How to Stay Motivated While on Vacation

By Malia Warren

I mean, to be honest, I wouldn’t blame you if you don’t want to read further.

We’re going to talk about how to stay motivated to workout while on vacation. The word vacation comes from the latin word nd directly from Latin vacationem (nominative vacatio) "leisure, freedom, exemption, a being free from duty, immunity earned by service," noun of state from past participle stem of vacare "be empty, free, or at leisure," from PIE *wak-, extended form of root *eue- "to leave, abandon, give out."

 

You get the idea.

For some of you, working out while on vacation is not an option. Some of you wild people schedule a vacation around working out.

*clears throat* Disney Race people. 

Which is totally cool. I’ve done that before actually, but what if you just want to go on vacation and maybe sweat a couple of times?

Picture this: you’re deep into your routine, you’re hitting the gym 5 days a week, eating close-ish to your macros, seeing results, and feeling great, but then BAM! Here comes a vacation to try to ruin all your routine.

It doesn’t have to be that way. And here is how:

Make a Plan

On my recent trip to CA, I tried to find local CrossFit boxes in the towns I was visiting and reached out to them the week before we left. I feel like reaching out to them and getting signed up, paying the drop-in fee ahead of time, and committing a day of my vacation to go was what kept me from sleeping in.

 

You also have to plan for plans to fail.

For example, when I reached out to a couple CrossFit boxes in Sacramento, near where I was staying to try to plan my visits. I had one not respond at all and one that responded a few days too late - after I'd already left the area.

So, I’m sad to say that I did not get to enjoy any Sacramento CrossFit. But I think I’m ok with it, given that the temperature was 100+ degrees and we got to go to a water park instead. 

Regardless, if your plan is to workout in a gym while on vacation, it’s best to lookup drop-in information and fees beforehand (I’d recommend before you leave your home) so you can make sure whether they are even offering drop-ins. 

Given the ongoing pandemic, it’s possible some gyms don’t offer drop-ins for the sake of prioritizing their members' limited spots while also avoiding unnecessary exposure from travelers. 

Factor in the Fun

Funny enough, that visit to a CrossFit Box in San Luis Obispo (shoutout to CrossFit Inferno, if you’re visiting SLO you should totally go!) was my only visit to a gym while I was in CA (for 12 days).

But it’s ok, because we did other fun stuff to make up for it!

We rented a surrey bike in Santa Barbara and pedaled around for 2 hours. I sweat so much in the cute little jumper I was wearing, but I still got a workout in.

We also spent two days in a row at the beach, playing volleyball, paddle boarding, and boogie boarding. Sunburns and arm workouts galore!

Once we traveled up north to see more family, we were able to get in a couple hikes to the lake for even more paddle boarding. 

See the trend here?

We stayed active and moved, even if we didn’t step into a gym for our workouts.

Pack Smart

If you feel like you need to sweat more, but maybe don’t have access to a gym, pack a little gym with you!

Grab a jump rope, glute band, and a clean space (hotel room floor or some grass outside) and get in a workout.

Jump ropes are so small you’ll barely notice it’s in your bag, and glute bands? Those things pack a mean punch in a small package!

See our go-to Glute Band Workout for some great glute strengthening workouts!

Here’s an easy one to get the sweat rolling:

Warm up with glute burner workout

Stretch

40-30-20-10

Double Unders (or singles x2)

Squats

Sit-Ups

Then, core: alternate 1 minute plank hold then 1 minute of sit-ups for 10 minutes

Cool down: stretch + yoga 

For yoga, alternate between down dog, up dog, cat, cow, childs pose in a flow, holding each position for at least 30 seconds, 3 times each. 

Check out our post on important yoga poses for athletes, here. 

Don’t Sweat It

Lastly, if vacation rolls on by and you don’t get a single workout in? NO BIGGIE. Truly.

Your body probably needed the rest anyway, don’t be hard on yourself. 

Between summer beverages, the sweltering heat, and the FOMO of a good vacation, it’s ok to just be present in whatever moment makes you happy - including days of rest. If you have a moment to just reconnect with yourself and reset your body: do it. 

Sitting on a beach, the smell of saltwater in the air, while listening to the waves crash unceasingly > working out. Any. Day.

You can quote me on that. 

 

If you have any questions or you would like to be a guest blogger, please email us at blog@liftingthedream

 

What do you do to stay motivated while on vacation?

  

Malia is the force behind Lifting the Dream and a proud mompreneur. When she's not lifting heavy weights, she's probably at the beach or Disney with her family. She is a Cali girl born and raised, with salt water in her veins and sunshine in her heart. She and her family now reside in Florida soaking up the sun, heat, and all the amazing outdoor activities this state has to offer.