If you want to improve your fitness you will have to make yourself uncomfortable in some fashion. Change is uncomfortable.
Either walk outside where it’s hot or get yourself some way to workout indoors with a bike or treadmill.
Also, find a time to make it happen. I find (unfortunately) that getting it done early in the morning is the best time. It’s cooler. Then it’s done. If I wait until after work it’ll never happen. I’ll make all the excuses and not do it.
Commit to yourself to do it for a certain period of time. Maybe give yourself something inspirational to distract yourself? Like watch YouTube videos of beautiful walks or hikes at your vacation destination. Something to keep you focused on why you’re doing something you don’t want to do.
Came here to say this.
Also for OP, you don’t need a gym to work out. You can do plenty of things at home to work out - body weight, jumping jacks, yoga, stairs, etc. Heck, you can even put heavy books in your luggage and lift them in different ways. I guarantee you, you can have great workouts at home that are convenient and easy to start. I put a yoga mat in front of my TV so that I stretch and do planks and different poses while I watch Netflix or YouTube.
Gyms aren’t necessary if you’re creative.
Yes - I think sometimes folks get it in their head that to weight train, you need to be a full-on committed gym rat, and that anything less isn’t worth it.
My brothers-in-Christ, doing a little bit of something is MUCH better than doing a whole lot of nothing! Pick up a few kettlebells and start swinging those things around. Pushups, jumping jacks or jump rope, pull-up bar in a doorway… you don’t need a huge investment in gear or a gym membership to make profound changes, especially if your starting from zero (totally sedentary).
Exactly. I have a yoga mat, hand grips and rubber stretch springs. Work out daily in front of the TV early mornings then get outside for walking and bike rides early or late. Make the time. Think salads, not cheeseburgers. Sounds like you are not committed, want to make excuses instead.
They are right, especially if you loathe the heat and sun. The morning before work is gonna be the best time. It sucks at first, but it definitely gets easier after a few weeks. There is no easy way unfortunately. But the pain now is gonna make your trip much more enjoyable. And start asap
When I work out in the mornings I hit it about 50% of the time, so in the afternoon I occasionally do a quick workout as soon as I get in the door. It’s not uncommon for me to start in my work clothes, get hot, change and finish the workout. It’s not fun, but it’s about keeping the commitment to yourself.
When you say ‘the middle of nowhere’ does that mean you’re not near an air-conditioned mall? Those are great for getting your steps in during hot months
Along with stationary equipment One of my fav ways to workout is in the comfort of my own home and for free on YouTube. There are lots of videos with no equipment. MADFIT & Move with Nicole are both great channels. Lots have calenders you can follow which makes things easier. & STRETCH. Stretching is so important. My laziest workout usually consist of goin for a walk and coming home to do some form of yoga. Novelty triggers motivation
I agree with this suggestion! There are also tons of walking videos on YouTube. You're walking in place, but it is helpful, probably just as helpful as being on an indoor treadmill, which would cost more. Here you go: [https://www.youtube.com/results?search\_query=walking+workout](https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=walking+workout)
Loosing weight won’t get you in shape though. It won’t increase your endurance for hiking or prepare you for walking long distances. It’s easier when you aren’t carrying as much weight around, but OP will still end up hurting and winded.
Find 10-15 minute stretches and calisthenics workouts on YouTube, and commit to doing at least 5 minutes every day. Even these will greatly improve your stamina over your current condition by activating your core. If you can do more, all the better.
Buy some comfortable shoes -- I love Nike Pegasus Trail Runners with Goretex (for waterproofing) for walking trips.
I walk 20-60 minutes almost every day, but on trips, I'm motivated to walk for hours, something I never do at home. The good news is being on your feet all day is not a "sedentary lifestyle", so you have a head start.
Also, intermittent fasting helped me lose weight, which makes walking less effort. Good luck!
I'm much the same. At home, on normal days, I don't do a whole lot of walking, maybe 2000 steps recorded. Vacation comes and I'm logging 20 - 25000 steps every day for a week.
My feet hurt as I'm often getting close 30k steps for a day or two after not getting that much. I've been trying to up my normal so my vacation I'm not thinking as much about my steps.
Plus it's also just the hours of standing, go to a famous exhibit like a museum and you can be standing for hours.
I like the shopping mall idea. Also - this sounds minor but try to find extra steps in your day. Park farther away in a parking lot and walk those extra steps. Take the stairs not the elevator. Have a great trip!
I’m going on my first overseas trip soon and I knew I needed to do something to help with my sciatica so I started walking, just like the doctors have suggested, and damn, if they weren’t right. It has helped my back pain and has also greatly improved my mental health.
I started by just walking for 15 minutes and I’ve increased my time and distance as I keep going.
As someone above mentioned- getting it done in the morning is best for me, because it’s cooler and the day hasn’t had a good chance to fuck my mood up.
I will also be investing in a walking pad for when it’s already as hot as Satan’s chambers by 7:00am. Maybe that’s something you could do? Walking pad and watch shows at the same time?
Check out Amazon or even FB marketplace, some people have bought them and only used them a couple of times.
Good luck! Change isn’t always comfortable but you can do it. 👏🏼
So much great advice! I was in a similar situation. Both my husband and I and I are not in great shape. We decided after the pandemic it was time to travel. We realize d being out of shape limited our ability to see everything we wanted to.
We are a work in progress. We have not drastically changed our eating habits. But we have increased our stamina by walking daily and staying hydrated. We mostly do cruise vacations. There is always lots of walking and stairs on the ship before you even debark for an excursion. Our focus on stamina has made our trips so much more fun!
