Staying fit on vacation:

practical tips for maintaining your fitness

by Simone Bisello

Maintaining a consistent workout routine during vacation can seem challenging, but with a few simple strategies, you can keep up your fitness level no matter where you are. Here are some practical tips to help you stay active and healthy, even when you're far from home.

Vacations are perfect for relaxing and enjoying your free time, but that doesn't mean you should neglect your physical and mental well-being. Keeping up with your workout routine while "out of office" not only preserves the fitness you've worked hard to achieve throughout the year but also helps you feel better during and after your vacation.
Regular physical activity is essential for our well-being, especially if we're used to exercising frequently. It not only maintains physical fitness but also positively affects our emotional state. Exercise releases endorphins that improve mood and reduce stress, ensuring a more pleasant and rejuvenating vacation. 
Many people take advantage of their free time to engage in more sports activities: running in the morning, mountain biking, or even turning their vacation into a training camp. However, summer workouts come with certain challenges, primarily due to the increased energy expenditure from more physical activity and exposure to different temperatures. This can lead to increased sweating and dehydration. Therefore, it is important to stay hydrated according to your workout intensity: drink at least 500 ml of water enriched with minerals for each hour of activity. In very hot climates, start hydrating properly two hours before your workout.
If being away from home means giving up your training routine and fearing the loss of your hard-earned fitness, here are some practical tips that might even help you improve. 

Bodyweight workouts

Being away from home and your gym is an opportunity to embrace bodyweight training, which can be just as effective, if not more so, than your usual workouts. Often in the gym, we focus too much on equipment and weights, losing sight of the real goal: muscle failure, or pushing our muscles to their limit. Exercises like push-ups, squats, lunges, and pull-ups, when done in circuits, use body weight to achieve true muscle exhaustion.
A classic bodyweight circuit involves performing a series of different exercises consecutively without breaks, either to failure or for a set duration. Rest only at the end of the circuit, which can be repeated multiple times depending on your fitness level.
These new stimuli create a "shock" for the metabolism, leading to lasting fitness improvements. It's important to start gradually: if you choose total body sessions, follow a day of rest after each workout day. If you alternate upper and lower body workouts daily, you can exercise every day. Remember that these activities have a high metabolic impact, so sessions should not exceed 40-45 minutes.

Here’s a beginner total body workout plan (approximate duration: 30 minutes):

Execution:

• Perform each exercise for about 45 seconds without breaks between them
• Rest for 1-2 minutes at the end of the circuit
• Repeat the circuit 3 times

Morning workouts

Working out in the morning, even before breakfast, can help start the day on the right foot. The endorphins released during the activity will positively influence your dietary choices throughout the day, starting with breakfast. You will be more motivated to eat healthily, reducing the risk of overindulging.
Morning workouts can also improve sleep quality, making it easier to wake up and work out the next day, creating a virtuous cycle of well-being. Exercising early might seem daunting, but once it becomes part of your routine, you'll discover significant physical and mental benefits.
You might even continue morning workouts after your vacation!

Stay active throughout the day

Even if you don't engage in your favorite sport or can't visit a gym, staying active throughout the day makes a difference. Don’t underestimate NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis), the energy expenditure from all daily activities like walking, standing, or simply staying active. These "small" actions burn calories and can significantly contribute to your overall energy expenditure. Every movement counts: walking a kilometer daily to the beach, for instance, adds up over the week.

Plan your meals

Planning meals in summer involves considering when you will have a larger meal, like a nice dinner with friends.
If you know you'll consume more calories at a particular meal, try to schedule your workout right before it. Intense physical activity increases insulin sensitivity, which not only "mitigates the impact" of the higher calorie intake but also offers metabolic benefits.
Increased insulin sensitivity after exercise allows your body to use carbohydrates more effectively, turning them into energy and reducing the likelihood of storing them as fat

Eat fruit... in moderation

Fruit is always a healthy choice, but like any food, it should be consumed in appropriate amounts. A common mistake during vacations is replacing a meal with large portions of fruit. While fruit is beneficial, it also contains sugars. 
Meals should always be balanced: the right amount of proteins, fats, and complex carbohydrates rich in fiber is the best long-term choice, stabilizing blood sugar levels and providing consistent energy.
It's best to consume fruit as mid-morning and afternoon snacks, opting for seasonal fruits. Watermelon, melon, peaches, and strawberries are rich in water and help keep you hydrated. These fruits are also easily digestible and can be eaten close to physical activity. Before sports, avoid fruits high in fiber, like apples and pears.

A few simple tips will help you enjoy your vacation, relish the pleasure of outdoor sports, and perhaps gain that extra edge for your end-of-season competitions.

 

Summary: Stay active: take advantage of your free time to keep exercising. Activities like running and swimming are easy to do, but consider bodyweight exercises for their benefits and new challenges. If you take a complete break from training, stay active with walks and other daily activities Stay hydrated: the climate will likely differ from home; not being acclimated could lead to easier dehydration. Remember to drink enough and start your activities well-hydrated . Work out in the morning: exercising in the morning helps start the day with the right energy, positively influencing your dietary choices. You'll be more motivated to maintain healthy habits Plan ahead: organize convivial meals to better manage occasions when you'll indulge more. It will be easier to balance moments of enjoyment with healthy eating Consume fruit in appropriate amounts: fruit is healthy but eat it in the right amounts, favoring seasonal fruit. Avoid replacing meals with excessive fruit portions, which might not satisfy you and lead to extra calorie intake

 

 

NOTE: The information provided is purely educational and does not replace the advice of your healthcare provider. The information is for healthy individuals: any dietary or exercise regimen should be supervised by a competent professional as per Italian law. Enervit SpA is not responsible, as the information is educational, and individuals should consult their specialist before starting any dietary or physical activity plan.