7 ways to stay healthy on holidays

Wondering how to stay healthy on holidays? Keeping your exercise goals on track while you’re travelling is easier than you might think.

Holidays are a great chance to break your routine, reset and relax. They can also play a crucial role in keeping you healthy, both mentally and physically.

The many benefits of a healthy holiday include a lowered risk of heart disease, a reduction in symptoms of stress, and improved sleep quality. A holiday can also give you the ideal opportunity to get active, and personal trainer Todd Liubinskas says movement is important to help you strike the balance between relaxing and staying on track with your health goals.

“When you go on holiday, your body goes into relaxation mode. You don't have the stresses of work, but you also don't have your normal routine,” he explains. “So being active can help your body, especially as you're probably going to eat and drink a little bit more.”

Careful planning before you depart for your healthy holiday can make it easier to stay active. Try these tips to maintain your fitness and boost your wellbeing while you’re away from home.

1. Choose the right accommodation

Where you stay can have a direct effect on your fitness, so think carefully before you book. If you’re staying in an Airbnb or homestay, look for places that are either close to activities so you can walk to them, or that offer activities which encourage movement. It won’t be fun for your wallet – nor your fitness – if you’re staying so far away from any attractions that you need to catch a taxi or drive everywhere.

If you stay in a hotel, check beforehand to see if it has a gym. Some hotels offer fitness classes. If there’s a pool at the hotel, pack your swimmers to do some laps. Swimming is an excellent low-impact exercise that can burn off some of your buffet breakfast.

If your accommodation doesn’t have on-site health facilities, check out the local park, beach or walking trails nearby. A brisk walk (brisk means you can still talk but aren’t puffing) is enough to strengthen your bones and muscles, and improve your cardiovascular fitness. Aim for a minimum of 30 minutes.

2. Try something new

Before you arrive, research fun activities nearby that get you moving and work different muscle groups to your usual workout. Different activities will be more of a challenge for your body, and help build stamina and cardiovascular health. Plus, you’re likely to be having so much fun you won’t notice you’re also getting plenty of exercise.

When you try something new, you’re also improving the neuroplasticity of your brain. Neuroplasticity is your brain’s ability to change and adapt, an important factor in brain health.

Here are a four healthy holiday activities to include.

Golf: in an average game of golf, you can walk 5-7km. There are around 32,000 golf courses in the world, so there’s a good chance you can find one on your holiday.

Cycling: see the sites by hiring a bike. Cycling is low impact, uses all of the major muscle groups and is easy to do at your own pace. This is a great family activity – hire bikes for the kids too, or if you have a young baby, ask if they have a baby seat for your bike.

Canoeing or kayaking: these watersports boost your aerobic fitness, strength and flexibility. You’ll give your arms and upper body a workout while gliding past beautiful scenery. Go on a canoeing or kayaking tour to explore the surrounds, meet people and challenge yourself in a safe environment.

Surfing: if you’re staying near the ocean, it’s the perfect opportunity to learn to surf. Surfing is great for cardiovascular fitness as well as shoulder, back and core strength. Instructors can teach you how to read the ocean and look for rips, how to catch waves and how to get up on your feet on the board. Surfing Australia has a list of schools around the country.

3. Plan your own no-equipment workout

Set aside some time every day to do a short, no-equipment workout. This could be from an app, a free workout you find on YouTube (do your research first) or it could be as simple as a 30-minute run, swim or cycle.

Working out first thing in the morning has a range of health benefits, from boosting energy to lowering blood pressure. Plus, you can then enjoy the rest of the day feeling good that you’ve already ticked off your workout. It can also help to wear a fitness tracker to keep an eye on your sleep, steps and heart rate.

4. Spend time in nature

Whether you’re swimming at the beach or hiking a bush trail, spending time outdoors may lower your stress levels. Regular time spent in nature can lower your blood pressure, and improve your mood and sleep.

If you’re travelling in Australia, look for walks in each state or territory’s national parks. You’ll get to explore some of the world’s most amazing scenery, from the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area up to iconic waterholes and ancient Aboriginal sites near Darwin.

5. Snack thoughtfully

After long days sightseeing or afternoons spent by the pool, it can be tempting to order comfort food, like burgers and chips, or to tide yourself over between meals with packaged snacks. These tend to be highly processed and full of salt (like chips or salted nuts) or sugar (like muesli bars, muffins or chocolate).

To make sure you’re still eating healthily on holidays, visit a local supermarket and stock up on healthy snacks, like trail mix, fruit, yoghurt and rice crackers. These foods can help you keep your energy levels up.

6. Pack for fitness

Finding space in your suitcase for your fitness gear can encourage you to get out and use it.

Include some comfortable trainers, your gym clothes and even a travel exercise or yoga mat, so it’s easy for you to fit in some kind of daily workout or meditation. Your gym kit is also useful for active adventures, cycling tours and any activity where you need to be comfortable.

7. Prioritise sleep

Quality sleep is not only beneficial for your physical health, it can also help your mental health. Being on holidays is the perfect time to catch up on lost rest. Avoid too many late nights, large evening meals and watching too much television before bedtime.

Exercising during the day can also help you to sleep better at night, by reducing the time it takes to fall asleep and improving sleep quality.

Researchers have also found that daytime naps can improve cognitive performance and alertness, so a cheeky midday nap might be beneficial for you and the whole family.

Need some extra help when it comes to sleep? Thanks to our partnership with Sleepfit Solutions, eligible HCF members^* can get a free 12-month subscription to the Sleepfit app designed to improve sleep and overall wellbeing.

Get your next adventure covered

Do you need cover for adventures on your next healthy holiday? Flip Insurance^{^} provides additional financial protection to help with the out-of-pocket costs traditional insurance can't cover. You can get a single day of cover or a weekly subscription you can cancel anytime. It's perfect for customers who may only want cover for particular activities or events – with Flip you’ll be covered whether you break a leg skiing, or tear a ligament getting out of the bath.

Words by Lucy E Cousins
Published November 2022