Staying fit while traveling or on vacation
I have come to an age where it's not easy to stay fit or maintain my ideal weight (this is basically me saying that, yes, I am now old.:)) It usually takes me a couple of months or so to start and maintain a workout/exercise routine. And unfortunately, when something comes in the way of that routine, say a trip out of town, I start getting lazy and gaining weight. Before leaving for New York, my exercise routine got disrupted by all the preparations for the Big Apple, including all the goodbye meet ups and dinners, that when I had my medical check-up, the doctor told me that I had a high level of bad cholesterol.
When I got to New York, I gained so much weight in my first few months in Fordham - from eating so much Chinese food and not exercising - that I had a hard time closing my pants or buttoning my shirts. But after a while I got back on track and started to lose the pounds. Then this trip to Cairo came.
Without a gym or any regular exercise, I started to gain all the weight back. I feared for my cholesterol level. It didn't help that food was relatively cheap here in Cairo compared to what I usually had in New York. So here are a few things I've been trying to do to at least maintain my current weight if not become better fit .
1. Walk. A lot. Jogging isn't really an option here in Cairo, unless I go to a sports center, which there isn't anywhere nearby. Once I saw a foreigner jog in the city streets and the locals made fun of him and called him names. I stand out and call attention to myself just by looking different, I don't think I need to be running around in shorts and be made fun of. So the best option would be to do a lot of walking. Of course I have to choose the best time of the day to do this. If I do it midday, it would only take a few minutes before I faint from the heat. So I usually do it before the sun sets.
One of the best walks I've had here in Cairo was on the Nile Bridge. Just look at this view:
So not only do you get to exercise, you also discover the city and it's beauty. Although, I have to admit that I've gotten lost while walking around. So just be careful :)
2. Prepare my own food. During my first couple of weeks here in Cairo, I was eating falafel like there was no tomorrow. It was convenient and cheap. But it was also very unhealthy since it was deep fried. I decided to start buying my food from the grocery and preparing it. This way I could try to atleast eat a bit healthier than usual. Although I know I could be doing more in this area. Some days I just get really lazy.
3. Exercise at home. While I do wish I had weights, I have to make do with what I have. So my routine goes something like this: I wake up and do around 30 - 50 push ups, then some jumping jacks, jump-squats and a variety of other exercises.
4. Jump rope. I also brought with me my jump rope.But I have yet to find a big enough space to use it. But in my previous travels I used to jump rope whenever I don't have any access to a gym or a running field.
5. I've also been a planning a hike somewhere outside Cairo. Again this would be a great way to get exercise while exploring around. This is also why I enjoy visiting Museums. You get to walk around a lot while enjoying what the museum has to offer.
6. Climb the stairs. The apartment I'm staying in is on the 5th floor. And on days when I need exercise, I just repeatedly walk up and down the stairs until I am out of breath.
7. Look for a gym. One of these days I might just look for a cheap one.And if you're lucky enough to be traveling where there's a gym, then go ahead and use it.
So that's it for now. Let me know if you have any more ideas on how to stay fit while on vacation or traveling. I know that to some of you this may make me sound like a freak. But I honestly think that staying fit and healthy is important even when one is on vacation. I like to be able to keep doing what I'm doing even when I'm really old , so it's best to invest now in a future filled with more exploring and climbing hills and mountains.
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| with my family in New Jersey who loves to feed me. |
When I got to New York, I gained so much weight in my first few months in Fordham - from eating so much Chinese food and not exercising - that I had a hard time closing my pants or buttoning my shirts. But after a while I got back on track and started to lose the pounds. Then this trip to Cairo came.
Without a gym or any regular exercise, I started to gain all the weight back. I feared for my cholesterol level. It didn't help that food was relatively cheap here in Cairo compared to what I usually had in New York. So here are a few things I've been trying to do to at least maintain my current weight if not become better fit .
1. Walk. A lot. Jogging isn't really an option here in Cairo, unless I go to a sports center, which there isn't anywhere nearby. Once I saw a foreigner jog in the city streets and the locals made fun of him and called him names. I stand out and call attention to myself just by looking different, I don't think I need to be running around in shorts and be made fun of. So the best option would be to do a lot of walking. Of course I have to choose the best time of the day to do this. If I do it midday, it would only take a few minutes before I faint from the heat. So I usually do it before the sun sets.
So not only do you get to exercise, you also discover the city and it's beauty. Although, I have to admit that I've gotten lost while walking around. So just be careful :)
2. Prepare my own food. During my first couple of weeks here in Cairo, I was eating falafel like there was no tomorrow. It was convenient and cheap. But it was also very unhealthy since it was deep fried. I decided to start buying my food from the grocery and preparing it. This way I could try to atleast eat a bit healthier than usual. Although I know I could be doing more in this area. Some days I just get really lazy.
3. Exercise at home. While I do wish I had weights, I have to make do with what I have. So my routine goes something like this: I wake up and do around 30 - 50 push ups, then some jumping jacks, jump-squats and a variety of other exercises.
4. Jump rope. I also brought with me my jump rope.But I have yet to find a big enough space to use it. But in my previous travels I used to jump rope whenever I don't have any access to a gym or a running field.
5. I've also been a planning a hike somewhere outside Cairo. Again this would be a great way to get exercise while exploring around. This is also why I enjoy visiting Museums. You get to walk around a lot while enjoying what the museum has to offer.
6. Climb the stairs. The apartment I'm staying in is on the 5th floor. And on days when I need exercise, I just repeatedly walk up and down the stairs until I am out of breath.
7. Look for a gym. One of these days I might just look for a cheap one.And if you're lucky enough to be traveling where there's a gym, then go ahead and use it.
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ReplyDeleteIt’s time to get you a specific action plan that you can take with you on your trip, whether its for a day or a year.
ReplyDeleteStaying Fit