How to Stay Fit on Vacation: The Beach Bod’s Hilariously Easy Guide

Zev Weisdorf
3 min readAug 22, 2023

--

Photo by Tron Le on Unsplash

Vacation! That glorious time when your only job is to relax, explore, and try every single dessert on the menu. But wait! What about that beach bod you’ve been working on? Before you resign yourself to a fate of oversized holiday shirts and stretchy pants, fear not. Here’s your laughably simple guide to staying fit while on vacation, without ruining the fun!

1. Luggage Lunges Who needs weights when you’ve overpacked your suitcase? While waiting for your taxi or in your hotel room, grab those overstuffed bags and do some lunges. Trust me, after that third pair of “just-in-case” shoes, you’ll feel the burn.

2. The Hotel Room Dance Party Why work out when you can dance it out? Crank up those vacation jams and throw a solo dance party in your hotel room. Not only is it a great way to get your heart rate up, but you also get to practice those embarrassing dance moves in private. Win-win!

Photo by Aleksandr Popov on Unsplash

3. Sightseeing Squats Visiting historic sites or taking in the scenic views? Perfect. Every time you stop for a photo, throw in 10 squats. Sure, you might get some strange looks, but hey, maybe you’ll start a new tourist trend. Remember, it’s all for the ‘gram — and the glutes.

4. Ice Cream Intervals If you’re going to indulge in that delicious gelato or ice cream, make it a workout. Walk for 5 minutes, sprint for 30 seconds. Repeat until you reach the ice cream stand. By the time you get there, you’ll have earned every delicious calorie.

5. Water Workouts If you’re near a beach, lake, or pool, swimming is an obvious choice. But for an extra challenge? Try doing handstands, water aerobics, or my personal favorite — the frantic “something-touched-my-foot” sprint.

6. Foodie Fitness Going on a culinary adventure? Fantastic! Opt for food destinations that are walkable. The more local delicacies you want to try, the more you’ll have to walk. And, if you happen to find a particularly mouth-watering dish, maybe jog back? Just so you can, you know, try it again.

Photo by Artur Rutkowski on Unsplash

7. Active Adventures Instead of the bus tour, why not rent a bike? Or, instead of sunbathing, try beach volleyball? Basically, any lazy vacation activity has a more active, fun counterpart. Except napping. Never replace napping.

8. Laugh, Laugh, Laugh! Did you know laughing can burn calories? So, go on and indulge in those cheesy tourist shows, corny joke souvenirs, and whatever else tickles your funny bone.

Remember, vacation is about relaxation and trying new things. So, if you don’t manage to stick to your routine entirely, that’s okay! The world won’t end if you miss a few workouts. But if you can sneak in some fitness fun in between the piña coladas and beach reads, your beach bod will thank you. Happy vacationing!

--

--

Zev Weisdorf

Strength Coach, Learner, Creator, Investor, Jewish, Brother to 4 incredible siblings, currently in London Ontario! Join me for the ride.