Traveling can be expensive, but your workouts don’t have to be.

Every six months or so, I visit one of the coasts to see family. And during that time I loosen up a bit on my diet and enjoy my meals a bit more. Who doesn’t, isn’t that what visiting the family and vacation are all about? This is the time when planning a good workout becomes that more important. But visiting the gym while on vacation can add up. Most charge about $10-15 dollars for daily use of the facilities.

Here are a few tips for getting a good workout without working out your wallet:

Get a list of any affiliate gyms from your gym before you leave. They may have a reciprocating membership travel program or your gym might have a location just a few steps from where you are staying. Find out if any of your family belongs to any of the nearby gyms because often times they can get you a free day or weeklong pass. If that doesn’t work…..
Look for the smaller, no name gyms. Sure they may not have the latest techno-spin class or the nicest Jacuzzi. But their daily fees are typically less then the big name gyms. And ask if they have a week special. One gym we went to had a daily fee of $10 or a weekly fee of $25, but we had to ask. And the smaller gyms are so much more personal, they might even let you slide in a couple of days extra.
If you can’t make it to the gym for one reason or the other, it might be time to change your workout up a bit. Focus on plyometrics, wind sprints and walking lunges. Or borrow the old dusky bike from the garage and take it to the local beach front or even through the neighborhood. This helps you to get outdoors and see the area you are visiting in a way you might not have seen.

Working out on vacation can help make a better vacation and ease the stress of traveling. And the only extra five lbs you want to be caring back on the plane are gifts for the kids/co-workers.

Happy workout.

workout+travel gym travel workout

Finally, A Great Protein Powder

So, I am just like everyone else who has gone through the typical routine of trying a several different brands of protein powders and staying with the one I think tastes best. So for years I have been using the Vanilla Ice Cream Optimum Nutrition protein, the largest selling protein on the market. But I recently tried the Fresh Raspberry Cream from John Scott’s Nitro line of supplements. I really wasn’t expecting it to be any different than the others but it is just like the Strawberry Quick I used to drink as a kid. (You know the one with the bunny.) Surprisingly easy to mix and tastes like I added milk when all I added was water. I know that sounds like a load of marketing but this one actually stands up to its claim. I am looking forward to trying the Spiced Vanilla Cream.

The only downs side to the Raspberry flavor is that I can’t seem to find anything other than the sampler pack of the single serving on the website.

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Nike and Apple - A good mix?

http://www.apple.com/ipod/nike/gear.html

Take a look at the newly announced workout gear on with Nike and Apple. Basically you will be able to use a chipped shoe to transmit your workout info to your IPod Nano. This could be kind of cool, especially if it helps to select the right tempo music for your workout. Mind you, they (Nike and Apple) have just announced that is will be coming soon. But I am interested to see if it is cool as it looks.

ipod apple nike working+out