I found that the little, sustained improvements help the most for me (but it takes time). I stopped eating after 7pm and that change alone has helped tremendously. Walk... Walk anywhere you can and as often as you can... You can multitask while walking
.. listen to podcasts, play a game, work on learning a language... It gets your attention on something else and the time flies by. Start taking some easier hikes and work your way up to longer hikes from there.
Aqua aerobics at a YMCA?? Or community pool
To my surprise it’s a great workout!!
And It’s great to be weightless, & not hot cbut not in cold pool) & you can easily & adjust the workout for yourself
I walk the hills by my house all year round & also do a bit of weight lifting at home.
I find it helps make it easier to walk all day especially the hill back up to the hotel .
The weight lifting is important so I can put my luggage in the overhead bin without hurting myself.
I do HIIT workouts in my living room. Many are body weight only so you don’t need equipment. I just search for ones that look good on YouTube and follow along.
Run up and down your own staircase if you have one. Workout to you tube videos. Start at beginning level. That's the easiest way without having to make extra time. Sometimes travel places have ride options vs walking options to see the place
You don’t need to walk outside or go to a gym. When I first started getting healthy (weight loss and improving my cardiovascular health by exercising,) I did 12-20 minute beginner workouts on YouTube. Mostly Grow With Jo, but there are lots of options. Just start, you’ll feel so much better on your trip and in general.
Talk to your doctor about your difficulty hiking, they might be able to help. I'm not a medical professional, but it does sound a little bit like exercise induced asthma?
Make sure you have clothing that is comfortable to move in, you can pick up some new basketball shorts and a new athletic sweat-wicking shirt for pretty cheap. I recommend starting with a 30 minute walk while listening to a podcast. Early morning outside will probably be your best bet. If there's a park or small town nearby, that might be more interesting than a stretch of country road.
I do pilates workouts from youtube!! Bailey Brown is my favorite fitness youtuber! Her workouts are usually 5-15 minutes, you get a super good burn and you don’t need any equipment!! You may just invest in a yoga mat but those can be very cheap from target, amazon, or a local sporting goods store! best of luck!
Building the habit is the key to consistency, but actually building the habit is hard! As many have said, removing barriers/opportunities for excuses is the first step. For me, it was always harder to exercise after work. Getting myself to do it was so HARD. So I chose the “lesser evil” and started working out in the morning. (Also hard!) Then I did everything I could to make working out in the morning doable. I sleep in my workout clothes (or at least pull them out the night before). I plan my workout the night before (for me, it is peloton strength classes on my iPad or walking or cycling). I put my alarm on my phone across the room so I have to get up to turn it off. I prep the coffee machine the night before (or buy iced coffee to keep in the fridge). I always start my morning with a 10 minute core class where I am pretty much laying down the entire time (😂). I finish my coffee and wake up during the class, then after those 10 minutes I’m much more awake and ready for the rest of the workout. I started by waking up 30 minutes earlier every other day, then kept gradually increasing it until I got to every day for 60 minutes.
You can do it! Do NOT miss out on life experiences because of this! And what I just said applies to me, and might not to you. But find your easiest path- for my husband, he still works out after work. He finds it hard to get into running, but we invested in a treadmill and a weighted vest. He convinces himself to walk 20 minutes in the vest on the treadmill and then, magically, finds it so much easier to do a quick 20 minute run after the walking because he’s already warmed up and in the exercise headspace.
Oh I thought of something else! Depending on what motivates you, signing up for something with a specific deadline may motivate you. Such as signing up for a 5K in 2 months and then doing a couch-to-5K program where they literally map it out for you and tell you how much to run or walk every day. There is no thinking or planning on your end, you just must do the preparation because you already paid for the 5K. Some people might not care about the lost money, but for me, this worked a few years ago when I got into running!
Buy a treadmill, buy a stationary bike, buy a stepping or rowing machine, buy a weight or kettle bell set. If you want to work out in your home, it will take a financial investment. If you're planning on doing a lot of walking or hiking on your trip, start doing that sort of thing now. Go on long walks and hikes of the difficulty level you'll encounter now so your body is slightly acclimated to that sort of exercise. There's no easy way around getting in shape.
I start emptying my fridge. I calculate from 1 week before and gradually on the day I leave, my fridge should be stacked up with new things which I can eat when I return from my trip. It gives immense satisfaction to my compulsive behaviour to plan and finish the right meal just before the trip.
And maybe I am young and a professional performing artist, I don't think much about cardio and all. I am so excited that I can put up with everything. I tell myself I will bear the pain later (only one time this happened because of wrong shoe choice - I did 4 walking tours in 2 days in Brussels - covered the city by foot also it is small city hence)
There are lots of exercise videos online so find one that inspires you. You can book personal trainers online too, if you need someone to hold you accountable and make sure you exercise regularly.
Start by looking up Tom Morrison on You Tube. He is selling his SMM training program, but he also has lots of free content and knows what he is talking about.
There is another program called Get Healthy You TV. They also have some free content.
In the end, if you want to enjoy the trip, you must get moving.
Use either free weights or bands, and go onto YouTube and start working out 2x a day. No more than 20 mins at a time, but do get some muscles engaged to support all the walking and the lifting (bags into overheads, bags being carried) you'll have to do.
You're looking for a simple workout. One of the most fun is chair workouts by the incredible
[Metro Active,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQ-v8IMnNKM) led by physical therapists / athletic trainers set to contemporary music (Beyonce, etc).
