Have you booked your summer holiday yet? You’re certainly not the only one. Along with you, millions of other Dutch people will be heading out into the wider world over the coming weeks! Many people prefer to leave exercise and physical activity at home and focus mainly on the delicious food, the cocktails and lazing about on the beach. Of course, it’s not as though daily exercise is suddenly no longer necessary to stay fit; it’s just that people often dread it. Unnecessarily so, because actually, staying active on holiday isn’t nearly as difficult as you might think!

Did you know, for example, that you burn far more calories on a walk along the beach than on a walk along a tarmac road? Here are 10 tips to help you stay in shape whilst travelling and once you reach your final destination.

Make your journey as pleasant as possible with these 3 tips;

Nothing beats having a quick bite to eat or a drink just before your flight. But did you know that not every meal or drink is suitable? Try to avoid heavy meals. These meals are harder to digest, which means you won’t be able to rest or sleep properly. As a result, you’ll feel less refreshed when you get off the plane.
Now, you can order coffee or tea just about anywhere in an airport, but did you know that this is actually a real no go is? On a plane, a dehydrating effect is triggered. These caffeinated drinks only intensify this effect. Have water or a refreshing smoothie, for example! The latter also fills the stomach a bit right away ;]
Poor sitting posture causes Poor circulation, numb limbs, stiff muscles… Here are four exercises that are easy to do and will keep you fit during a flight or car journey.

- Do you suffer from sore feet? Place your heels on the floor and try to lift your toes as high as possible. Then do the opposite and try to lift your heels as high as possible. Repeat this 3 times in sets of 5.
- You can easily keep your ankles supple by placing your toes on the floor, lifting your heels off the ground, and then rotating them in circles. Do this 5 times anti-clockwise, then 5 times clockwise. You can do this as often as you like.
- This exercise might be a bit trickier in cramped aeroplane seats, but as a seasoned sports enthusiast, you won’t let that stop you; bring your left knee up towards your chest and hold this position for 15 seconds. Then switch sides and do the same with your right leg. Do this exercise 5 times per leg as well.
- Your upper body needs exercise too; lift your shoulders and rotate them forwards in circles. Do this 5 times, then another 5 times, but this time rotating them backwards. You can repeat these sets as often as you like.

Keep yourself in top shape even whilst on holiday with these 7 tips;

We already knew that water is important to drink, but it can also help you get fit! Find out aquabags! You can fill these easy-to-fold ‘bags’ with water at your holiday destination, so you’ll always have some weight to train with. ‘No gym at the hotel’ is no longer an excuse ;]
We’ve been familiar with running on the beach, beach volleyball, hiking and so on for a while now. But something that’s really taken off in recent years is stand-up paddleboarding! It looks fairly easy, but there’s more to it than you might think. It requires strength in your legs and core control, so you’re effectively giving almost your whole body a workout! Don’t forget to apply plenty of sun cream, because with the sun reflecting off the water, you’ll burn quickly!
Would you like to immerse yourself fully in your holiday sport and learn from the locals? Visit the country where the sport originated! Learn to surf in Hawaii, practise yoga in India, dance salsa in Spain, practise capoeira in Brazil or go sandboarding in Morocco!
Do some muscle exercises for 15 to 20 minutes every other day. Think of: squats, sit-ups, planks, push-ups and some stretching exercises. I bet the children or your partner will join in straight away if you challenge them!
Try to explore the nearby towns on foot as much as possible. You’ll see much more than you would from a bus or car, and because you’re walking, you’ll miss less of what’s going on around you than you would on a bike, for example!
Beach walk, mountain walk, forest walk etc
Beach games, water games