I'm hoping some if the more fitness- and health-conscious members can give me some advice here. At home I generally work out about three times per week, doing weight lifting and a Kettlebell boot camp. I'm also a beginner runner.

I'll be travelling to Europe this summer (happy new year btw, everyone!!) and I'll be backpacking and staying in hostels in Italy (Venice and Cinque Terre) and France (Paris and Nice) and staying with family in Austria.

I'm just wondering if any of you can give me some tips and advice about working out while travelling, both in terms of logistics and staying motivated. I'm thinking in Austria I'll do lots of hiking, and running is do-able pretty much anywhere...but my main concern is staying motivated and being able to complete really good, full body workouts, consistently and regularly.

You're probably not going to like this advice, but here goes: Forget the workouts while traveling. Limit your exercise to the functional variety -- walking, hiking, etc.

You mentioned staying with a family, so I would make an exception there because I assume you'll be in one place and sort of carrying on normal day-to-day activities. In that setting, working out is OK, probably going for a run.

Other than that, when traveling, forgo the workout routine and concentrate on enjoying the reason you're visiting Europe in the first place -- to spend time doing and seeing places. You can get in a lot of walking and hiking that way.

End of advice, which you'll probably ignore.

Downtb has said it all.

Some ideas
1) never take an elevator or escalator, use the stairs.
2) limit the use of the car and taxis, walking is part of europe's culture and running is normal, bike hire is pretty common either in terms of city (4 hour type Boris Bikes) or for a longer period. Bike paths are laid out in some of the countries you mention, take advantage of them.
3) watch the unusual food, you will find plates are not so large in Europe and sugar is not added to so many dishes, and trans fats
4) jogging is certainly easily available and no one is surprised if you do this
5) in some areas, in parks you will find training sections (Austria for example, but less likely in the soft south)
6) summer will be hot so set a target for the morning before it gets too hot, then a shower and then breakfast
7) join a dance group or go in for iso-static training

I agree with the others - hiking & walking & running. However there are lots of videos online about how to do a workout in your hotel room using common objects. You can also pack some resistance bands and use them if you want to ensure you continue strength training while away.

Downtownbrown: I don't intend to ignore that advice entirely! I do realize my normal workout routine/intensity is going to be impossible and my first priority on this trip will be to enjoy it, I promise you!

The problem is, it really is important to me to get as much exercise in as is practical, and I'm hoping to do it in a fun way! For instance I was thinking an early morning run in Paris would be just lovely.

I'm not interested in spending any part of my trip in a gym; whatever exercise I do would ideally be outdoors and incorporated into my daily sight seeing itinerary!

Agree that you will get PLENTY of exercise touring europe. We find that we typically walk at lest 8 miles on days that we are touring (versus driving). And even the latter, we limit driving to about 4 hours and have plenty of time for sightseeing on foot.

I would think that and hauling a backpack around would be enough of a workout that you won't lose fitness unless your trip goes on for months.

The key is to walk everywhere - taking subway/metro or bus only for really long distances.

I find that I usually lose several pounds in a 2 week trip - despite eating and drinking more than I do at home.

There are plenty of joggers in Paris, usually in the big parks, like the Tuileries and Parc Montsouris, or along the bnks of the Seine. It's no big deal to go for a morning run.

Other than that, there's no reason to be on some fitness schedule, though if you want to, it should be easy enough. I, too, normally walk 8-10 miles a day on vacation and lose weight, despite not putting any holds on what I eat or drink.

Every city has exercise opportunities. Here are two in Paris.

Take the Metro to Abbesses. It is 118 feet (roughly ten stories) below ground. Walk up the stairs to the surface. Walk back down the stairs to the track. Do it to failure. If you have a daypack, load it with books, bottles of water, or bricks for resistance. You could finish your workout by walking the rest of the way up to Sacre Coeur by the steps rather than the street or funicular.

Go to the Eiffel Tower. It is roughly 300 steps to the second level (+/- 270 feet or 25 stories), which I think is as high as you can go. Do the same thing.

ahiddenbird, I work out religiously and am also a Spinning instructor and outdoor cyclist. I use my vacations to give my body a break. Working out 5-6 times a week for months on end creates a lot of wear and tear, so I purposely use my week, two weeks, three weeks on vacation as recovery for my body. You're supposed to do that a couple times a year anyway.