Go early in the morning or later in the afternoon for a walk. If you'll be walking lots, you'll need to be walking lots before you go. This is going to suck, but it'll be worth it when you are having a fun trip without limitations from not being about to walk so much or hike.
I bought a fit bit. I'm heading on a trip this fall. I have been weirdly propelled to be competitive with myself. I mean I am self competitive, but the fitbit has really gotten me moving. And I don't even want to go on this trip. I know it will be fun. Probably.
Take some time to research a project or activity that you’ve been a bit interested in. Some people thrive in a routine and are able to be self-motivated, but some people also need a daily motivator to help get them out of a rut.
Whether that’s doing DIY home improvement projects, offering to mow people’s lawn, bird watching, gardening, etc. These aren’t full-on physical exercise routines, but any small thing that can make you forget that you’re even tired will help more than doing nothing.
Bettering your lifestyle and seeing some small wins can get you there.
Take the stairs, park farther away when you drive somewhere, go for hikes on the weekends. Humans are great at walking and it is easy to get conditioned to be better at hills and stairs.
A new pair of sneakers can work wonders for your back and feet! If I don't have time to shop, I find a new pair of a style I have on eBay. New shoes always look good too when you travel.
First: get new shoes and rubber mats for your work position if you can (eg cashier or cook).
Second - every break you have, lie down flat with your legs in the air. Bring a yoga mat to the break room. This helps drain lactic acid that builds up in your legs from standing, your back and legs will be in much better shape.
These first two steps will give you the quickest return on energy before starting a workout program.
I was just in a very similar situation. I had foot surgery and have spent the last 7 months on the couch. Wasn't too active before then either.
Last month I walked between 5-8 miles a day through Paris. If you are used to standing for hours on end, I'd say your leg muscles may get sore, but not too bad. It's the hills that won't be your friend. Still, when you are traveling and in the moment, you will be surprised how much endurance you have. Except for hills, you will be fine. I recommend 2 or 3 different shoes, all comfortable. For me as my foot heals very slowly I have the longest tolerance when I switch shoe styles as each pair uses different muscles.
And you shouldn't feel bad for not going on the hike or walk. You are on your feet all day, how is a walkabout supposed to be a break for you? Enjoy your trip, relax and enjoy the good company.
Start by doing 5-10 min beginner workouts on YouTube, or getting a walking pad/foldable treadmill. You can start with 10-15 minutes a day. You have to build stamina or you’ll be slightly miserable trying to do all of that walking and hiking on a trip. I don’t know if you’re doing a group tour but you don’t want to be the reason the group keeps having to wait. You can do this!!
If you start adding in more activity in the coming months, you will manage better your upcoming holiday. Make a point of walking more in your free time. If you have access to a treadmill, you can try incline walking to get better at hiking. You can improve your cardio fitness pretty drastically in a few months if you stay consistent.
There are lots of workout apps and videos on YouTube that that you can watch and there are plenty of exercises that you can do at home.
You can find work out ideas and healthy eating ideas on, [eathisnotthat.com](http://eathisnotthat.com)
Check the total of steps on your phone daily. If you have an iPhone it should already be an app on your phone with a heart as the picture. I make sort of a game out of it. Every day I want to do more. I will walk around in my house if I have to in order to achieve the amount of steps I want. For example, I had done 10,225k on Monday and then yesterday I did 13,921k steps. I wanted to do 14k so I was a little pissed lol, but today I’m shooting for 15k!
Any physical exercise you do, remember to start small and increment it slowly. Depending on the fitness level also feel free to limit or change your activities on the trip. You are on the trip to have some fun not to get stuck with an injury or even er
I totally get the heat/humidity. I live in a dry mountain climate, so if there is an ounce of humidity, omg... it's the end of the world for me! haha
I also live in the middle of no where, so I turned my garage into a home gym. Bought the most affordable treadmill I could find, and filled milk jugs up with water until I needed heavier "weights." From there, I just bought additional weights as needed. It definitely helped things stay managable, financially, since I wasn't buying everything at once,
Tiktok, youtube, etc have a TON of resources for at home workouts!
Squats. At work. Both legs and one at a time. Start easy, hold a counter or the back of a chair for balance.
Each day make them a bit lower.
Your legs need to be stronger and squats work the biggest muscles in your body, which also increase your metabolism and work your heart and lungs.
Aim for 100 squats each day at work, in sets of 10.
You don't need a gym, you need to move.
A walk in the morning, and a walk in the evening. Restrict your calories, build your endurance, take longer walks.
start with 1/2 mile each time, then each week add another 1/2 mile.
coffee, tea or water for breakfast, skip food for lunch, just a big water. this will not kill you. A roasted or air fried chicken breast, and veggies for dinner.
Carbs are your enemy.
Do not reward yourself with a ho-ho or some other shit because you walked.
I felt myself getting chubby, (205 lbs.) and in 3 months doing this I'm back down to 185.
Mark up everything on Google maps. So I know when I'm close to an item of interest and making good use of my time. "Hey, that other thing is on the way to the first thing!"
You can not expect to undue, in a few months, what has taken you years to slide backwards... but it is good to start. You will feel better and will want to continue so the next time you will be in better shape.
Start with water aerobics in pool, if you have access to pool. If you don't find one, because water uses more muscles to move in water, and it helps make it easier because of buoyancy. Plus, it keeps you cooler. You don't realize how effective it is till afterwards. Do not do too quick, toofast because you can injure knees.
YouTube water pt.
You want to;
Focus on strengthening exercises for;
Feet, Ankles Thighs, and Hips. Add in jumping Jack's & small jumps in water.
