The Secret to Staying in Shape on the Road

by admin | Jan 14, 2019 | RV Buyer's Guide

Welcome back, RVers. Now that RVUSA has given you the best tips on how to eat healthy while camping, it’s time to start thinking about staying in shape on the road. You don’t need a fancy gym membership or lots of big equipment to stay in shape, but you’ll need a plan, a bit of creativity and some motivation!

First things first, though. Even if you can’t squeeze in time for a full workout, try to at least make time for these three things everyday:

Walk somewhere every single day you’re traveling.
Stretch your muscles daily. Does this as soon as you wake up is a great way to fit it in.
Drink tons of water. Drink even more after strenuous activities.

These are things we should all be doing everyday, so if you aren’t now, the new year is a great time to start. Keep reading for a few more ways to keep up your exercise routine on the road.

Find ways to make exercising fun

Your workout routine doesn’t always have to be a chore. Find a playground for your kids and actually play with them instead of watching. Use the money bars for a few pull-ups, use the slides to climb up instead of sliding down and even find a set of stairs for lunges or planking.

Sign up for activities that can take place of your workout.

If you’ll be at a campground or park with a lot of activities, sign up for ones like paddle boarding, long, intermediate hikes, mountain climbing, etc. Finding outdoor activities is a great way to get your workout in without really knowing it. You’ll be able to spend time with your friends and family and it’ll help you experience the adventurous side of yourself and your campground!

Bring your own small equipment

Like I said earlier, you don’t need those huge machines that gyms have. Bring your own weights, resistance bands, yoga mats, jump ropes and weighted balls to help you stick to your workout routine. Just be sure to keep them as small as possible so you don’t take up too much room in your RV or car.

Check out the facilities at the campground you’re staying at

If your park does have a workout room, by all means use it! That’s what it’s there for and chances are, you paid for it when you paid the camping fees. Don’t want to miss out on all the fun? Head to the gym before you’re kids or friends wake up. You’ll feel way better. A lot of campgrounds also have pools, and swimming is most definitely a workout that can count as your exercise for the day!

Look for fitness classes

Chances are that if your campground has workout facilities, it probably has a few fitness classes to attend. Why not check them out? It’s social, fun and a great way to meet possible life long friends!

Always pack workout clothes

If you have t-shirts, shorts and a par of tennis shoes, you can’t make any excuses for yourself to not workout.

Create short workouts rather than long ones

Short workout routines are more likely to happen than longer ones because they’re much quicker and easier. Instead of a 1-2 hour workout, try 20-30 minutes each day. It’ll be over in no time and it won’t seem like such a drag.

Don’t have a workout routine? Find an online video

YouTube is a great, free way to look for online workouts. First, decide what kind of workout you want to do. Maybe cardio? Or yoga for beginners? The more specific you are, the better your results will be. Once you find a few that work well for you, subscribe to the channel so you’ll get notifications when they post new videos.

Download fitness apps

There are so many out there that help you keep track of your workouts and even how many calories you’ve eaten. Exercise and healthy eating go hand in hand, so if you notice that you’re getting close to your calorie, carb or saturated fats limit, use that as motivation to exercise. For example, if you know you’ll be eating a lot one night, take a longer hike, bike ride or swim longer to make room for those calories.

Try to never go more than two days without exercise

It’s a great rule of thumb for many reasons. It keeps you accountable even when you’re on the road so you’ll never let your routine go to waste. You’ll also find that if you do go several days without exercising, starting back will be much harder on your body, and it’ll be harder to start back on your routine.

Having and keeping up with a workout routine can be difficult on all of us, but the important things to remember are to make it fun, drink lots of water and always make time for exercise.