Hello from GM HQ,
It’s been a busy old month, of on calls, travels and fun, but now I am back to the ward and ready to persue some more of my fitness and health goals!! Feeling pretty ‘salty’ and carb’d up, but nothing a lot of water, balanced meals and some exercise can’t sort! I hope the sunny weather is treating you all well, and spurring you on to get outside and to get moving 🙂
For those of you who follow me on Instagram (@thegymmedic) you have probably seen I have just been away in Dubai, for those of you who don’t, click FOLLOW for LOTS more content! In Dubai we did yoga, gym sessions, and a lot of running up to water slides – that counts as fitness right? But it got me thinking…What’s the best strategy to keep feeling fit and healthy on holiday this summer? Here are my TIPS!
- Use the facilities & take your own!
I ALWAYS check out the hotel and local facilities before I go away. It means you know what you are dealing with and can plan other work out options even if there is no equipment. I love brisk walks on the beach, body weight HIIT in any space you can find, sprints and even take your resistance bands to make up my own workouts (Mine were £7.99 from Starwood Sports, Amazon and they are great).
2. Hit the Gym before breakfast
For me holidays aren’t all about lie ins, I want to get out and about to explore. By setting an alarm half an hour earlier, I work out before I’ve even properly woken up…AND you have breakfast to look forward to!
3. Use your rest days
Have a few days off: Be kind to yourself, a couple of days just walking around or even lying on the beach is FINE, you’ve earned it! Try and perhaps incorporate a stretch session into these days if you can, as often this is something we all forget to do. (I will post my normal rest and rehab session soon, so you can use it as a basis if you are unsure what to do).
4. Try something NEW
It’s not often I get to classes at my health club in the UK because of the shift pattern I work, so I use my holidays to try new things out! This time we were lucky enough to do Yoga in the Aquarium, which was SO relaxing. It was beautiful. I haven’t done yoga in years and it made me want to explore similar classes in the UK. Lots of hotels and local harbours have water sports, water aerobics, volleyball and the list goes on, so try something NEW! You’ll surprise yourself 🙂
5. The infamous ALL INCLUSIVE BUFFET
We weren’t all inclusive in Dubai but I have spoken to a lot of people who have been recently and they’ve returned home feeling TERRIBLE. Buffets are a test of even the strongest humans self control. I tend to avoid the carb heavy stuff which is already readily available in the UK, like chips and bread. I go for lots of protein, complex carbohydrates such as brown rice and vegetables. However I understand that’s not to everyone’s taste. Though every now definitely have a bread roll…four, life’s too short! It’s just important to have a balance. The hot weather curbs your appetite anyway, so just listen to your own body 🙂
6. Alcohol
Uh Oh. Gotta admit it a lot of the fitness obsessed on twitter are completely T-total. Eeek, dare I admit it, that is not me! I like to have a GnT every now and then, sue me. Obviously alcohol does have negative impacts if consumed in excess but just keep a tally on what you are drinking, don’t just free pour your spirits! Furthermore if you are trying to get down to a healthy weight, cutting out alcohol temporarily at least can omit a lot of empty calories.
When drinking alcohol on holiday, make sure you top up with lots of water. Otherwise like me you might end up feeling like a SALTY POTATO. And remember, drink sensibly gang. Check out the NHS website for more guidance about alcohol consumption.
7. Sun Screen
Please just wear it guys :’)
So there we have it! A few tips for anyone going on their holidays this summer and want to keep fit and healthy. All in all, do what your body is telling you. If you’ve smashed the gym the week before and just need a rest, do it! Life’s too short.
Remember all my tips are based on my own experiences, and it’s about trial and error for all of us. So go out there, enjoy the sun, and stay healthy gang!
Over and Out,
The Gym Medic.
It would be great to hear what you guys get up to fitness wise on holiday, so hit follow and comment so I can take some tips from you!
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Fantastic post! I travel a lot for work, spending on average one to two months at a time away from home. Finding ways to still fit in a workout is so important! Traveling for work or fun its not hard to find a way to work out, and HIIT is for sure one of the best!
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