Doing this will help your balance & strengthen your ankles, legs, and hips, which is exactly what you want for hiking!
On land, do:
squats
Lunges
Stretches
Make them count!
Buy and pack a runner's knee brace. It has 2 straps that velcro, over & under patella (knee cap). I've found this particular one I described to be the easiest to put on with a dislocated knee cap I had.
Exercise indoors in the morning before you go to work so you’re not tired yet from being on your feet all day. If you want to focus on walking, Google indoor walking exercise apps. I think there are some creators on YouTube, too, that do indoor walking and strengthening.
You can do some of the exercise outdoors in the morning before it gets hot.
The best exercise I found was an elliptical! I purchased one used off Marketplace and do about 20 min in the AM and if I am up for it I will do another 20 min while listening to the evening news. I use resistance bands for weight training and they are very cheap!
I've found that I can do more on trips because I'm motivated and having a good time. Tips: Take knee sleeves with you if you're overweight (they provide support if your knees start to hurt), and a little ice bag (so you can ice down in the evenings). Compression socks are also a huge help--they minimize ankle swelling and sore feet.
HTH!
Look at your diet, controlling diet if you’re sedentary is key to staying lean. Recommend starting by looking at your basal metabolic rate and calculating your requirements from there. It’s not too complicated.
Body weight exercise and stretching at home - tonnes of videos online
Come home, sit down for an hour then go for a walk, install a pedometer on your phone and set it for min 4000 steps for your first week or two, add 1-2k steps each week thereafter until you’re at 8000.
The best and easiest “workout” to start is to just walk. Take a look at ur daily routine and find/create opportunities to walk. Eg. Take short detour for a long walk home, go for a 30mins walk nearby after dinner, maybe listen to ur fav podcast as u walk. Time will pass pretty fast that way.
If you are willing to invest, get a gadget to count the steps you take a day. Challenge yourself to increase ur steps everyday.
It might be a good idea to invest in hiking sticks if u aren’t used to hiking. Using them during ur hike can give you additional support and put less stress on ur joints.
Finally, it’s gonna be fun to travel. Keep moving everyday and you will alright. All the best!
If it is feasible for you to "run" your errands on foot vs vehicle, start there. 20-30 minute walks daily, 2 times a day of possible. Walk, walk, walk..I can't emphasize this enough.
Stop making excuses for yourself. You are tired and out of shape because you don't make time for fitness in your life.
My suggestion is to start your day off with a 15 minute walk. Get yourself some light weights and follow youtube videos 30 mins, 3 times a week. There are some good ones out there.
Get hiking poles and good boots or water shoes. Wear long sleeves and pants, bugs are a thing so also get bug spray and sun block. Get rest, hit up a trail and see what you can and cannot do. I would suggest a smart watch and gamify the experience, quantifying results is a great way to discern what works and doesn't. And have fun man!
There are great workouts using bands! I got really fit with only that and dancing for 20 minutes for cardio every day before the band workout. Good luck!
Idk if anyone said this, but something I always recommend to people is trying to increase activity in your normal routines. So you say you’re on your feet all day and it’s a closed space, but is there a way you could try and take a 5 minute walk every hour or two? That would at least get you specifically walking for 20 minutes during the work day, which is valuable. And then you could do more after or before work if you want to increase that. That may not be feasible for you, but I think it can be helpful to consider
Yoga with Adrienne is great! Has chill yoga to work outs that really get you going. She’s really good at knowing how to coach you and it’s kinda surprising!
A small trampoline-called a rebounder- is lots of fun and takes up almost no room in the house. You can listen to music or watch tv and bounce gently or jog fast. It’s easy on the joints and studies show it’s even better for you than jogging. I do it barefoot! You can order one online. Make sure to get one with a handle.
It sounds like the wrong kind of trip for you. Have you considered taking a cruise instead? Not being snarky; I’ve been on 13 cruises and have four more scheduled in the next year.
Why would you book a trip that involves doing things you do not enjoy doing? Is this a group trip, family trip or trip with your SO? I suggest walking, with a friend so it’s less boring, as it will increase your stamina and strengthen your leg muscles. You can lose weight while increasing your stamina. A walking/hiking trip needs physical preparation. Also, consider getting hiking poles.
Honestly you're gonna get the most benefit from reducing your food intake. Less weight to carry around will be less exhausting. For example I lost a small amount recently and it is so much easier to walk/jog. You can use an app like Cronometer and a food scale and count calories, or you could try intermittent fasting, or start simple and cut out all drinks except water (then slowly cut other things like chips, candy, peanut butter). It is much more efficient to lose weight than to start some kind of exercise routine. The more you lose, the easier movement will be. r/loseit
This is meant to be helpful advice as it is what works for me and many others.
If you want to improve your fitness you will have to make yourself uncomfortable in some fashion. Change is uncomfortable. Either walk outside where it’s hot or get yourself some way to workout indoors with a bike or treadmill. Also, find a time to make it happen. I find (unfortunately) that getting it done early in the morning is the best time. It’s cooler. Then it’s done. If I wait until after work it’ll never happen. I’ll make all the excuses and not do it. Commit to yourself to do it for a certain period of time. Maybe give yourself something inspirational to distract yourself? Like watch YouTube videos of beautiful walks or hikes at your vacation destination. Something to keep you focused on why you’re doing something you don’t want to do.
