How do you keep your fitness up in retirement during extended trips?

[YVRRocketSurgery]

How do you keep your fitness up in retirement when you travel for an extended period? We generally travel fairly light so I typically don't bring a pair of running shoes. Laundry would likely be an issue because I sweat like I waterfall when I workout. Plus, we stay at fairly basic hotels which don't have a gym.

I'm looking to retire in just over a year and a half and I'm currently trying to take advantage of the lack of activity/travel options to allow me to focus on getting back in shape again before retirement. Things are going well with a strict cardio, weights, and diet regimen but it's obviously more of a challenge now as I'm about to hit 50 than when I did something similar in my mid 30's. So I think this is my last kick at the can to whip myself into shape since it's such a struggle mentally and physically at the beginning. I'm hoping to just better dedicate myself on maintenance going forward after I reach my goals. The problem is that my previous efforts gradually failed as I lost my routine/habit after going on a long vacation or getting sick. I don't see a problem maintaining my habits at home during retirement (we have fitness equipment at home because I hate going to a gym). But we want to eventually do month long trips/stays in retirement and I suspect it's going to be a struggle with keeping a fitness routine of cardio and weights while traveling.

 

[mystang52]

I'm not traveling now for COVID reasons of course. But I don't see the problem here. When we travel, I routinely pack my running shoes and at least 2 run outfits. I get up early and run before breakfast. Then, do whatever we would ordinarily do on our vacation. Ditto for blocking out some time for the fitness center (again, pre-COVID).

 

[W2R]

I don't travel in retirement. However, when I traveled for work, they'd put me in motels of about the level of Best Western or Holiday Inn Express. Better than Days Inn but still, nothing terribly fancy. Almost all of those motels had a fitness center (usually just one room with a treadmill, weights, and a couple of other machines). Try asking at the front desk! And good luck.

 

[braumeister]

We generally travel fairly light so I typically don't bring a pair of running shoes.

Impossible for me. Running shoes, socks, shorts, and wicking T-shirt are the very first thing loaded into my bag whenever I travel. The other three items fit inside the shoes, so not much room lost. Due the the materials involved, they're easily washed in a hotel sink and dry quickly.

I can't imagine not being able to go for a morning run when the weather is right. And I have done so all over the world.

 

[T-Minus]

I have a set of Bodylastics bands that I bought on Amazon.com (https://bodylastics.com/) that came in a nice bag with a few accessories, and a Lovotex hip resistance band (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074ST1TQN/). There are several free YouTube videos (https://www.youtube.com/user/bodylastics ) that show you how to get a decent workout with the Bodylastics bands, and I use the hip resistance band for legs and butt. While it’s not an ideal workout, in about 60 minutes in a hotel room, I can work up a decent sweat and feel that I’m making some progress.

FYI: since my retirement about 2-1/2 years ago, I’ve taken the time to get myself back in shape. While not in the best shape of my life, I’m pretty close. My 60th birthday is just around the corner and I look younger and healthier now than I did on my 50th. I just keep thinking “if not now, when?” and, when on the edge of quitting a set or taking a day off, I keep in mind that all my goals are just a series of small steps that each matter.

 

[enjoyinglife102]

I have a set of Bodylastics bands that I bought on Amazon.com (https://bodylastics.com/) that came in a nice bag with a few accessories, and a Lovotex hip resistance band (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074ST1TQN/). There are several free YouTube videos (https://www.youtube.com/user/bodylastics ) that show you how to get a decent workout with the Bodylastics bands, and I use the hip resistance band for legs and butt. While it’s not an ideal workout, in about 60 minutes in a hotel room, I can work up a decent sweat and feel that I’m making some progress.

+1
Have lived a lifetime of staying fit (recently became a CPT - what I'll do with it I'm not sure yet) and have been using resistance bands & body weight exercises since gyms have closed. Very satisfied with the results. Also you can stick a jump rope in your band carry bag for some convenient indoor cardio. Excluding running shoes to "pack light" tells me you need to make your health a higher priority.

