you really have to, drinking can be done occasionally, in moderation. 

Consuming alcohol with purpose, on a special occasion, not just for fun. Try to find a way to fit it into your schedule, once or twice a month, so that it allows you to stay sane. The top tips are 1) opting for the healthiest choices like wine or light beer 2) steering away from mixers 3) drinking lots of water 4) getting enough sleep. 

3. Walk More, Say Yes to Hikes

Find out what the locals do in their areas to stay in shape and get a great workout. Hiking is probably one of the top activities. It’s easy to find hiking trails in most cities you’ll be visiting. 

If hiking is way too intense for you, opting to ride a bike through a city and getting around the neighbourhood by foot. 

You don’t have to limit yourself to just walk, hike and bike. Anything that you will enjoy and that will get you moving. Go for it. For example, you can sign up to go for a yoga retreat or even a weight loss retreat that involves fun and sporty activities while locally exploring different places. 

BONUS: Top Hiking Trails In Australia By State

Northern Territory

1. Larapinta Trail
2. Kings Canyon
3. Vuelta a Uluru

Queensland

1. Scenic Rim Trail
2. Fraser Island Great Walk
3. Cooloola Great Walk

Tasmania

1. Bay of Fires Lodge Walk
2. Cradle Mountain Huts Walk
3. The Maria Island Walk

South Australia

1. The Arkaba Walk
2. Heysen Trail
3. Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail

Victoria

1. Twelve Apostles Lodge Walk
2. Wilderness Coast Walk
3. Beerimpo Trail

New South Wales

1. Mount Gower
2. Rosewood Creek Circuit
3. Coast Track

Western Australia

1. Cape to Cape Track
2. Bibbulmun Track
3. Ancient Empire Walk, Valley of the Giants

Australian Capital Territory

1. Canberra Centenary Trail
2. Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve
3. Namadgi National Park

4. Drink Plenty of Water

If you are looking for information on how to lose weight travelling, then this particular tip will be a no-brainer. You need to drink lots of water. Consuming a lot of water comes with very many health-related benefits. For those backpacking, drinking plenty of water makes it easier for one to develop a better and stronger immune system as well as get a great way to address jet lag.

It is also recommended that one does their best to avoid sodas and other sugary fruit drinks while traveling. If you are presented with numerous options, make sure to always choose soda water or water. It is common for many backpackers to drink out of taps when traveling in a bid to preserve money as well as ensure that they do not get to waste plastic.

Conclusion

Apart from maintaining a healthy diet and drinking lots of water, you should also ensure that your travel bag is equipped with fat burning essentials. A foot bag or hacky sag and a jump rope are two essential items that should be included in the traveling bag. If you remain focussed, it becomes easy for you to balance health and travel. Try to stay active, have fun, and be healthy at all times.

RELATED ARTICLE: BACKPACKING TIPS | KNOW YOUR RIGHTS WHEN YOUR FLIGHT IS DELAYED

Author Bio

Gigi is a freelance writer, currently writes for Weight Loss For Men Thailand, one of the best weight loss retreats in Thailand. In her spare time, she would like to splurge on her two favourite things: movies and books. She likes to travel whenever possible to stay inspired.