Travel Light

Bodyweight alone can provide all or most of resistance you’ll need to improve both strength and endurance, while at same time burning fat and toning up entire body.

The addition of some very lightweight, inexpensive items can provide you with a level of variety, safety, and an overall more effective approach.

Resistance bands, or tubing have been popular with physical therapist for years, as they offer a safe and ffective way to challenge muscles when recovering from injury, without placing undue strain on surrounding joints. Lengths of tubing that come in various resistance levels, weigh almost nothing, take up virtually no space in most over-packed suitcase. When combined with a simple door anchor, bands make available a wide variety of exercise options. They're also are a great substitute for stationary and more expensive forms of resistance equipment.

An exercise mat is a must-have. Put it between yourself and any hotel room floor. Inexpensive mats ri-fold, and fit nicely folded into a traveling bag. It can be used to do push ups on a sandy surface, or sit ups on an unpadded floor. A good mat provides solid traction and footing for many simple floor type exercises.

A summer day spent walking around any big city is a plethora of sights, sounds and beautiful experiences. living right outside Manhattan, Kim (a very special lady and my co-editor) and I, put on a good pair of walking shoes and take Long Island railroad into Penn Station without having a specific destination. We feel like we’re on vacation as we comb town on foot, having a great time, burning lots of calories with every step.

So go ahead and enjoy yourself. The amount of stress relief you’ll gain from enjoying life will be well worth a few missed workouts. In process, you can continue to exercise your body in a possibly, much needed, new fashion.

You’ll be surprised at how a few simple adjustments and keep you fit all summer long.