I’m an adidas ambassador. All opinions are my own. 

If you are anything like me, it’s a lot easier to get in a workout when the days look pretty much the same. But throw in an unexpected break in routine and that daily workout becomes a lot harder to embrace. I find this to be especially true while traveling! 

Now that I’m living in St. Louis but traveling to Chicago once a month for blog events, this constant break in routine really threw me for a loop every time. Things would be chugging along as normal, then I’d spend a few days in Chicago, not really working out at all, and then try to get back into my normal STL routine upon my return. This often meant several days of missed workouts and general chaos.

So… of course, I needed to come up with systems that would allow me to more easily transition from normal life to travel and back again. Here’s what I do now… 

Getting in your workouts while traveling: 

Make a plan BEFORE you arrive. If you leave those decisions for the day of, often nothing will actually happen. Instead, plan your days out ahead of time. Create a schedule that will allow you to fit it all in. If your days are a little unpredictable and therefore you can’t make a full plan before arriving, be sure to plan out your day the night before. 

Also, part of this pre-planning is knowing where you can get your workout done. In the winter months, this can be a little more complicated. Be sure to check ahead of time if your local gym has a branch near your destination, or if your hotel offers a fitness center. 

Don’t overfill your days. I am TOTALLY guilty of this. When I’m back in Chicago, even though I am back every month, I try to get in as many things as possible. I try to do a million things and see a bunch of people. And then that just leaves me exhausted and with no time or energy to work out. Instead, now I extend my trip a little longer or just acknowledge the fact that I can’t do it all on every trip.

Pack workout clothes that are easy to travel with. True, for the most part, all workout clothes are easy to wear and pack well. But I’ve found it also helps to just pack a handful of things that can easily be mixed and matched with anything else I packed, as well as clothing that can easily be up for any type of workout. You know what I mean… there are those leggings that can do anything - run, lift, row, spin, hike. And then there are the leggings that you only wear for low-impact workouts or for yoga. Pack the most versatile pieces so you are up for anything.

Getting back into the swing of things after travel:

Unpack immediately. I used to never do this - especially if I arrived home in the later afternoon or evening. It was a daunting task. But then the suitcase often sat there for days or a week waiting to be unpacked. When that happens, you still feel like you are in the midst of a transitional period. So rather than allow your brain to think you aren’t back in the normal flow, unpack immediately to begin the following day as usual. 

Jump back into your normal routine ASAP. After traveling it can be tempting to take a day or two to recover. To give a little less or allow a little more downtime. But the trouble is that can spread out over multiple days and overall the various activities of your day. Now I try to dive right back into my normal routine, on whatever day it is I arrive home. 

Grab a friend to hold you accountable. Jumping back into working out after traveling can be a little tricky. So, before you get back make a plan to workout with a friend. Whether you are taking the same class, going for a walk together, or meeting at the gym - that extra push will help keep you on track.