RV Life Fitness: Staying Fit on the Road
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Whether you live in your RV full-time or take it out for trips every once in a while, sticking with a workout schedule is tougher on the road than when you are in a more permanent location. Life on the road is different. You probably have long travel days, your schedule isn’t as consistent, and I bet you don’t have the space to lug around a lot of gym equipment (and if you do, kudos on your commitment - you probably know a lot of this already!).
So, you are wondering how to exercise while RVing? I’ve got some suggestions that I hope will help anyone see that working out when you are in your RV doesn’t have to be stressful or difficult. So let’s get started!
I guess we should answer this question first: why should I bother keeping up a workout schedule when I’m traveling? Or even more than that, why bother working out at all? I think we all know that fitness is important for our overall health, but for some reason we get into this mindset that when we are away on vacation all the normal things we do at home get thrown out the window. We eat whatever we want, stay up really late, get up really early, and throw all routine to the wind. We are on vacation! We’ve earned it! But just because we are taking a break from some aspects of our “normal” life doesn’t mean we can’t keep doing the things that are good for us and will make the vacation more enjoyable. So here are some reasons why you should keep up your exercise routine while traveling (or while living in your RV).
RV Fitness Tips
It relieves stress: Let’s be honest: travel can be stressful. No matter how much traveling you do, there are always unpredictable things happening, and when they do happen, you want to be in the right mindset to handle them. When you work out, your body gets flooded with endorphins, which boost your mood. Exercise also lowers your stress hormones like cortisol. These two processes together help keep your mind calm and focused, which in turn allows you to handle stressful situations better.
Exercise is good for your overall health and sense of well-being: The healthier you are physically and mentally, the better you can handle stress, which then will make traveling easier and more rewarding overall.
Exercise increases energy: It always seems counterintuitive when the experts say that workouts increase your energy, especially after you’ve just completed one and you’re ready for a nap. But one of the long-term benefits of working out is increased cardiovascular health, which in a nutshell allows your body to function better and use energy better. You may not feel like you have a lot of energy right after you take that hike, but in the long run, you’ll be able to hike faster and further, which then allows you to experience more when you are on vacation.
Exercise helps you sleep better: Another benefit of keeping up with your fitness routine is better sleep. We all know how important good sleep is, especially when you have long, busy days ahead of you. And we also know how easy it can be for your sleep to suffer when your routine is off and you are sleeping in unfamiliar places. There is a lot of information out there about the relationship between sleep and exercise, and I’m not a professional in either of these departments, but the experts agree that when you work out, it can improve your quality of sleep and help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
Strengthens your immune system: Another benefit of working out on the road is that it will help strengthen your immune system. Getting sick when you are traveling is the absolute worst. While it happens to the best of us, you can help your immune system keep you well and allow you to get better faster by working out and making your overall health a priority, even when you are on vacation.
Better sleep = a better vacation
RV Healthy Lifestyle
So now I hope you know why keeping up with your workout routine while traveling is a good idea. It will keep you feeling your best physically and mentally so you are able to do all the things you want and experience them to the fullest. But how do you do it? How can you incorporate fitness into your travel lifestyle without feeling like it’s a burden and it becomes something you dread? How to stay active while RVing?
Here are some things for you to try!
How to exercise while RVing
“Being prepared isn’t half the battle, it IS the battle.” I love this quote from Autumn Calabrese. If you want to succeed in working out on the road, you need to be prepared and have the right mindset from the start. When you plan out your day, make sure that you also plan for your workout. Make it a regular part of your routine and have it become a constant in your inconsistent travel schedule. When you start making it part of your schedule, it becomes a habit.
So how do you stay active while RVing? There are a few things you can try to make it easier to stay motivated. When you are packing for your trip, always pack workout clothes so that doesn’t become an excuse to not exercise. Then make sure you leave them out where you will see them in the morning so you will be reminded.
If you are traveling with a partner, make sure you motivate each other. It is so much easier to follow through when you have someone else keeping you accountable. Set goals and rewards for yourself too so you have something to strive for and look forward to when you crush your goals.
Yes, it is a little more work to plan, but it will put you in a better position to succeed.
So you’ve scheduled your workout, you have your plan and your goals, and you are all ready to hit the road and stay consistent…and then you have a really long travel day and the kids are grumpy and everyone’s hungry and before you know it it’s bedtime and you didn’t work out. *whomp whomp whomp* Guess what? Life happens, and sometimes your perfectly made plans fall flat big time, and that’s OK! But don’t let one missed day (or days) cause you to give up completely. Realize that bumps in the road are going to occur, and you shouldn’t throw in the towel because you had a rough start.
Reset your focus, get your mind back on track, and try again. You should absolutely plan for success and do your best to stick to your goals, but when the inevitable happens, give yourself some grace and don’t give up.
Simple is best
Working out does not have to be complicated! You do not have to have every fancy machine available and master a complicated routine to get fit. Simple workouts are also going to be easier to stick to and you’ll probably be more likely to follow through if you don’t have to dread learning complicated patterns and wondering if you are doing it right.
Squats, push-ups, crunches, jumping rope, yoga - all of these are simple exercises that are effective and work for people of all fitness levels. Plus you can spend just a few minutes cranking out a few sets of these, and you’ll have gotten a workout in! Huzzah!
