Staying Fit on the Road

by - 3:17 PM

I've embarked on a 10 day travel bender (minus one night home midway through for a wedding reception/quick suitcase swap) and I have to be very strategic about how I'm going to fit in my workouts - both for pant-fitting purposes and my mental sanity.

My work schedule puts me away from home at least one night a week, if not more, which has forced me to learn how to stay fit on the road. This has actually benefited me a ton, especially when race training, by teaching me to schedule my workouts for the week in advance - while still remaining flexible to change plans when necessary. I'm also really good at packing.

Tips for Staying fit on the road

Tips for Staying Fit On the Road


1. The Two Night Rule

Assess your schedule for the week - are you only going to be gone one or two nights? Can you get workouts in on the days you are home and afford to skip days while on the road? If I know I will be gone two nights or more, I plan to get a workout in at least one of those days if possible.

2. Be Realistic. 

If you have to be somewhere at 7am, are you really going to run at 5am? Probably not. You are also not going to go to the gym after your plane lands at 6pm, because travel is a different kind of exhausting. Look closely at your schedule before you even pack your bag to see if there are options to hit up the gym in the morning, or fit in a spin or yoga class before dinner.

3. Look for nearby classes and sign up in advance.

Search nearby to where you are staying or ask friends for recommendations for classes in the area you will be visiting. Most pilates, spin or yoga studios will offer a free class to first timers (bonus!) and many gyms will offer trial or 24 hour passes. (Or if you have really cool friends, they will leave you a free guest pass to Equinox ;))
Yogis - download the MindBody Yoga App. Almost all studios have mats for rent
Runners - I swear by MapMyRun for finding local routes in whatever city I may be in.

4. Always always pack your running shoes.

I didn't bring mine during my last trip to New York, and I would have paid an obscene amount of money to have those shoes appear in my bag so I could go for a run in the park. There have been many times where I have brought shoes and not worn them - but the times I've wished I had them outweigh the space they take up in my bag. Plus all these new lightweight shoes like Nike Frees weigh next to nothing. (Mini-hairspray also fits perfectly inside shoes, just saying,)


5. Roll all of your pants and shirts. 

Trust me, you can cram a lot more in this way (this goes for non-workout stuff too). And pack multi-purpose workout wear. And plan to re-wear some (mainly the pants).

6. Don't eat crap.

If you are going to be travelling and have no way possible to work out, then don't eat crap. You will just feel like crap. Get the veggies instead of fries, eat as many greens as you can get your hands on (especially at lunch) and pick healthy, protein-rich foods like almonds to snack on at the airport. If you are in a packaged-food emporium situation (read: Airport "News" depots or any gas station in America) look for anything with less than 5 ingredients on the package, all of which you should be able to pronounce.

Confession Time

Things I have done on the road that I am not proud of:


  • Worn hotel slippers on the elliptical machine at the gym at the Wynn in Vegas because I didn't bring shoes
  • Lied and said I was vegetarian at a conference so I didn't have to have the heavy lunch
  • Went braless at a yoga class at a resort in Scottsdale because I had no sports bra
  • Called a hotel to assess the size of their pool for lap swimming and made the conceirge look up the yardage
  • Stolen so many hotel towels because I had to wrap my workout clothes in SOMETHING
  • Stuffed way more hotel room keys than I care to count into my sports bra
I'm already planning my detox for when I return next Friday - and will try to find time to post a recipe or two in between.

Stay tuned for some BIG news next week. Until then...Selamat tinggal ;)
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8 comments

  1. First, I LOVE these tips! I'm on the road a ton for work and sometimes don't have the time I wish I did-these will totally help :) Thanks for posting them!
    Second, your suitcase is darling!!

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    1. Thanks Becca! Glad you found it helpful. (and I am obsessed with this suitcase! It's by Brics)

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  2. Great post! I don't have to travel for work, but appreciate these tips for leisure travel. I spent the weekend in Michigan and should have looked up yoga classes before I went, I love experiencing new studios when traveling.

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    1. Thanks Laura! I love visiting new yoga studios while I'm in different cites too. Always a new experience - and the nicest people!

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  3. i really adore the confessions (and the tips, obviously). thank you for sharing!!

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    1. Haha thanks Kate! Happy to share :)

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  4. This is an amazing list and I love your humor sprinkled throughout the post! I can just imagine you in slippers at the hotel gym. Priceless!

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