6 Ways To Keep Your Mind Centred & Your Body Healthy On The Road
While on an extended trip it can be hard to carve out time for a little self-care, be it fitness-related or to do with your general well being. Unless you’re the type of traveler who scales mountains, explores caves and nature trails, or paddles in canoes for hours at a time, chances are you need this list. These six tips we put together are just a few we recommend that help keep you motivated to stay healthy so your explorations can continue!
Hotel Room-Turned-Gym: Floor/Mat/HIIT Exercises
No gym around you? No problem. From the balcony in your hostel to your hotel room floor, there are so many exercises you can do that require nothing but a flat and stable surface and your own determination. We love using the SWEAT app because it offers you different targeted workouts you can do, both quick and lengthy. Otherwise, we love dance party workouts because they’re fun and you sometimes forget you’re even working out. Youtube has tons of these, so if you want a guided workout, just pull them up on your phone and follow along, or you can make up your own to your favourite jams.
Walk, Hike or Cycle a New City
Tonnes of cities offer free or by-donation walking tours where you learn the cultural history of a place while keeping your step-count up. This is a great way to explore and much more engaging than a drive around bus tour (though these are still fun!). Not a fan of big cities? Look up local hikes and trails in the area and go spend some exploring the natural side of the cities you’re visiting. Want to cover as much ground in a short amount of time? Take a cycle tour of the city and get your heart pumping traveller-style.
Go For A Run In A Beautiful Place
Similar to getting out on nature trails, some of the most beautiful spots in the world aren’t just for photo ops. No matter where you are, there are boardwalks, sidewalks, lanes, alleyways, and roads through gorgeous countryside for you explore. Strap on your favourite pair of running shoes and go for a jog around the area and see what you can find. Breathe in deeply the air of a different place and let it fill you with a sense of accomplishment and wonder. Use any of your favourite running apps (we like the Strava app) to track your progress, and also keep track of where you are, should you get lost and need to find your way back.
Practice Meditative Yoga
Doing Yoga as you watch the sunset over hills and lakes is almost a mandatory experience for any traveler, so why not make it a daily habit? Sunset Yoga at our eco camp overlooking Lake Bunyoni, Uganda was our personal favourite, but yours can be anywhere! Whether you attend a live class—let’s face it, no matter where you stay, your hostel, hotel—or eco lodge are bound to have at least one yoga session offered during your stay. Take advantage of those classes if you can or use an app like Gaia for daily Yogic flows and take a virtual yoga class from the best Yogis in the world.
Read A Feel-Good Book
So we talked about keeping active to stay healthy, but what about your mental health. Granted, if you’re off globetrotting and gaining epic new memories, chances are you’re doing pretty good mentally. Nevertheless, long-term travel can get to you sometimes. Constantly on the go, moving to a new destination every other day, you lose that sense of stability. That sense of being grounded and centred. That sense of ‘home’. One way we like to combat this feeling is with a great book. You can zone out, steal a little me-time and get lost in the pages of a story. Not sure what to read? Check out this list of some of our favourite travel reads for inspiration!
Eat Local & Stay Hydrated
Sampling the different cuisines of the world is one the best things about traveling. You learn what other people eat, the flavours they use, and different spices and herbs used for various health remedies. This is a great way to stay healthy and feel good about what you’re putting in your body while on the road. Opt to try a home-cooked meal from a family homestay over greasy fast food or chips and candies from a truck stop. Try different fruits and veggies you’ve never seen at home (we LOVED the mangosteens in Indonesia and rose apples in Sri Lanka!). Listen to the locals when they offer you natural health remedies dating back centuries (Hello! Did someone say Ayurveda?). You’d be surprised what you learn about the human body and what’s good for it. And okay, so this is kind of a no brainer, but it still deserves to mentioned. Of course, DRINK YOUR EFFING WATER! Stay hydrated whenever you can, especially in hot climates. You don’t want to pass out from dehydration when you’ve spent all this other time working on your physical and mental health.
Can you think of any other ways to maximize your well-being on the road? We’d love to hear them! Send a us comment with your ideas!
Featured Image: Jared Rice on Unsplash
