No workout vacation makes mom grumpy and lumpy

I don’t remember EVER taking a vacation or going seven days without a workout. But I did last week and it wasn’t pretty.

We drove my son, Theo, to Escondido, California where he started college. 

Now I can relate better to what some of my athletes go through when they choose not to or can’t workout when they travel. 

I won’t bore you with the details. I’ll just say every day I got up at my usual 5 a.m. vacation time, had the equipment needed then had to rush off to the next hotel or school event instead. Eating at restaurants all day long. Arriving at our hotel or rental home late at night then doing it again the next day. 

All I could think was, “this sucks!” 

Early morning exercise always energizes me as it gets my organs (I call it my engine) fired up for the day: blood flow pumping, digestion working, joints loose, muscles warm, hunger started, brain on. This is especially helpful when you’re sleeping in a strange place, eating different foods at different times, etc.

No workout meant my happy endorphins didn’t fire up and my body systems slowed down. This left me grumpy, lumpy, and lacking my usual physical high. I didn’t get time to take care of myself before spending the day taking care of my family. To me it’s like putting on my life jacket on a plane before I help someone else put on theirs.

We walked a lot to get to places, but that wasn’t the kind of workout I’m talking about. Some vacation walking can be heart-thumping, brain-firing, and digestion-cranking. But usually it’s just strolling with your travel buddies.

A lot of athletes I train with struggle to get workouts in when they travel. So, I asked myself, is it because they’re so busy from dawn to dusk trying to fit in all the sights and activities like I was? Or do they want a vacation from working out. Or maybe a little of both.

There is no wrong answer because it depends on your goals. 

My goal is to maintain a healthy body with all engines firing and feeling good wherever I am. No setbacks. No catching up when I get back. Consistency at home and away.  

I’d never been able to relate to the idea of taking a workout break before. 

I always got up early enough and found a place to workout. In Boston it was a tiny hotel gym, New York City a run to the nearest 24 hour Fitness and Sunriver the rental house garage. 

Getting a workout in and eating healthy is hard enough when you’re home. Being in a different place with a tight schedule makes it even harder. 

When you’re on vacation what’s your trick for fitting in a sweaty workout?

Or, maybe you prefer to take a break from exercising when traveling so your body gets a reset for when you return. 

Everybody is different. I hope you learn what feels best for yours. I know I did. 

I hope to NEVER have another vacation where I don’t workout the entire time. It clearly doesn’t agree with my mind or body. But, now I feel like I can relate more to people who choose not to workout on vacation.