Stretch when you stop
Stretching and mobility work is just as important, if not more important than working out itself. Stretching helps prevent injury and alleviates soreness and stiffness. It’s especially a good thing to do when you are sitting in a car traveling all day. One thing you can do to incorporate this into your travel days is that whenever you make a stop, you get out and stretch! It can be simple, like touching your toes, swinging your arms around, and rotating your spine, but take a few minutes to loosen up your body whenever you make a pit stop. You can also make a fun game out of it - whenever you stop for gas, you do 20 jumping jacks and 20 toe touches, or when you get food, you swing your arms around for 30 seconds and stretch out your back. Make it entertaining and enjoyable for the whole family!
Variety is important
If you are bored, you will lose motivation. This is true with a lot of things, but especially with working out. If you do the same exercises every day, you’ll probably be more likely to quit or skip days because it’s the same old thing day in and day out. So mix up your fitness! If you tend to only do cardio, incorporate some yoga/stretching and weightlifting/bodyweight exercises into your routine. Not only will it help you from getting bored, but it’s also healthier for your body to do all different kinds of exercise.
Get outdoors
This is one of the best and easiest ways to add fitness to your travel lifestyle. Get outside! You can do so many things that are both exercising and experiencing your destination - hiking, paddleboarding, swimming, rock climbing, and biking are all fantastic options. Simply walking around a city or attraction is great too (hello Disney World!). You are moving your body - it counts! Make a game of getting a certain number of steps each day and you’ll find that you are more likely to take the stairs, park further away from the store, and get outside more in order to achieve your goal. Overall, being outside is great for your mental health as much as it is for your physical health - it boosts your energy level and your mood. If you try to get outside as much as you can, you will feel better all around!
Find a playground
If you travel with kids, finding a playground is probably something you do so you can let your kids go nuts and you can get a little rest. And hey, no judgment, you need some alone time too! But playgrounds can also be a great way for you to play WITH your kids! Play tag, race your kids on the monkey bars, see how fast you can run from one side to the other - whatever you want. You can make great memories and get in a good workout at the same time.
Nationwide gym memberships
If you have a gym membership with one of the national chains (Planet Fitness, LA Fitness, Anytime Fitness, etc.) you can utilize that membership when you are on the road too. This is a great option for fitness for full-time RVers and if like to work out with equipment and take classes, you could consider getting a membership to one of these gyms so you have access to a full gym set-up in hundreds of locations around the country. This won’t be a logical choice for everyone, but if you are more motivated in an actual facility and you have the budget, this could be a great option to keep yourself fit when you are on the road.
Health is more than just exercise
Making exercise a priority is important both at home and while traveling, but overall health is more than just working out. There are so many other things you can be doing to keep yourself healthy while on the road. One of the most important things to overall health is eating right. This can be difficult when you are on the go, but incorporating healthy meals as much as you can is going to make a big difference in how you feel and also in managing your weight. This is also an area where preparing ahead of time makes a big difference between success and failure. If you know what you are going to eat each day, you will be less likely to swing into the drive-thru when everyone starts getting hangry.
You can read my blog post on the best non-perishable food options for road trips here.
Other things you can do to make sure you stay healthy include drinking plenty of water, getting enough sleep, and taking care of your mental wellbeing. These things are just as important as workouts when it comes to your health.
Anything is better than nothing
At the end of the day, doing anything is better than doing nothing at all. Only had time to do some stretches at your rest stops? That’s better than nothing! Only did 10 pushups before you had to jump in the car? Better than nothing! Doing whatever you are able to do each day is going to make a difference. It’s all the little changes we make that add up over time and make an impact in the long run.
Figuring out how to stay active while RVing does not have to be time-consuming and it does not have to be complicated. Do whatever you can when you can, and it will make a difference.
Best RV Workout Equipment
While you don’t need RV workout equipment to stay fit on the road, there are a few things you can pack along that don’t take up a lot of space and will allow you to do a variety of exercises.
Yoga mat - this is always a good item to bring because it rolls up small and is very light
Resistance bands - these are a great substitute for dumbbells and allow you to do a variety of exercises for your whole body
Power loops - another light and packable item that can be used for lots of things and come in a variety of resistance options
Light dumbbells - if you have a little more space, a few dumbbells are a great addition to get in a great strength-training workout
Jump rope - an excellent way to get your heart rate up without a lot of space and without having to go for a run
If you are starting from scratch, I would recommend the yoga mat and the resistance bands to begin and add some of these other choices down the line if you’d like to expand.
Fitness Programs
If you aren’t self-motivated to work out and put together your own program (I’m definitely not) here are some options you can look into that are great fitness for full time RVers.
Beachbody on Demand
This is the workout system I use at home and when I travel. There are hundreds of workouts to choose from for all fitness levels, and many without needing any or minimal equipment. If you are someone who likes to follow a complete program and have a supportive community, I’d highly recommend you check out Beachbody.
Youtube
There are SO many Youtube channels about fitness! Just search for what you’re looking for and I bet there will be an option for you. Some options include Heather Robertson, Sydney Cummings, and Popsugar Fitness.
AloMoves
AloMoves is a subscription that focuses on yoga, pilates, barre, and mindfulness, but it does have other workout options as well. If you love this kind of exercise, this might be a great option to investigate.
Shred
Shred is a fitness app that also has hundreds of workouts to choose from of all different kinds, durations, and fitness levels.
