I know it is not for everyone, but I love a good run to get the heart rate up and relieve a little stress. Stating fit while living in an RV can be tough depending on your situation and eating habits. Exercising in your RV is difficult and many feel uncomfortable going outdoors for everyone to see. So, what are the types of Fitness for Travel while in an RV full-time?
Exercise does not have to be killing yourself in the gym lifting weights or running for hours on the treadmill. There are many exercises that low impact and highly effective you can do without a gym. Just getting at it for 30 minutes a few times a week can keep you feeling your best and make life on the road so much better.
Who wants to be in a gym when we have all these beautiful backdrops around us anyway?
Why do we need to stay fit while traveling?
The main reason we need exercise is to improve our overall health. Each person’s body has its own needs and level of fitness that it can safely partake in. Regular physical activity can improve your muscle strength and boost your endurance. Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. And when your heart and lung health improve, you have more energy to take on those day-to-day tasks.
- Always keep your heart rate in a safe zone – To find your target heart rate, subtract your age from 220. For example: if you are 30 years old, your target heart rate is 190 beats per minute.
3 focus areas for a healthier you
Cardiovascular training
Cardiovascular conditioning involves moderate to vigorous physical activity that results in an elevated heart rate for a sustained period. Regular cardiovascular exercise improves the efficiency of the functioning of the heart, lungs, and circulatory system.
The research will show you that there is no reason not to be engaging in regular cardiovascular exercise as you age. As far as guidelines go: Your cardio should work as much of the body as possible, or many large muscles at the same time (think cycling or a brisk walk).
Regular exercise helps people age more slowly and live healthier, more vigorous lives. And it also helps people live longer.
Strength and Resistance training
Strength and resistance training increases muscle strength and mass, bone strength, and the body’s metabolism. Strengthening exercises increase muscle strength by putting more strain on a muscle than it is normally accustomed to receiving. Strength training can be performed with or without special equipment.
This training may enhance your quality of life and improve your ability to do everyday activities. Strength training can also protect your joints from injury. Building muscle also can contribute to better balance and may reduce your risk of falls. This can help you maintain independence as you age.
Flexibility
Flexibility is important to improve and maintain joint range of motion and reduce the likelihood of muscle strains. Most young children are naturally more flexible than older children and adults and will instinctively perform movements that promote flexibility.
As our bodies get older we lose a small amount of flexibility as a result of the normal aging processes. This can happen for several reasons including a loss of water in our tissues and spine, increased stiffness in our joints, and a loss of elasticity throughout the muscle tendons and surrounding tissue.
Read more: Staying Healthy
What are the best exercises for staying fit while traveling and having no equipment?
These exercises below are better performed outside of your RV in a level grassy location. You could either do them right on your site if not too shy, take a walk and find a secluded area or maybe hit the kid’s play area before the youngsters are up and moving around.
- Running/jogging
- Hiking (perfect for us RV lovers)
- Walking
- Burpees
- Jump rope (do need a jump rope)
- Jumping Jacks
- Squats
- Lunges
- Push-ups
- Crunches
- Combination Cardio exercises (burpee with mountain climber, burpee with a push-up, or reverse lunge with a hop)
- HIIT training
What exercises can I do inside my RV?
Bodyweight exercises are some of the best and no equipment is needed to do them. As we know most RVs have some movement when we walk around in them and thinking about exercising them is concerning. Below are some great options to stay fit while traveling that work all your muscles while not making the neighbors wonder what is going on next door in your camper.
6 great exercises that will not create too much movement in your RV
- Squats (2 leg and single leg)
- Lunges
- Push-ups (Incline or regular)
- Rows
- Crunches (regular and reverse)
- Planks
Make sure your diet is on point!
Must know to stay fit while traveling around the country
After all that talk about exercise, unfortunately, your diet is probably the biggest battle while traveling. 80 to 90 percent of how you look and feel comes down to how your nourish your body. You can exercise all you want, but you can’t outrun or out-train a bad diet.
It is so easy to throw some burgers and dogs on the grill, and place them on a bun with your favorite condiments and a hand full of chips. Unfortunately, that is the exact meal you want to steer clear of eating regularly.
What we’re aiming for is food that keeps us satiated and on target, i.e., mostly vegetables, some form of protein (be it from animal sources or legumes), and then some fruits and/or nuts — occasionally a bit of rice or potatoes, and minimal bread or pasta or liquid calories.
What does eating right do to our bodies?
Together with exercise, eating a healthy diet in the right proportions can also help you lose weight, lower your cholesterol levels and blood pressure and decrease your risk of type 2 diabetes.
Adults who eat a healthy diet live longer and have a lower risk of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. Healthy eating can help people with chronic diseases manage these conditions and prevent complications. Most Americans, however, do not have a healthy diet.
5 Main Benefits of a Healthy Diet
- Weight Loss
- Heart Health
- Strengthen Bones
- Increased Energy Levels and Improved Mood
- Brain Health and Memory Function
Get a headstart
Plan and have healthy meals ready to go
Meal prep can be the best way to accomplish this at home or on the road in an RV. Cook up a batch of marinated chicken to have on hand. You can eat it cold or reheat it if wanted. Stick with fruit and nuts for snacks, eat plenty of veggies with each meal, and stay clear of sugary, high-calorie drinks.
Best Meal Time Cooktops for Campers
What foods last longer for the best meat prep items?
- Brown Rice
- Beans
- Sweet Potatoes
- Chicken Breast (skewered or pulled)
- Hard-Boiled Eggs
- Roasted Veggies (debatable)
- Kale
- Canned Fruits and Vegetables
- Oats
- Stay clear of Seafood
100 best meal prep recipes
Conclusion
To put this whole blog in a few words, Eat right and Stay active is all we are saying. Each person is at a different place in their lives and has their capabilities towards exercise.
For me, I feel best getting up and going for a long run, but for others, it may just be a brisk walk around the campground. You need to find what works best for you and go from there. You have to start somewhere, but for you to be your best, just start.
