Motivation - Talkingthailand

7 Ways to Stay Fit and Healthy on Your Travels

COVID has had a toll on everyone’s lives! I, for one, have piled on the pounds during lockdowns, drank too much and lost all motivation for everything including exercise and the list goes on. Now, even though the virus is still with us, the world is slowly opening up again which means we might be able to have that long awaited holiday abroad. But, if you’ve already started your journey back to fitness, how can you keep the momentum going if you do manage to get away? Let’s look at 7 ways to stay fit and healthy on your travels.

1. Walk everywhere

Wherever you end up, instead of taking the local public transportation, take to your own feet and walk. Not only is this a great form of exercise, but you’ll discover places and see things that you wouldn’t normally see if you’re stuck in the back seat of a taxi. Walking is also a great way to ‘get your bearings’ when you are visiting somewhere new.

Things to do when visiting somewhere new — Walking in Bangkok

2. Go jogging

Go for a jog around a park or on the beach. It’s free, it’s a good way to clear your mind and you’ll keep those extra pounds at bay. If the idea of jogging makes you feel like throwing up, start slowly walking, then get faster until you break into a jog. You’ll be amazed at how energised you’ll feel and your body will benefit from the fresh air.

Things to do in free time — Jogging in King Rama IX Park, Bangkok

3. Enjoy a swim

A fabulous form of exercise that will work your whole body, swimming is easy to fit into any holiday or longer trip. Everyone takes time to relax and, more often than not, that time is spent on a beach or by a swimming pool. Get in and do a few lengths of the pool or wade out into the blue ocean.

4. Do body weight exercises

Body weight exercises need no equipment whatsoever. All you need is a bit of space and the motivation to stay active. Try push ups, burpees or air cycles. There are so many exercises you can do and all are designed to get your heart pumping and keep your body strong.

5. Watch what you eat

When you go travelling, it’s so tempting to overeat. I do it all the time – all those delicious new foods! I feel like I’ve put on ten stone by the time I’m heading home! Try to abstain from foods that you wouldn’t normally eat at home – MacDonalds, KFC etc. If you are self-catering, head to the local market where you’ll find a huge array of delicious fruits and vegetables or try to stick to healthy choices when eating out in restaurants.

6. Don’t drink alcohol every day

As with overeating, drinking alcohol every day is easily done. We have all been guilty of this one, waking up with a horrendous hangover and vowing never to drink again. Don’t cut out completely, especially if you enjoy a tipple with your evening meal, but don’t overdo it. Your head and your liver will thank you in the morning. Trust me, I have been there!

7. Keep hydrated

If you are travelling through a hot country, it’s imperative to keep yourself hydrated. Most of us don’t drink nearly as much water as we should, and this is particularly important when the sun is constantly blazing down on you. Being hydrated will stop headaches and keep your energy levels up.

Things to do to stay healthy — Stay hydrated – Image by Olya Adamovich from Pixabay

What ways do you keep fit and healthy while travelling?

Look After Your Mental Wellbeing Through Art

Here is the UK we are going through our third lockdown and we just don’t know when we will get our lives back. It’s hard to know what to do to keep our mental wellbeing in check.

For me, art is a way to relax my mind and unwind from the stress of my day.

I think of art as drawing, painting, sculpture or photography and I love to create my own art, but I also like to see the creations of other artists. It inspires me, it gives me ideas and it makes me happy.

Last year I started painting by numbers and it is so addictive! I can’t stop! As soon as I finish one, I start another. I have completed 5 paintings so far. I find myself totally in the flow where I think of nothing except what I am doing. If you want to relax and take a break from your routine, I thoroughly recommend it!

My first painting.. Amsterdam..

A rainy night street scene and Vincent Van Gogh’s Sunflowers..

Dolphins surfing..

My favourite (so far).. Blue Eyes..

Not only will you create something beautiful, but it will also boost your mental wellbeing.

To give you a little inspiration, here is a round-up of art from talkingthailand.

Bangkok Art and Cultural Centre

Weekly Photo Challenge-Work of Art

Art Galleries in Bangkok

Art in the City

Imaginarium – By Oleg Shuplyak

Street Art in El Carmen, Valencia

Art & Sculptures in Rotterdam

Pipit Banglamphu Street Art Festival

Take care of yourselves! Peace and love X

Struggling with Motivation? Here’s what to do

We all have times when even the smallest of tasks seem like an uphill climb. Life has a way of getting on top of us sometimes. But, staying motivated doesn’t have to be difficult, all it takes is a little determination and an ability to see the bigger picture. So, get up from your seat and try these things to stay at the top of your game.

Do some exercise

We all know that exercise makes you feel good, although the thought of going for a run makes some of us want to retreat to bed. But, just a few minutes of any type of exercise makes you feel happier – it’s the release of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine into our brains that causes the feelings of well-being. Your mind becomes clearer and you feel like you could take on the world. Exercise also helps you to become more motivated to try new things or even to finish that task you started.

How to motivate yourself — Exercise for motivation

Make a to-do list

A to-do list is a good way to keep focused and you’ll feel motivated to finish all the tasks on your list in a given time frame. It’s such a good feeling when you cross off the last task! Keep it small though because if you keep adding to the same list, those feelings of despair might creep in and that will have the opposite effect.

Start with small steps

Rome wasn’t built in a day, so whatever you’re doing, don’t race to finish it! Take your time and produce quality rather than quantity. Start with the small things and progress to the bigger, and potentially more complicated, tasks. The sense of achievement you will feel at completing even the smallest of tasks will make you feel more confident and more likely to carry on.

Get out into nature

If you’re struggling with motivation, there is nothing better than to get out in the fresh air. Go for a walk and surround yourself with nature. You will be surprised how much listening to birds or sitting by a lake relaxes you. Your thoughts will be clearer and you’ll be ready to get back on that self-motivation wagon.

Educate yourself

I don’t mean go and register for a course, although, you could do that. What I mean by educate yourself is to do something that interests you. Go to an art gallery, watch a documentary or read a blog or a book. You’ll be able to find inspiration in these things and recreate it into the things that you set out to do. By doing this, you will think to yourself “I can do that too”!

Don’t compare yourself with others

Everyone has different goals and objectives in life, so don’t compare yourself with anyone else. If you constantly think that everyone around you has a better car or earns more money or has a better job, you won’t get anywhere and you won’t need anyone to put you down, you’ll be doing that yourself. Remember one thing, it’s your life! It’s not your business what anyone else is doing and vice versa. Concentrate on living your life and achieving things for yourself – that’s where the motivation lies, not to mention the empowerment!

Remember why you are doing what you do

You could be the most motivated person on the planet, but there will be days when you just can’t be bothered. We have all been there. What you’ve got to do is to think of why you set out doing what you are doing in the first place. Take a break from it, sure, but always think about the end goal or the big picture. If you don’t carry on, you’re never going to get there!

Celebrate your Success

When you are focused on achieving your goals, whatever they may be, you might forget to stop and think about what you’ve done. It’s so easy to get engrossed in what you’re doing, to get in the flow of things, and that’s a good thing, but simply thinking about what you have accomplished rather than what lies ahead can help your motivation levels. If you take a moment to realise just how successful you are already, you will more determined than ever, so celebrate your successes – however small they are!

How do you motivate yourself? 🙂