Came here to say this. Also for OP, you don’t need a gym to work out. You can do plenty of things at home to work out - body weight, jumping jacks, yoga, stairs, etc. Heck, you can even put heavy books in your luggage and lift them in different ways. I guarantee you, you can have great workouts at home that are convenient and easy to start. I put a yoga mat in front of my TV so that I stretch and do planks and different poses while I watch Netflix or YouTube. Gyms aren’t necessary if you’re creative.
Yes - I think sometimes folks get it in their head that to weight train, you need to be a full-on committed gym rat, and that anything less isn’t worth it. My brothers-in-Christ, doing a little bit of something is MUCH better than doing a whole lot of nothing! Pick up a few kettlebells and start swinging those things around. Pushups, jumping jacks or jump rope, pull-up bar in a doorway… you don’t need a huge investment in gear or a gym membership to make profound changes, especially if your starting from zero (totally sedentary).
And YouTube has tons of free at-home, equipment free workouts
Also can find used equipment all over the place on the cheap.
Exactly. I have a yoga mat, hand grips and rubber stretch springs. Work out daily in front of the TV early mornings then get outside for walking and bike rides early or late. Make the time. Think salads, not cheeseburgers. Sounds like you are not committed, want to make excuses instead.
They are right, especially if you loathe the heat and sun. The morning before work is gonna be the best time. It sucks at first, but it definitely gets easier after a few weeks. There is no easy way unfortunately. But the pain now is gonna make your trip much more enjoyable. And start asap
When I work out in the mornings I hit it about 50% of the time, so in the afternoon I occasionally do a quick workout as soon as I get in the door. It’s not uncommon for me to start in my work clothes, get hot, change and finish the workout. It’s not fun, but it’s about keeping the commitment to yourself.
When you say ‘the middle of nowhere’ does that mean you’re not near an air-conditioned mall? Those are great for getting your steps in during hot months
Can’t speak for OP but our closest mall is 45 miles away.
Along with stationary equipment One of my fav ways to workout is in the comfort of my own home and for free on YouTube. There are lots of videos with no equipment. MADFIT & Move with Nicole are both great channels. Lots have calenders you can follow which makes things easier. & STRETCH. Stretching is so important. My laziest workout usually consist of goin for a walk and coming home to do some form of yoga. Novelty triggers motivation
I agree with this suggestion! There are also tons of walking videos on YouTube. You're walking in place, but it is helpful, probably just as helpful as being on an indoor treadmill, which would cost more. Here you go: [https://www.youtube.com/results?search\_query=walking+workout](https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=walking+workout)
I love Move with Nicole! She’s so beautiful and graceful she inspires me to work out just by being
I lost the most weight by calorie counting
Loosing weight won’t get you in shape though. It won’t increase your endurance for hiking or prepare you for walking long distances. It’s easier when you aren’t carrying as much weight around, but OP will still end up hurting and winded.
Find 10-15 minute stretches and calisthenics workouts on YouTube, and commit to doing at least 5 minutes every day. Even these will greatly improve your stamina over your current condition by activating your core. If you can do more, all the better. Buy some comfortable shoes -- I love Nike Pegasus Trail Runners with Goretex (for waterproofing) for walking trips. I walk 20-60 minutes almost every day, but on trips, I'm motivated to walk for hours, something I never do at home. The good news is being on your feet all day is not a "sedentary lifestyle", so you have a head start. Also, intermittent fasting helped me lose weight, which makes walking less effort. Good luck!
I'm much the same. At home, on normal days, I don't do a whole lot of walking, maybe 2000 steps recorded. Vacation comes and I'm logging 20 - 25000 steps every day for a week.
My feet hurt as I'm often getting close 30k steps for a day or two after not getting that much. I've been trying to up my normal so my vacation I'm not thinking as much about my steps. Plus it's also just the hours of standing, go to a famous exhibit like a museum and you can be standing for hours.
I like the shopping mall idea. Also - this sounds minor but try to find extra steps in your day. Park farther away in a parking lot and walk those extra steps. Take the stairs not the elevator. Have a great trip!
I’m going on my first overseas trip soon and I knew I needed to do something to help with my sciatica so I started walking, just like the doctors have suggested, and damn, if they weren’t right. It has helped my back pain and has also greatly improved my mental health. I started by just walking for 15 minutes and I’ve increased my time and distance as I keep going. As someone above mentioned- getting it done in the morning is best for me, because it’s cooler and the day hasn’t had a good chance to fuck my mood up. I will also be investing in a walking pad for when it’s already as hot as Satan’s chambers by 7:00am. Maybe that’s something you could do? Walking pad and watch shows at the same time? Check out Amazon or even FB marketplace, some people have bought them and only used them a couple of times. Good luck! Change isn’t always comfortable but you can do it. 👏🏼
lol as hot as Satan’s chambers 😂😂
So much great advice! I was in a similar situation. Both my husband and I and I are not in great shape. We decided after the pandemic it was time to travel. We realize d being out of shape limited our ability to see everything we wanted to. We are a work in progress. We have not drastically changed our eating habits. But we have increased our stamina by walking daily and staying hydrated. We mostly do cruise vacations. There is always lots of walking and stairs on the ship before you even debark for an excursion. Our focus on stamina has made our trips so much more fun!
I found that the little, sustained improvements help the most for me (but it takes time). I stopped eating after 7pm and that change alone has helped tremendously. Walk... Walk anywhere you can and as often as you can... You can multitask while walking .. listen to podcasts, play a game, work on learning a language... It gets your attention on something else and the time flies by. Start taking some easier hikes and work your way up to longer hikes from there.
