The holidays can be a stressful time. Packing, traveling, and spending time with family and friends, while often enjoyable, can also seem overwhelming. Trying to maintain a workout schedule in the midst of all of this can also add extra stress and may cause you to abandon it entirely.

The good news is, working out while travelling doesn’t have to be as stressful as you think. With a little foresight and planning, you can be sure to get in an effective workout no matter where you are.

Pack equipment

There are a lot of small pieces of workout equipment that travel well. Things like resistance bands, gliders, and jump ropes fit easily in a suitcase without taking up a lot of room. Also make sure to pack any workout supplements that you may use, such as protein powder or calcium and Vitamin D supplements. Think about what types of workouts you’ll want to do and bring equipment accordingly.

Use your surroundings

You’d be surprised at how great of a workout you can get in with only your own bodyweight. In addition to busting out movements like crunches and squats or sweating through a quick, high-intensity workout, take an inventory of the space around you for an added equipment bonus.

Are there stairs available? Use them for tricep dips or incline/decline pushups. You can also get your heart rate up by running up and down them a few times. Another useful piece of equipment is a table or desk. No matter if you use the kitchen table or a desk in your hotel room, try some  inverted rows  to work on that back.

Plan ahead

There are often a lot of festivities happening around the holidays. Family events, dinners, and late nights can all be part of celebrating. Before traveling, plan out how often you want to work out and where. This way you won’t be left scrambling to try and fit in a workout.

If you’re staying in a hotel, take advantage of their dedicated fitness center. If you’re staying with others, plan a time that will be least busy for you to squeeze in a workout. If you’re feeling adventurous, you may even look at taking a class at a new place — oftentimes the first class is free!

Work out in the morning

Everyone has a different time they like to work out. Some people like to get it done bright and early, while others wait until after work and feel that they have more energy in the evening.

Even if you are an evening person, try switching to morning workouts when traveling for the holidays. Evenings are usually spent with friends or family and there are far more things that can come up throughout the day that could result in you skipping your workout altogether.

Listen to your body

As much as it’s important to exercise for a healthy life, it’s also important to listen to your body. Sometimes when I travel I get really excited about trying out a class at a new studio. Other times I use my travel time as a way to rest and reset my body for when I get back.



The tips above are a great way for you to fit in a workout no matter what, but don’t beat yourself up if you aren’t able to get in every workout you plan. If you want to take your holiday travel as a time to relax, own that decision and come back afterwards ready to pick up where you left off so you don’t lose momentum.

What are your tips for easy holiday travel? Make sure to leave them in the comments!