 

[Ronstar]

I run, hike and lift weights on trips. The more extended the trips are, the easier it is to keep up with exercise.

I always bring running and/or hiking shoes/shorts/pants, etc when I go on trips. Most times I'm wearing them while traveling, but they don't take up a lot of room if you have to pack them.

I usually scope out prospective running routes on google and google earth ahead of time. So I know the routes I'm going to run before I get there.

I scope out hiking trails on alltrails.com. Same thing - I know where I'm going to hike before I get there.

I'm not as persistent in finding places to lift weights as I am finding places to run and hike. Lots of hotels have fitness centers, or sometimes there are gyms that charge by the visit.

And it is usually better to get the exercise done first thing in the morning, because it seems like there is something going on all day when traveling.

 

[bloom2708]

Walking, body weight exercises.

Do 5 sets of 15 pushups. Ab crunches. Squats. Glute presses, planks. You can get a beast of a workout. There are good phone apps that can guide you.

 

[RetireAge50]

Walking, body weight exercises.

Do 5 sets of 15 pushups. Ab crunches. Squats. Glute presses, planks. You can get a beast of a workout. There are good phone apps that can guide you.

Since the gyms closed, this is what I started doing also. I do 4 sets of 25. Great results and can do whether traveling or not.

 

[YVRRocketSurgery]

Thanks for the feedback and helping think this through. I don't think there's going to be a logical solution to get around packing running shoes (though there are some hotel programs like the Fairmont that provides a loaner set of runner shoes but I only stay there for work). Just for context, when I say we try to pack light, we were able to do a 30 day trip last year with just carry-on but with without any stays in one location over a week.

I don't love running around the/my neighbourhood; I'd rather zone out for 30 mins on a treadmill, eliptical, etc. My fear is running too far and then being too tired to run back. I suppose it might depend on the destinations because I probably would like running a nice trail circuit, seawall, etc.

We do a lot of walking on our trips. But I want to include something that get my heart rate up. I suppose elevation/stairs help in this case.

I appreciate the idea on resistance bands as a substitute for weights and the the jump rope as lightweight solutions! I'm doing the basics stuff without weights: push-ups, squats, crunches, planks, etc. But I just want some extra resistance for certain exercises and the bands sound like a great idea.

 

[athena53]

A few things:

Definitely hotel pools and gyms.
I have a TRX- you can look up workouts on YouTube but they're a variation on exercise bands and very portable.
I hate running but will do that in a pinch.
Local trails, etc. My favorite was Edinburgh- I climbed up Arthur's Seat (elevation 822 feet) 3 days in a row. Bonus- tourists form al over the world plus locals, but not really crowded.
Active tours. I like UnCruise, where they always give you a range of activities and explain in detail how strenuous each is. I choose every snorkeling trip and hikes with names like "boulder bash".

 

[hankster]

In the absence of good hiking trails, I will seek out an area with a set of stairs that are not too heavily used. Some parks have stairways that are good for a workout. I don’t run them anymore, but repeated, brisk walks up and down them provide all the exercise my 62 year old body needs

 

[jollystomper]

In the B.C. (before Covid-19) era, our trips were "active" oriented where we would at least be doing a lot of walking. We also found that even the "basic" hotels had an exercise are with treadmills and sometimes weights.

However, fitness is not just about exercising, it is also about eating. IMHO the downfall for most people is eating too much when on vacation. So that aspect needs to be considered as well.

 

[YVRRocketSurgery]

The very basic places we often stay at definitely do not have gyms. Apart from some splurges, we'll occasionally stay at something from the Marriott chain and their lower end brands like Courtyard by Marriott will have a gym. Might have to consider bucking up for hotels with amenities more frequently.