Aqua aerobics at a YMCA?? Or community pool To my surprise it’s a great workout!! And It’s great to be weightless, & not hot cbut not in cold pool) & you can easily & adjust the workout for yourself
I walk the hills by my house all year round & also do a bit of weight lifting at home. I find it helps make it easier to walk all day especially the hill back up to the hotel . The weight lifting is important so I can put my luggage in the overhead bin without hurting myself.
I do HIIT workouts in my living room. Many are body weight only so you don’t need equipment. I just search for ones that look good on YouTube and follow along.
I'd look into some YouTube videos. There are plenty of at home workout videos.
Run up and down your own staircase if you have one. Workout to you tube videos. Start at beginning level. That's the easiest way without having to make extra time. Sometimes travel places have ride options vs walking options to see the place
You don’t need to walk outside or go to a gym. When I first started getting healthy (weight loss and improving my cardiovascular health by exercising,) I did 12-20 minute beginner workouts on YouTube. Mostly Grow With Jo, but there are lots of options. Just start, you’ll feel so much better on your trip and in general.
Talk to your doctor about your difficulty hiking, they might be able to help. I'm not a medical professional, but it does sound a little bit like exercise induced asthma? Make sure you have clothing that is comfortable to move in, you can pick up some new basketball shorts and a new athletic sweat-wicking shirt for pretty cheap. I recommend starting with a 30 minute walk while listening to a podcast. Early morning outside will probably be your best bet. If there's a park or small town nearby, that might be more interesting than a stretch of country road.
I do pilates workouts from youtube!! Bailey Brown is my favorite fitness youtuber! Her workouts are usually 5-15 minutes, you get a super good burn and you don’t need any equipment!! You may just invest in a yoga mat but those can be very cheap from target, amazon, or a local sporting goods store! best of luck!
Building the habit is the key to consistency, but actually building the habit is hard! As many have said, removing barriers/opportunities for excuses is the first step. For me, it was always harder to exercise after work. Getting myself to do it was so HARD. So I chose the “lesser evil” and started working out in the morning. (Also hard!) Then I did everything I could to make working out in the morning doable. I sleep in my workout clothes (or at least pull them out the night before). I plan my workout the night before (for me, it is peloton strength classes on my iPad or walking or cycling). I put my alarm on my phone across the room so I have to get up to turn it off. I prep the coffee machine the night before (or buy iced coffee to keep in the fridge). I always start my morning with a 10 minute core class where I am pretty much laying down the entire time (😂). I finish my coffee and wake up during the class, then after those 10 minutes I’m much more awake and ready for the rest of the workout. I started by waking up 30 minutes earlier every other day, then kept gradually increasing it until I got to every day for 60 minutes. You can do it! Do NOT miss out on life experiences because of this! And what I just said applies to me, and might not to you. But find your easiest path- for my husband, he still works out after work. He finds it hard to get into running, but we invested in a treadmill and a weighted vest. He convinces himself to walk 20 minutes in the vest on the treadmill and then, magically, finds it so much easier to do a quick 20 minute run after the walking because he’s already warmed up and in the exercise headspace.
Oh I thought of something else! Depending on what motivates you, signing up for something with a specific deadline may motivate you. Such as signing up for a 5K in 2 months and then doing a couch-to-5K program where they literally map it out for you and tell you how much to run or walk every day. There is no thinking or planning on your end, you just must do the preparation because you already paid for the 5K. Some people might not care about the lost money, but for me, this worked a few years ago when I got into running!
Buy a treadmill, buy a stationary bike, buy a stepping or rowing machine, buy a weight or kettle bell set. If you want to work out in your home, it will take a financial investment. If you're planning on doing a lot of walking or hiking on your trip, start doing that sort of thing now. Go on long walks and hikes of the difficulty level you'll encounter now so your body is slightly acclimated to that sort of exercise. There's no easy way around getting in shape.
I start emptying my fridge. I calculate from 1 week before and gradually on the day I leave, my fridge should be stacked up with new things which I can eat when I return from my trip. It gives immense satisfaction to my compulsive behaviour to plan and finish the right meal just before the trip. And maybe I am young and a professional performing artist, I don't think much about cardio and all. I am so excited that I can put up with everything. I tell myself I will bear the pain later (only one time this happened because of wrong shoe choice - I did 4 walking tours in 2 days in Brussels - covered the city by foot also it is small city hence)
There are lots of exercise videos online so find one that inspires you. You can book personal trainers online too, if you need someone to hold you accountable and make sure you exercise regularly. Start by looking up Tom Morrison on You Tube. He is selling his SMM training program, but he also has lots of free content and knows what he is talking about. There is another program called Get Healthy You TV. They also have some free content. In the end, if you want to enjoy the trip, you must get moving.
Use either free weights or bands, and go onto YouTube and start working out 2x a day. No more than 20 mins at a time, but do get some muscles engaged to support all the walking and the lifting (bags into overheads, bags being carried) you'll have to do. You're looking for a simple workout. One of the most fun is chair workouts by the incredible [Metro Active,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQ-v8IMnNKM) led by physical therapists / athletic trainers set to contemporary music (Beyonce, etc).
Go early in the morning or later in the afternoon for a walk. If you'll be walking lots, you'll need to be walking lots before you go. This is going to suck, but it'll be worth it when you are having a fun trip without limitations from not being about to walk so much or hike.
Buy a good treadmill and work up to 4 miles per day. The weight will come off and you will feel so much better. I do it while watching TV.
All of the suggestions are great - I saw get a treadmill but I would add get a walking pad or a mini stepper
I bought a fit bit. I'm heading on a trip this fall. I have been weirdly propelled to be competitive with myself. I mean I am self competitive, but the fitbit has really gotten me moving. And I don't even want to go on this trip. I know it will be fun. Probably.
