More and more people nowadays are shifting towards a more health conscious way of life, but it isn’t always easy to stick to the plan when you throw traveling and holidays into the mix. Most people have the best of intentions when they go away on vacation, they bring the runners, the yoga pants and pedometers, which unfortunately, rarely get unpacked. It’s seems to be a lot easier to just sit in a lounger beside the pool than to actually jump in a do a few laps.

Of course the main focus of a vacation is to kick back and relax, but a week long over indulgence of food and fun often has people returning home with a slightly guilty conscience. There is a way to balance exercise and relaxation on your next trip away from home.

1.Cardio

Of course you can’t shove an elliptical trainer into your carry on, but there is a wonderful piece of equipment that seems to shy away from the spotlight. You may have heard of it before. It’s called a skipping rope:)

Most of us jumped rope as kids, so I don’t think I need to explain how it’s done. It is by far one of the best cardio workouts you can do, and it’s fun! Jumping rope is a full body workout and can burn up to 200 calories in only 15 minutes. Pretty amazing for a piece of equipment that you could fit into a purse or carry on.

Not only is it ultra portable and an amazing workout tool, you can buy a skipping rope for under $10 so this purchase would most certainly not be breaking the bank.

2.Bodyweight Exercise

With these exercises you use your own body weight as resistance. Bodyweight exercises are a great way of keeping you’re body in top shape. Even if you haven’t heard the term before there’s no doubt that you know what some of these exercises are and have done at least a couple of them in your life.

Popular bodyweight exercises include, crunches, sit-ups, leg raises, chin ups, lunges, push-ups…etc. Some of them you will need objects like a chair or bench, even a parallel bar but don’t worry, you can still get a great workout if all you have is yourself and a ground beneath you.

If you want to learn more about bodyweight exercises and what you can do to workout without gym equipment there are lots of resources out there for you. One really great book that can teach you all the moves you need to know is Mark Lauren’s “You Are Your Own Gym: The Bible of Bodyweight Exercises for Men and Women”

3.Travel Workout Circuit

-Jump rope for 1-3 minutes
-10 Push-Ups
-30 Crunches
-10 Leg Raises
-10 Squats

Repeat circuit

Mixing the cardio and bodyweight exercises together will give you the better results than doing just one or the other. Doing the 1-3 minute reps of jumping rope will keep your heart rate up so you will burn more calories in a shorter amount of time. This is a very efficient way to work out and can be incorporated into your regular workouts when you’re at home. Also keep in mind that there are numerous bodyweight exercises, so feel free to design your own circuit, or just switch it up everyday to keep things interesting.

4.Enjoy vs. Indulge

A huge part of most people’s holidays is food. It is important to experience the local cuisine where ever you may be but watch how much of it you’re putting in your mouth! Take the time to taste your food instead of piling it in then covering it up with Pepto-Bismol.

If you are somewhere new and exotic, chances are you are going to be sampling many different dishes. It isn’t rude in most cultures to leave food on your plate, so don’t feel like you have to polish everything off every single meal. Ask if you may have a smaller portion that way if you come across some other goodies that you want to try you can go for it without feeling like you’re stuffing yourself.

Another good way to add variety to your meals is getting together with other travelers and vacationers. Instead of going out by yourself or with one other person and trying to stuff down a feast just so you can try multiple dishes add a few more people to the mix. The more people you dine with the more dishes you will be able to try out. It also helps you to socialize with people and maybe even make some new friends.