The holidays are quickly approaching, and for many of us, that means a lot of travel and a lot of time away from the box. It’s easy to fall off the wagon during the holiday season, both in terms of fitness and nutrition. But there are a few things you can do to maintain your progress, even if you’re traveling and unable to get to the box consistently.
Fitness
One thing you’ve probably noticed is that some of the workouts and movements we do at JR CrossFit don’t require any equipment at all. These are the types of workouts you should try and do while you’re traveling.
Think of things like burpees, sit-ups, push ups, and air squats – they require no equipment, and there are a plenty of variations and modifications you can make on a daily basis. There are an infinite amount of workouts you can create using just these movements – whether it’s an AMRAP or for time. Everyone loves when Coach Matt programs a 30-20-10 rep workout, and that’s something you can easily do with these movements while you’re traveling.
We also just finished up our cardio cycle – remember those grueling Thursdays where we did nothing but bike, row, and run? The good news is that even when you’re traveling, it’s easy to get in a quick run – especially now that you’re faster than ever before. Whether it’s 400m sprints or a full 5K, running is guaranteed to be a good workout.
Here are three workouts that we’ve done here at JR CrossFit, that you can take with you on the road. As always, they are fully scalable to any fitness level.
7 Minutes
7min AMRAP
1 Air Squat
1 HSPU
Increase by 1 rep every rd.
Core
9min EMOM, 40on/20off
- Tall Plank Hold
- Straight Leg Situps
- Leg Holds
Run to Your Little Heart’s Desire
For time:
- 200m Run
- 400m Run
- 600m Run
- 800m Run
Rest 2min between runs. During rest accumulate 1min of plank hold/hollow hold (alternate)
Run, Forrest!
For time:
- Run 1 mi
- Rest 3min
- 100 Walking Lunges
- Rest 2min
- 800m Run
- Rest 1min
- 100 Push Up
- 100 Squat
Last but not least, you can always drop-in at another gym! This is a great way to meet some new people and show off everything you’ve learned at JR CrossFit. And if you’re staying at a hotel, chances are they have a gym with bikes, ellipticals, weights, and more, which expands the workouts you can do from the road.
Nutrition
One of the hardest things about traveling is sticking to a healthy eating regiment. When we’re driving across the country or sitting in airport terminals, it’s easy to fall into a diet of fast food, soda, and snacks. That doesn’t have to be the case, though. There are a few simple ways to stick to a nutrition plan while traveling – even if it’s not quite as stringent as the diet you’d have at home.
One of the simplest things to do is to choose the lower calorie option when possible. For example, if McDonald’s is the only option for lunch, look for something on the menu that’s relatively low in calories, but filling and high in protein. Your goal should be to avoid “empty calories,” which includes things like sugary snacks, sodas, and foods.
If you know you’re going to eat a big, fancy dinner one day, that’s perfectly okay. To account for this, you can eat lighter earlier in the day and save your calories for that dinner. This allows you to eat what you want for dinner, without completely blowing past your daily calorie goal. As Coach Bobby explained to us a few weeks ago, there’s no such thing as a cheat day – but you can plan well to account for the days when you know you’ll be eating heavier.
The holiday season doesn’t have to erase the progress you’ve made all year. There are a few easy ways to maintain that progress, whether it’s being conscious of your food choices, planning ahead, or spending just a small portion of your day getting in a quick workout.
By Chance Miller