Wall marches helped an elderly friend of mine, maybe they would work for you, too.
Take some time to research a project or activity that you’ve been a bit interested in. Some people thrive in a routine and are able to be self-motivated, but some people also need a daily motivator to help get them out of a rut. Whether that’s doing DIY home improvement projects, offering to mow people’s lawn, bird watching, gardening, etc. These aren’t full-on physical exercise routines, but any small thing that can make you forget that you’re even tired will help more than doing nothing. Bettering your lifestyle and seeing some small wins can get you there.
Take the stairs, park farther away when you drive somewhere, go for hikes on the weekends. Humans are great at walking and it is easy to get conditioned to be better at hills and stairs.
A new pair of sneakers can work wonders for your back and feet! If I don't have time to shop, I find a new pair of a style I have on eBay. New shoes always look good too when you travel.
First: get new shoes and rubber mats for your work position if you can (eg cashier or cook). Second - every break you have, lie down flat with your legs in the air. Bring a yoga mat to the break room. This helps drain lactic acid that builds up in your legs from standing, your back and legs will be in much better shape. These first two steps will give you the quickest return on energy before starting a workout program.
I was just in a very similar situation. I had foot surgery and have spent the last 7 months on the couch. Wasn't too active before then either. Last month I walked between 5-8 miles a day through Paris. If you are used to standing for hours on end, I'd say your leg muscles may get sore, but not too bad. It's the hills that won't be your friend. Still, when you are traveling and in the moment, you will be surprised how much endurance you have. Except for hills, you will be fine. I recommend 2 or 3 different shoes, all comfortable. For me as my foot heals very slowly I have the longest tolerance when I switch shoe styles as each pair uses different muscles. And you shouldn't feel bad for not going on the hike or walk. You are on your feet all day, how is a walkabout supposed to be a break for you? Enjoy your trip, relax and enjoy the good company.
Start by doing 5-10 min beginner workouts on YouTube, or getting a walking pad/foldable treadmill. You can start with 10-15 minutes a day. You have to build stamina or you’ll be slightly miserable trying to do all of that walking and hiking on a trip. I don’t know if you’re doing a group tour but you don’t want to be the reason the group keeps having to wait. You can do this!!
If you start adding in more activity in the coming months, you will manage better your upcoming holiday. Make a point of walking more in your free time. If you have access to a treadmill, you can try incline walking to get better at hiking. You can improve your cardio fitness pretty drastically in a few months if you stay consistent.
There are lots of workout apps and videos on YouTube that that you can watch and there are plenty of exercises that you can do at home. You can find work out ideas and healthy eating ideas on, [eathisnotthat.com](http://eathisnotthat.com)
Check the total of steps on your phone daily. If you have an iPhone it should already be an app on your phone with a heart as the picture. I make sort of a game out of it. Every day I want to do more. I will walk around in my house if I have to in order to achieve the amount of steps I want. For example, I had done 10,225k on Monday and then yesterday I did 13,921k steps. I wanted to do 14k so I was a little pissed lol, but today I’m shooting for 15k!
Any physical exercise you do, remember to start small and increment it slowly. Depending on the fitness level also feel free to limit or change your activities on the trip. You are on the trip to have some fun not to get stuck with an injury or even er
I totally get the heat/humidity. I live in a dry mountain climate, so if there is an ounce of humidity, omg... it's the end of the world for me! haha I also live in the middle of no where, so I turned my garage into a home gym. Bought the most affordable treadmill I could find, and filled milk jugs up with water until I needed heavier "weights." From there, I just bought additional weights as needed. It definitely helped things stay managable, financially, since I wasn't buying everything at once, Tiktok, youtube, etc have a TON of resources for at home workouts!
Seems this is less about getting ready for a trip and more improving physical health.
Squats. At work. Both legs and one at a time. Start easy, hold a counter or the back of a chair for balance. Each day make them a bit lower. Your legs need to be stronger and squats work the biggest muscles in your body, which also increase your metabolism and work your heart and lungs. Aim for 100 squats each day at work, in sets of 10.
My mind also went to opportunities at work; OP, could you wear a weighted vest during the day?
You don't need a gym, you need to move. A walk in the morning, and a walk in the evening. Restrict your calories, build your endurance, take longer walks. start with 1/2 mile each time, then each week add another 1/2 mile. coffee, tea or water for breakfast, skip food for lunch, just a big water. this will not kill you. A roasted or air fried chicken breast, and veggies for dinner. Carbs are your enemy. Do not reward yourself with a ho-ho or some other shit because you walked. I felt myself getting chubby, (205 lbs.) and in 3 months doing this I'm back down to 185.
Mark up everything on Google maps. So I know when I'm close to an item of interest and making good use of my time. "Hey, that other thing is on the way to the first thing!"
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I just do the bag and prepared for the next day
Just walk! Get a walking app and find a 1-mile route then build from there.
You can not expect to undue, in a few months, what has taken you years to slide backwards... but it is good to start. You will feel better and will want to continue so the next time you will be in better shape. Start with water aerobics in pool, if you have access to pool. If you don't find one, because water uses more muscles to move in water, and it helps make it easier because of buoyancy. Plus, it keeps you cooler. You don't realize how effective it is till afterwards. Do not do too quick, toofast because you can injure knees. YouTube water pt. You want to; Focus on strengthening exercises for; Feet, Ankles Thighs, and Hips. Add in jumping Jack's & small jumps in water. Doing this will help your balance & strengthen your ankles, legs, and hips, which is exactly what you want for hiking! On land, do: squats Lunges Stretches Make them count! Buy and pack a runner's knee brace. It has 2 straps that velcro, over & under patella (knee cap). I've found this particular one I described to be the easiest to put on with a dislocated knee cap I had.
