Working out and staying fit during a vacation shouldn’t be a chore. With a little careful planning and preparation, you can hit your fitness goals and boost your vacation mood with these 5 simple vacation tips.

1) Book a vacation at a place with gym facilities

Having an onsite gym is a great motivator for an early morning workout.

Booking a hotel with a gym or a tennis court will make it easier to keep to your fitness goals and fit them into a vacation schedule.

Enquire with the hotel to see if they offer classes like yoga or pilates or make use of the swimming pool for an early morning dip.

If you are self-catering, see if you can get a gym pass to a nearby hotel.

Working out first thing will not only help you keep fit around your vacation schedule but also help you to stay motivated to eat healthily throughout the day.

Another benefit to an early morning run or gym session in a hot location is you avoid the midday heat- anyone for a siesta?

2) Make time to workout

Setting goals that you can plan into your vacation schedule is an easy way to prepare for success but what are the best fitness goals for a vacation?

Goals can be small, maybe you want to run a faster 5k, maintain your cardio fitness or work on your core strength. Plan your workouts before you leave. This will help keep you motivated when you get there.

Being consistent with your fitness goals are a sure way to succeed in the long term. Maybe you could follow a course on a fitness app, or plan a strength day, followed by a cardio day.

Think about what you want to achieve and plan the path to your goal.

If you know you will have more time in the mornings whilst on vacation, starting your day off with exercise like a morning run, will not only keep your mood boosted but you will take in new authentic experiences as you explore the local area; the locals setting up their shops for the day, the fishermen preparing their boats, the wildlife making the most of the calm, still morning before the hustle and bustle of the day picks up.

Building in your fitness goals around your vacation plans will help you to keep on track.

Why not set yourself a holiday challenge!

Maybe plan a route that you could run each morning and see if you can get a little faster each time.

If it helps you, download a fitness app and make the challenge more fun.

If you have a smart watch, you can record your times to keep track of your goals too.

Focus on strength on days where you don’t have as much time for cardio.

Even if there are days when you can’t dedicate much time to staying fit, remember, a little is better than nothing.

3) Pack ‘athleisurewear’ to pack light

Pack a pair of running shoes, skipping rope, resistance bands or activewear that doubles up as beach wear. If you have seen our Skorts, you will know that leisure and fitness can go hand in hand.

Our range of colourful, comfortable skorts are a simple, stylish way to get fit or head to the beach, whilst looking fabulous. Even on hot days, our skorts have an SPF of 50+, keeping you safe in the sun.

4) Keep your fluids up and eat healthily

Or should we say, how to not gain weight whilst travelling!

Hotels are wonderful places that create amazing buffets at breakfast, lunch and dinner.

It is super easy to graze them and take on more calories than you need.

Be aware of that but of course you are on holiday, so let’s not get too worried about that- as you’re sticking to your fitness goals too!

If you decide to book a restaurant instead of staying at the hotel, book a place that you can walk to.

An evening walk is great to work up an appetite and also for the stroll back to aid digestion.

If you are out exploring in the day, remember to stay hydrated, take a water bottle with you and if you can, some fruit for snacking.

Remember, when we say hydrated we mean water NOT cocktails! ;) Although we do have a skort for that.

5) Keep active in the day

Take time to walk instead of taking public transport. Ask the hotel for a local sightseeing walking map of the area.

You will experience so much more of the place you are staying if you get out and walk; hidden bookshops, little boutiques, local architecture and historic buildings.

Sometimes the best experiences are off the beaten track.

Of course, there are also choices you can make to increase your activity, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Think about how you can get more steps in or get more active where the opportunity arises.

What are your top tips for staying fit on vacation? Leave them in the comments below & check out our holiday workout wardrobe essentials here.