So many of us focus our energy on getting to the gym in preparation for that beach bikini moment when we let the sarong fall and bare our abs, two piece and a sun hat. All of that work ethic goes out the door when we find ourselves overeating, drinking and indulging in rich local fare and tourist restaurant attractions.
When you’re on vacation there are a few things that will help you keep fit and diminish the stress on your joints: low impact exercise. Just because an exercise is low impact doesn’t mean it won’t torch the calories you’re putting on. Low impact activities are good for the whole family, so if you’ve traveled with your children and don’t have childcare, bring them along for the exercise.
Here are four of my favorite ways to blast the fat and get toned, no matter where you go on vacation:
Get your Walk on!
This is the original workout offering so many advantages. Walking minimizes the stress on your bones and muscles. If you keep a fast pace and cover some serious distance you will get the most out of this activity. Want to burn more? Explore the hilly areas of the region.
Walking accessory of choice: Fitness Tracker – Fitbit flex wireless activity and sleep wristband- tracks your daily activities and sleep quality.
Put a Spin on It!
Cycling can provide an intense cardio workout that is easy on the joints and simple for anyone to do. The cycling motion is easy on the knees. To boost the burn, increase your incline and increase your speed in intervals. This is great for anyone at any fitness level -- it doubles as a cardio workout as well as a strength training routine. Inclines will strengthen and tone the thighs and lift the bikini butt.
Inhale, Exhale, Repeat!
Yoga is an ancient form of mind and body exercise that offers countless health benefits including peace of mind, stress reduction and physical flexibility. The focused breathing techniques and postures can be gentle on the body and the postures can be modified for your fitness level.
Want to boost the burn? Yoga can burn serious calories as your flexibility and strength improve. Poses like warrior, chaturanga and downward dog held for extended periods can rev up your metabolism while increasing your heart rate. Yoga is suitable for any age or physical condition and you can do it anywhere, even on the beach with the kids.
Jump to It!
We’re always warning our kids to stop jumping on the bed at home and in hotels, but there might be something to their rambunctious activity that we can learn from. Jumping is generally not advisable in low impact workouts, but if you add a trampoline to the picture, it’s a whole different story. The benefits are twofold –- you get the cardio intensity of a high impact movement but it’s gentle on the body. The trampoline absorbs the impact of your jumps so it’s not hard on the ankles or knees. Not only is it fun, you will be smiling just like the kids while jumping up and down.
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