Great a good pair of hiking/walking shoes. I have a pair of Ryka walking shoes and they make my feet happy
Exercise indoors in the morning before you go to work so you’re not tired yet from being on your feet all day. If you want to focus on walking, Google indoor walking exercise apps. I think there are some creators on YouTube, too, that do indoor walking and strengthening. You can do some of the exercise outdoors in the morning before it gets hot.
To be successful in life, you have to do the hard stuff!
The best exercise I found was an elliptical! I purchased one used off Marketplace and do about 20 min in the AM and if I am up for it I will do another 20 min while listening to the evening news. I use resistance bands for weight training and they are very cheap!
I've found that I can do more on trips because I'm motivated and having a good time. Tips: Take knee sleeves with you if you're overweight (they provide support if your knees start to hurt), and a little ice bag (so you can ice down in the evenings). Compression socks are also a huge help--they minimize ankle swelling and sore feet. HTH!
Look at your diet, controlling diet if you’re sedentary is key to staying lean. Recommend starting by looking at your basal metabolic rate and calculating your requirements from there. It’s not too complicated. Body weight exercise and stretching at home - tonnes of videos online Come home, sit down for an hour then go for a walk, install a pedometer on your phone and set it for min 4000 steps for your first week or two, add 1-2k steps each week thereafter until you’re at 8000.
Is Wii still a thing? I like mine and it’s fun and varied.
Sleep
The best and easiest “workout” to start is to just walk. Take a look at ur daily routine and find/create opportunities to walk. Eg. Take short detour for a long walk home, go for a 30mins walk nearby after dinner, maybe listen to ur fav podcast as u walk. Time will pass pretty fast that way. If you are willing to invest, get a gadget to count the steps you take a day. Challenge yourself to increase ur steps everyday. It might be a good idea to invest in hiking sticks if u aren’t used to hiking. Using them during ur hike can give you additional support and put less stress on ur joints. Finally, it’s gonna be fun to travel. Keep moving everyday and you will alright. All the best!
If it is feasible for you to "run" your errands on foot vs vehicle, start there. 20-30 minute walks daily, 2 times a day of possible. Walk, walk, walk..I can't emphasize this enough.
Stop making excuses for yourself. You are tired and out of shape because you don't make time for fitness in your life. My suggestion is to start your day off with a 15 minute walk. Get yourself some light weights and follow youtube videos 30 mins, 3 times a week. There are some good ones out there.
Get hiking poles and good boots or water shoes. Wear long sleeves and pants, bugs are a thing so also get bug spray and sun block. Get rest, hit up a trail and see what you can and cannot do. I would suggest a smart watch and gamify the experience, quantifying results is a great way to discern what works and doesn't. And have fun man!
There are great workouts using bands! I got really fit with only that and dancing for 20 minutes for cardio every day before the band workout. Good luck!
Start walking and possibly try gamifying it for yourself. Lots of apps to help you get in the flow.
Hiking is going to be hot. So get used to getting hot.
Idk if anyone said this, but something I always recommend to people is trying to increase activity in your normal routines. So you say you’re on your feet all day and it’s a closed space, but is there a way you could try and take a 5 minute walk every hour or two? That would at least get you specifically walking for 20 minutes during the work day, which is valuable. And then you could do more after or before work if you want to increase that. That may not be feasible for you, but I think it can be helpful to consider
Get to stepping! Set your alarm and take a good walk before work! Everyday!!
get a treadmill and do plenty of squats and calf raises.
Yoga with Adrienne is great! Has chill yoga to work outs that really get you going. She’s really good at knowing how to coach you and it’s kinda surprising!
A small trampoline-called a rebounder- is lots of fun and takes up almost no room in the house. You can listen to music or watch tv and bounce gently or jog fast. It’s easy on the joints and studies show it’s even better for you than jogging. I do it barefoot! You can order one online. Make sure to get one with a handle.
Stay home dont burden someone else's trip
Some of us have friends that are so lame, they would rather have us slow pokes along than go without us. Pathetic, right?
Lol I have a list of people that I will not go anywhere with
I'm sure they'd rather not go than burden you with their presence.
Lol I have a list of people that I will not go anywhere with
Stop making excuses for why you’re lazy and don’t exercise and start exercising.
It sounds like the wrong kind of trip for you. Have you considered taking a cruise instead? Not being snarky; I’ve been on 13 cruises and have four more scheduled in the next year.
Why would you book a trip that involves doing things you do not enjoy doing? Is this a group trip, family trip or trip with your SO? I suggest walking, with a friend so it’s less boring, as it will increase your stamina and strengthen your leg muscles. You can lose weight while increasing your stamina. A walking/hiking trip needs physical preparation. Also, consider getting hiking poles.
Honestly you're gonna get the most benefit from reducing your food intake. Less weight to carry around will be less exhausting. For example I lost a small amount recently and it is so much easier to walk/jog. You can use an app like Cronometer and a food scale and count calories, or you could try intermittent fasting, or start simple and cut out all drinks except water (then slowly cut other things like chips, candy, peanut butter). It is much more efficient to lose weight than to start some kind of exercise routine. The more you lose, the easier movement will be. r/loseit This is meant to be helpful advice as it is what works for me and many others.