Diet typically isn't an issue for us while travelling (except for cruises! which conversely do have a fully decked out gym) because we're typically spending a lot of time exploring so it's more of a challenge fitting meals in. We also drink a lot of water to stay hydrated. Diet's been more of an issue for me at home because I've been snacking too much (too easy to grab a bag of chips and start munching away) and want to microwave something instant for lunch so I can get back to work. Now I'm paying the piper and being pretty deliberate with my meals to support my workouts while losing some pounds.

 

[Amethyst]

My solution, more than 20 years ago, was to quit buying chips. If they are not in the house, they can't tempt us.

T I've been snacking too much (too easy to grab a bag of chips and start munching away) :

 

[Nemo2]

My solution, more than 20 years ago, was to quit buying chips. If they are not in the house, they can't tempt us.

We both like dark chocolate - if we buy a bar we know we're going to eat it, so we rarely buy one; but if we do it's with that understanding.

 

[Amethyst]

Yes, it's OK as long as it's the good chocolate. Bingeing on cheap chocolate is just disrespectful to oneself.

We both like dark chocolate - if we buy a bar we know we're going to eat it, so we rarely buy one; but if we do it's with that understanding.

 

[bingybear]

just make your trips to climb mountains somewhere nice... mountain hiking with packs helps me stay in shape... and I can eat pretty much what I like.

 

[Badger]

When I have traveled (pre covid) I carried resistance bands. 2 would be enough for most anything you want to do, are light weight, and take up very little room so you can tuck then in a corner of the suitcase. You could get a set of 5 or 6 of various resistances to use at home and to select a couple from when traveling. They are inexpensive with most at less than $50/set. Resistance bands and walking during your vacation should keep you fit.


Cheers!

 

[Andromeda]

Running shoes can be one of the bulkiest and heaviest clothing items when you're trying to travel light. But unless you're running a lot of miles regularly, you probably don't need a bulky running shoe. (And even then, some people go the minimal shoe route.) Why don't you experiment to find a multi-purpose trainer in a neutral colour that can handle some impact exercise but also serve as an everyday shoe much of the time? I've found that some of Merrell's Bare Access shoes work well for this purpose (the black version, not the purple one)

https://www.merrell.com/CA/en_CA/ba...l?dwvar_39225W_color=J066538&details=complete

I haven't tried these yet but they're on my shopping list when financial circumstances ease up a bit:

https://vessifootwear.ca/products/w...Jnkoer7p4tOqS1aSav_IyYAITgQ1JE2BoCMl4QAvD_BwE

 

[RAE]

Walking, body weight exercises.

Do 5 sets of 15 pushups. Ab crunches. Squats. Glute presses, planks. You can get a beast of a workout. There are good phone apps that can guide you.

+1, this is what I do. Plus I can usually find a place where I can do some chin-ups, which really help keep the upper body in shape. I have not been to a gym in many years...........no real need to.

 

[YVRRocketSurgery]

Running shoes can be one of the bulkiest and heaviest clothing items when you're trying to travel light. But unless you're running a lot of miles regularly, you probably don't need a bulky running shoe. (And even then, some people go the minimal shoe route.) Why don't you experiment to find a multi-purpose trainer in a neutral colour that can handle some impact exercise but also serve as an everyday shoe much of the time? I've found that some of Merrell's Bare Access shoes work well for this purpose (the black version, not the purple one)

https://www.merrell.com/CA/en_CA/ba...l?dwvar_39225W_color=J066538&details=complete

I haven't tried these yet but they're on my shopping list when financial circumstances ease up a bit:

https://vessifootwear.ca/products/w...Jnkoer7p4tOqS1aSav_IyYAITgQ1JE2BoCMl4QAvD_BwE

I've thought about a dual purpose shoe too and it's an option. But I find a good running shoes makes running more "tolerable".

I've been looking at the vessi's too as a travel shoe option. Like that they are waterproof. I'm not sure if they could handle a pounding and then walking all day with them.