That said, if there's a church dome to climb, I do it. If there's a beach to walk, I walk it. Rent a bikes to take around a city, I do that. I'll walk rather than bus or metro if it's reasonable. I also try not to totally fall off the wagon in terms of diet, but recognize that food is very much a part of learning a culture.

There's nothing wrong at all with doing away with your regular routine for the short length of a vacation, even for the summer. Backpacking itself is a workout, so I think you'll be fine just doing what comes naturally by backpacking for the summer.

Ditto most of the counsel you have received. I am seriously committed to my personal fitness routine, but on holiday, I try to walk as much as possible and not worry too much about the rest of it. I have a pedometer which keeps me honest. Have fun, it sounds like a great adventure.

Thanks Amy and cmcfong, I think that's sort of what I wanted to hear!

I do triathlons and trail running and usually end up in Europe during the summer, right during tri season. Walking alot while travelling is good, but usually isn't enough keep up the fitness level needed for races upon returning home. Look for the opportunities! They are everywhere and very much add to your travel. I almost always do it during early morning hours so as not to disrupt the itinerary.

Swimming in the Sea of Galilee was awesome! Speed hiking the stairs and stones at Tikal Guatemala is a great workout (I don't do it if there are other tourists on the stairs though). Running stairs, bridges and the steep streets in Prague was a great way to see the city in the early am. Running through Hyde Park in London is a great experience and I could have swam from the Serpentine Lido but didn't have time. Those type of opportunities are everywhere and it's always one of the highlights of my trips!

I also do a few pushups, situps and crunches in the room, takes just a few minutes but does the job.

I exercise regularly at home, primarily running. Despite walking A LOT on vacations, I also like to go for a morning run when I can. Partly because I wake earlier than the rest of my family, so it's a chance for them to sleep in longer. But I really enjoy going for runs; especially when early in the morning, when most things are quiet, I see things I wouldn't see otherwise. Being in front of Notre Dame with only me and street sweeper is one good memory. I've run all over in Venice, including through Piazza San Marco and along Riva Deglie Schiavoni (usually a number of other Italian and foreign runners doing that). Just beautiful.

I tend to not run in parks, as I'm usually running pretty early and a female, so I'd rather run in more public locations. But in Paris, we stay in the 6th, just a couple of blocks from the Seine, so I'll run along the Seine, or around Notre Dame and its island.

Enjoy!

You could try swimming - Paris for instance has many public pools.

Taking the Plunge: Pools in Paris - NYTimes.com
intransit.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/.../taking-the-plunge-pools-in-paris...

It sounds like you want more than just cardio. Try developing a body weight fitness regime (exercises using only your body weight, no equipment). Ask a trainer for some advice. I would try all sorts of different kinds of pushups and planks, there are so many varieties! Plus things like dips off the hotel chair, wall squats etc.

You could also look into resistance bands. They wouldn't take up much room in your luggage and you can do a ton of different exercises with them!

I always have grand intentions of staying fit when I travel. I can usually fit in a run in the morning but then after that . . . I just try to do a few bicep curls with my shopping bags and call it good! Don't beat yourself up if you slip a bit while you're on holiday.

Thanks guys! Great tips! BKP, I have a list of body weight exercises I could do so I'll definitely try and do those when I have some spare time, maybe before my shower in the morning or in the evening

It seems like the optimal time to get in some running during the early morning.

Stay in hotels with fitness facilities.

BKP makes excellent suggestions

hi, ahiddenbird.

you wrote:

"running is do-able pretty much anywhere"

It is not in le Cinque Terre, but if you take a 5 minute train ride to either La Spezia or Levanto, you can get enough flat path to do some running laps. If you would enjoy a swim after a run, Levanto is better.

In genereal, the Italian Riviera is just world's biggest stairmaster, so if nothing else, just find a staircase and start up. It will keep going up for a very long way. Portovenere has some great staircase climbs, and you can reach it by boat from le CInque Terre.

It is not impossible to find hotels in Italy with some fitness facilities, but not easy either. Near le Cinque Terre, La Spezia is your best bet, but you might also find them in Sestri Levante, which is also has a very nice long flat path for running at the seaside.

You can do bicep curls with bottles of wine.

Swimming the Serpentine
Climbing the Eiffel Tower
Bicep curls with shopping bags and bottles of wine

I see a Fodor's Guide to Working out While Traveling in the future.

You can also do a tricep curl with a bottle of wine -- just don't try to drink and curl at the same time or you'll make a mess.