What is Health and Fitness Travel All About?

Have you ever thought of travelling to new places, exploring new things, meeting new people, having fun and enjoying the heck out of every single day of the vacation at your disposal ….. still returning home without a swollen waistline and a thinned wallet?

Well, that’s all it is to health and fitness travel, or wellness travel, as many like to refer to it ….. except that last bit though, the wallet part, because many believe it never stops thinning, no matter how hard you try (pun intended).

It is a fact that not many people were willing to think about bringing the two concepts together (travel and fitness) in the same sentence about a decade ago, let alone visualize a rapidly thriving industry based on them collectively. However, wellness tourism has grown significantly into a $639 billion industry, contrary to anybody’s wildest guess.

According to a study published on THE GLOBAL WELLNESS INSTITUTE:   

8 Tips to Make the Most of Your Next Health & Fitness Travel Venture

So, whether all the hype around wellness tourism inspires and intrigues you as a wellness-minded traveller actively seeking out new destinations, vacations and experiences contributing in maintenance of a fitness routine, healthy eating and other aspects of wellness living.

Or, you are just looking to use wellness holidays as a break from the monotonous routine of your daily life; we have compiled a list of tips aimed at helping the most of your next wellness travel venture:

1.   You Gotta Move It!

If healthy holidays are what you’re truly seeking, walking or running around your vicinity can be one of the simplest, easiest and the most effective ways of reaping health benefits out of your recreational retreat. You can find a place to stay with a spot nearby where you can walk, run or jog, making sure you don’t miss on your cardio routine.

Sometimes, all it takes to pump up your blood circulation is a quick walk or a casual jog to a breakfast place. Skipping the bus or train to walk or jog to the next tourist spot on your checklist can also be a great way of having a truly immersing experience, for aesthetic as well as health reasons. 

2.   Pack Up Lightly

No, taking fitness holidays does not require you to carry heavy workout equipment with you. You better choose a sweet resting spot for your weights and dumbbells while you are away, because you will be needing something much lighter and portable.

We don’t want you scratching your head for this, so we suggest resistance bands as the best alternate for dumbbells and weights. They are light in weight, small in size, easy to pack and carry. The best part is that you can target almost any muscle group with them; arms, legs, and even back & shoulders.

3.   Try Hotel Room Work Out

Paying gym fee for a weekend fitness retreat (or even week-long wellness retreat, for that matter) should not be on your mind, right? Why? Because you can improvise and turn your hotel room into a makeshift gym or a fitness centre where you can indulge in your workout without much to worry about.

This becomes even better if you want to add a fitness mat/yoga mat and a skipping rope in your backpack. Again, none of these accessories require much space and weight to carry around.

4.   Use Local Parks to Your Advantage

A hotel room is not the only place to pursue your fitness routine through your wellness holidays. Local parks also offer a great alternative, especially if you are fond of fresh air and a calmer, soothing ambiance.

You can either look for a good trail to carry on with your morning jog or find a nice, calm spot to unroll your yoga mat, refreshing your body and mind with the freshness and serenity around you.

5.   Prefer Healthy Diet

When you are out and about, local menus with intriguing names, ingredients and aromas come up as one of the biggest temptations, which not everyone can resist. Only the bravest and the most determined souls can win such battles between the tummy and the brain. This is when you need to remind yourself that you left home for vacationing for the purpose of getting fit, not fat.

To be honest, totally depriving yourself of the local delicacies is a bit too much of an ask. So, what you can do instead of binge eating is to crunch and munch lightly on the variety of dishes you come across in different local menus, but keeps tabs on your calorie count.

If you find yourself totally helpless at the hands of some aromatic street food or a famous diner on your checklist, make sure you double up your workout routine as well. For instance, if you spare half an hour for your morning walk or jog, make sure to make it out at night as well if you have overeaten through the dinner or lunch.

6.   Stay Hydrated

Appropriate hydration is one of the basic requisites of a functioning human body, whether you are on a vacation or into your daily routine. There are endless reasons why pouring in enough water into your body every single day is so crucial.

From regulation of body temperature to apt lubrication of joints, prevention of infections to delivering essential nutrients to body cells and helping body organs function properly; there are a plethora of body functions and activities that rely on proper hydration of the body.

That’s why experts recommend around 11 cups of water daily for the average female and 16 cups for the average male. The great thing is that you don’t necessarily have to gulp in just the plain water; you may occasionally resort to your favourite naturally sourced beverages.

7.  Be a Part of the Local Fitness Community

There is nothing better than blending in when you are wondering around, more so if you are looking to expedite your wellness holidays for enhanced health and fitness gains.

There are many towns and cities with specialised fitness classes for travellers on offer. For example, people visiting Bali can choose to be a part of a whole range of yoga classes aimed at catering to the wellness needs of travellers. Similarly, many places in Japan offer morning aerobic classes to visitors.

Nowadays, finding something for your fitness goals, no matter wherever you are in the world, is not much of a problem if you are truly committed to it. So, you can search around and join any of the available options that resonate with your fitness goals, especially if you are among the people whose performance is boosted when accompanied by other fitness devotees.

8.   Stay Safe and Have Fun

Remember, the ultimate goal of wellness tourism is to have as much fun as possible while staying as active as possible. You may have plenty of sights to see on your itinerary, but this should not hinder you in living a better and healthier life.

Conclusion

Last but not least, there is no point putting too much pressure on yourself. The earth won’t stop spinning if you skip a set out of a workout or try out a new and modified one. You have to come to terms with the fact that you are in a different setting with a lot of variables out of your control. The point is to keep track of your fitness while you wonder around and rejuvenate yourself to take up the next bout life is ready to throw at you.