4 Sites Which Make Working Out Easier

How was your day?

Bo and I are running around the house trying finish packing our bags for tomorrow’s trip. Tomorrow we head off to St. Petersburg, Russia!

image

In honor of us leaving for another trip, during which we plan to stick to our workout plans, I figured I’d take this opportunity to answer one of the questions I’m asked most frequently:

How do I workout while traveling? I won’t have a gym where I’m staying."

All too frequently, people think that they need a gym to stick with their training plan or workout routine. Many people, especially those people who have newly resolved to work out daily, are easily intimidated by change. They worry that they won’t be able to squeeze in a good workout just because they don’t have a gym. Don’t get me wrong, access to gyms or studios makes things easier. In fact I love using hotel gyms or trying boutique workout classes like Mile High Run Club when visiting new cities. But, in the world of AirBnB, business travel, budget travel, or traveling to foreign cities, this may not be an option, due to either time constraints or accommodations.

image

So, the next time you are worried about working out while traveling, check out these sites. These are the sites I frequently look to for inspiration as they include many great body weight workouts which don’t require anything other than a few feet of space!

PBFingers – For the past year, I’ve sworn by Julie’s awesome workouts that she creates almost weekly. She has over 50 different workouts on her site, but her 20- minute hotel room workout is one of my favorites! Check out her circuit workout page for many different workouts which include a mix of body weight and gym workouts, perfect for any fitness level!

DailyBurn – A streaming workout site featuring elite trainers, including Bob Harper, DailyBurn brings the workout to you! Their array of workouts, ranging from yoga to intense, intervals means that you can get a great workout, wherever you are! I love Anja’s workouts as most of them are short and sweet, helping me break a crazy sweat within minutes. Don’t believe me? Sign up for your free 30-day trial today!

image

Sarah Fit –  I love Sarah because her blog is a refreshing breath of reality in the realm of fitness bloggers. She admits to drinking or eating too much while on vacation but quickly gets back on track, without blaming herself. Her YouTube channel and blog help thousands of people realize that they can get fit and healthy in a dorm or hotel room. Her no gym workouts are perfect for your next trip, while her videos will make them easy to follow and understand.

Nike Training Club – With this convenient app you can choose your workout type – yoga, pilates, drills, running, or high intensity and then choose your level. While I’ve used it far less than many of my other friends, there’s no doubt the over 100 workouts will make it easy for you to get inspired, wherever you are. 

image

Looking for more inspiration? Check out these other posts about staying healthy while traveling.

Your turn: What blog or site do you use for workout inspiration?

Share Button
Follow:

Verbier Ski Weekend

Hello and happy Monday! Waking up was not easy this morning after a long weekend in Verbier! Eight of us shared a gorgeous AirBnB chalet in Verbier for a weekend of too much fun and lots of skiing. A few of us worked from the flat on Friday, taking full advantage of the gorgeous office space while enjoying the roaring fire and mountain views.

IMG_9415fireplacework from verbier

As the chalet included a wonderful kitchen and large dining area, we took advantage and enjoyed cooking together both Friday and Saturday night in addition to our breakfasts. Our only formal meal out  was lunch on the slopes Saturday at Cuckoo’s Nest, our favorite spot on the mountain.

cucoos nestBo made a huge batch of chili Friday night and Saturday was fajitas and nachos. The weekend’s dessert was a delicious, homemade Funfetti birthday cake which Emily baked as a belated birthday gift. Our time around the dining room table were some of my favorite moments this weekend. We laughed until we cried, got to know each other better while having conversations we’d never have in a restaurant and were free to linger as long as we wanted, in no rush. I think we all agree that we prefer eating dinner at home in between après ski and going out later.

dinner at chaletbday cake

We went to Le Rouge for après ski on Saturday before heading to Pub Mont Fort and finally ending the night with dancing at The Farm.

le rougefarm club

The rest of the weekend we were on the slopes, enjoying the sunshine and blue sky. Since there hasn’t been much snow nor cold weather yet in Verbier the entire mountain isn’t open yet, just about 50%. But, luckily we were plenty occupied by the open slopes, including a few of my favorite ones from last season!

erbier snow 3verbier snow 1verbier snowamyashleyskiing

Emily and I were constantly in awe of just how much skiing is like riding a bike. After the first few runs our ski legs returned and we were enjoying red and black runs without fear. We are definitely less advanced than many others out there, but considering we only learned to properly ski last year, we are beyond excited with our progress!

ski weekend

Such a fun weekend! Luckily we already have two more ski weekends plan with our friends including one cross country skiing excursion! Here’s the recap from last year’s December Verbier ski weekend!

