I often say that fitness isn’t just what I do; it’s who I am. It doesn’t get left behind when I travel, for business or pleasure.
My trip to New York City was for both. The trip was planned mostly for pleasure. I love shopping, art and history. I love the energy of big cities. Yet New York was one big city I had yet to visit. My husband, whose passion is travel photography, saw the trip as a mixture of both as well. We left home with very little formally planned other than walking about and seeing sites that would translate into great raw material for the images he sells on his blog, Battered Luggage.
I did, however, leave prepared to keep moving in the Big Apple. I have my tried and true travel tips that help keep travel pounds at bay. I also knew there would be a lot available to keep me fit and fabulous during our 6 day trip, so I packed my favorite pair of trainers and some workout clothes. Here are my tips for staying true to your fit self while visiting Manhattan:
Skip the tour buses and walk.
You don’t know a city until you’ve walked its streets. I logged almost 26,000 steps on our most active day. That translates to roughly 12.5 miles. If I had kept at it just a bit longer I would have walked the distance of a half marathon.
Be above the fray by running the High Line Trail.
Normal streets can be a little bit like playing Frogger. Central Park is nice but perhaps overdone. The High Line Trail, created from an old rail line, is a perfect place for a jog and a great view of Manhattan’s West side at the same time.
Try out class at Lululemon.
I didn’t get to do this myself (there are never enough hours in the day – home or on the road!) but the stores offer free classes yoga classes and group runs. Do your workout and then treat yourself with some new workout togs.
Choose a hotel with a great gym and workout each morning.
My husband’s love of travel also means he loves airline miles and hotel points. We got to cash in a few points and stay at the Conrad Hotel near the Financial Distract. Their gym was completely outfitted with cardio equipment, free weights, a cable medicine and medicine balls. Great music was playing and there was plenty of room to move. I love it when hotel’s give me a great space to workout! Starting with a workout pumps you up for a day of sight seeing.
Workout with Dailyburn.
I travel with my Macbook Air and completely appreciated the ability to access Corey’s 16 minute yoga workout after a full day of walking. I moved the table in our room and had plenty of space for my Downward Dog. The big bonus for me was the business part of the trip. I had the privilege of working out with the Dailyburn team during their noon workout at their Manhattan office! They walk the walk, doing videos from the site every day at lunchtime. As the guest I got to pick one of my favorites, Anja’s Bikini Butt, to go along with a quick kettlebell workout from Corey. I also got to chat with the CEO, Andy Smith, about the new workouts to come. I can’t wait to see them! Shout out to Kate, their community manager, for arranging the visit.
Don’t leave fitness behind when you travel. Rest is important, but so is staying healthy and in motion. I don’t plan on hitting the road for the next several months. I need the time to work on a couple of new projects that I hope to share early next year. I am however, planning potential trips to Denver, Portland and London. And I’ll be sharing how to keep fit in the places I go. Got any tips I need to consider for other places? Let me know. Did I miss something in Manhattan? Share, please!