Your Turn: Do you prefer downhill skiing or cross country? Next month will be my first experience with cross country! I’m already nervous!

Share Button
Follow:

Biking Through Tuscany

Happy Thursday!  I have obviously been less than stellar about posting reviews of some of my recent travels and for that I apologize. I am still trying to find a balance between sharing TOO many travel posts and not enough. As many of you may know, Bo and I celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary with three nights in Florence at the end of November. While the entire trip was amazing – incredible renaissance art, amazing food and wine, and wonderful accommodations – one of the highlights was our bike tour through the Tuscan countryside with I Bike Italy. We booked the “Active Full Day Tuscan Group Bike Tour” and showed up at9am dressed in our bike shorts ready for action. When we arrived, we were greeted by Bill, the owner of the company an American, who has lived in Italy for almost 20 years and is an avid cyclist.

 

IMG_8998

 

We were expecting a group of people but, since it was off-season, we ended having an incredible private tour. Bill was the perfect tour guide. He began by asking us questions about our cycling experience and ability, in order to make sure he could cater the ride properly. He quickly concluded that we were there to not only take in the beautiful scenery, but also to break a sweat and burn some serious calories. He told us that once we hit the countryside we would just “hammer” for a while and see how far we made  it before lunch.

 

IMG_8953

 

The ride out of Florence was a little dicey as riding through a busy city often is, but once we hit the outskirts of town, the scenery changed and we immediately knew that this would be a special experience.

 

IMG_8956IMG_8961IMG_8962IMG_8968

We rode through the countryside and up into the hills and, since Bo is a more experienced rider; he rode ahead while Bill gave me a private lesson on how best to tackle hills on a bike. This was so helpful as I’ve never been fully comfortable shifting gears with changing terrain. Bill was a great coach, and I now feel completely comfortable riding aggressively on hills.  We rode almost 40 kilometer (add the mile equivalent)before lunch and, considering the fact that the entire tour is usually only 35 Km, we certainly felt like we earned the pasta that was soon to be on our plate.

IMG_8978

 

 

The lunch (included in the price of the tour) was amazing and ranks among the best pasta that either Bo or I have ever eaten. Lunch started with lots of water (the small water bottles that we brought with us didn’t really cut it), a local chianti, bruschetta, and chicken liver pate on toast (a very common Tuscan appetizer). We were ravenous and as we ate, Bill entertained us with some anecdotes about living in Italy – such as the difficulty of passing the driver’s test.  He also told us a few other great stories including how he met his wife.  Just as he was finishing that one, she showed up, and we met her, her mother and his beautiful daughter. This is one of the things that we love so much about Italy. Family and sharing are such an ingrained part of the culture that you can’t help but feel right at home (nothing against the Swiss, but it presents quite a cultural counterpoint).  After two types of pasta – a potato-filled ravioli with a rabbit ragu, and a vegetarian tagliatelle – we were loaded with carbs and ready to continue our journey.

IMG_8985IMG_8982IMG_8986IMG_8987

The afternoon was a bit more relaxing and included a visit to a local chianti producer that also makes its own olive oil, a nice, long downhill ride back into town, and at Bo’s request, a trip to the top of the Piazzale Michelangelo for the most stunning views of Florence.

 

IMG_8994IMG_9000IMG_9011IMG_9013IMG_9048IMG_9050IMG_9053IMG_9063

We ended up doing a total of 36 miles or 57 kilometers, which was most definitely a bicycle PDR for me.

 

IMG_9073

If you are planning a trip to Florence, make sure it includes at least a half day with iBikeItaly. The ride is a great way to learn about the region with a local while also getting exercise!

YOUR TURN – If you could take a bike tour anywhere, what would be your destination of choice?

 

*We were not compensated nor provided a discount in exchange for the review. We just loved iBikeItaly that much!

Share Button
Follow: