Who doesn’t love to go on vacation? There is something about getting away from your normal surroundings that soothes the soul. Is it just me or when we go on vacation do we tend to leave our diets and exercise habits at home? This makes for a more stress free vacation, but we all know that feeling of seeing the scale jump up a few pounds after returning home. Here are 7 great tips to stay in shape while on your Sandbridge vacation!
How To Keep Your Fitness Mojo Going While On Vacation – Updated
According to exercise physiologist and fitness consultant Elizabeth Quinn, “You start deconditioning (losing fitness) in about two weeks if you stop exercise altogether. Once lost, it takes nearly three times as long to recondition as it took to detrain.” Elizabeth’s best advice? “If you need to reduce your training time for a couple of weeks, don’t worry, you’ll get back to your current fitness level pretty quickly when your schedule returns to normal. Just don’t stop exercising altogether.”
According to Men’s Fitness, there are a few pros and cons to not exercising during a vacation. The biggest risk for men or women, however, isn’t losing muscle mass or gaining weight; it’s losing your drive and motivation.
Here are our favorite ways to keep your fitness mojo going while in Sandbridge Beach!
Walk
Walking is a peaceful non-strenuous exercise that nearly anyone can take part in. Walking may sound a little boring, but while you’re in Sandbridge you might as well take advantage of a nice sunrise walk across the beach. Not only is this a relaxing beautiful sight to see, the sand will add resistance and give you a nice workout as you stroll under the sun painted sky. If waking up early enough for the sunrise isn’t your thing than you can take a walk down the Virginia Beach board walk and visit shops along the way.
Run
If walking isn’t an intense enough workout for you take it up a notch and run. As we mentioned earlier, if on the beach, the sand will add resistance and you will definitely feel the burn. Running on the beach will not only work your legs, it will work your glutes and core too. Cardio will burn off indulgent meals and keep you toned while you enjoy your vacation.
Swim
Whether you’re swimming laps in the pool or taking a relaxing swim in the ocean, the added resistance of the water will give you more of a workout than you think. Swimming engages nearly your whole body from your shoulders to your calves. WebMD.com confirms this in an interview with Tay Stratton, Head Swim Coach at the Little Rock Athletic Club. “Swimming recruits all the major muscle groups, including the shoulders, back, abdominals, legs, hips, and glutes. And because water affords 12 times the resistance as air in every direction, it really helps to build strength.”
If you hate to sweat then swimming may be the perfect cardio exercise for you! You will be sure to feel the burn after a bit and you won’t be sweating since you will be in the nice cool water.
Golf
The American Society of Golf Course Architects also has some great news to report. According to the article, “…golfers who walk and carry their own bag burn 721 calories, golfers using a pull cart burn 718 calories, golfers walking with a caddie burn 613 calories and golfers riding in a golf cart burn 411 calories on average.” You have over a dozen courses to choose from in the Sandbridge Beach area. Because this is a tourist region, pro shops are regularly looking to put together foursomes, so getting a tee time shouldn’t be a problem.
Surf, Canoe, or Kayak
Like swimming and golfing, surfing, canoeing and kayaking use resistance to build muscle. Paddling out past the break will leave your muscles burning, but that’s when the fun begins. After you get past the break you get to give your muscles a little break while you wait for the perfect wave. When the wave starts rolling in you will begin paddling again against the current, hop up, and ride the wave. Riding with wave will take a lot of core, leg and hip strength to stay balanced. When you canoe or kayak, your shoulders, upper back and mid-back are all engaged along with your core. Because the paddling motion moves you from side to side, the obliques get a particularly good workout. These three activities are sure to feel more like fun than an exercise, and who knows maybe you’ll find a new hobby while you’re at it.
Play on the Beach
A vigorous volleyball match engages every muscle in your body whether you’re playing with your kids or other adults. Throwing a ball or Frisbee can also burn a great deal of calories (especially if your children have no aim!). Running, jumping, and throwing means you
have to use everything from your fingers to your toes.
Who said working out had to be work? The goal for a vacation is to relax and destress, with these tips you will be able to fully enjoy your Sandbridge vacation without feeling like you’re exerting yourself by exercising. Let us know in the comments below if you have any tips we missed!
Top 7 Ways to Stay in Shape While Vacationing at Sandbridge Beach
Take a Hike
Whether you enjoy a leisurely stroll or a brisk walk that gets your heart pumping, Sandbridge Beach has plenty of beautiful nature trails. Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge is an 8,000-acre refuge bordering the ocean and Back Bay. While you may hike at home, here you’ll get the added bonus of gorgeous views, including sand dunes, forests, marshes, beaches, and ponds.
Adjacent to Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge is False Cape State Park. This stunning barrier island has more than nine miles of hiking trails and six miles of beaches. Take your swimsuit; there’s nothing better than a dip in the ocean after a long walk.
Rent a Bike
Several outfitters rent bikes in Sandbridge Beach. Ocean Rentals offers beach cruisers, fat-tire bikes, and mountain bikes. Beach cruisers are an ideal way to take in miles of shoreline while working your quads. Be sure to reapply sunscreen frequently and drink plenty of water. Fat-tire and mountain bikes are a flexible way to ride the trails at Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and False Cape State Park because you can coast along or really pump it up for a challenging workout.
Go for a Run
Running the Sandpiper and Sandfiddler loops that border the beach lets you log some miles while enjoying the scenery. This loop covers seven miles of flat, scenic, oceanside terrain. Start at the top of Sandbridge Road where it meets Sandfiddler Road, head south, and turn around when you get to Little Island Park.
If you plan to run on the beach, stick to wet sand. While a soft-sand run can give you a vigorous workout, it may make you more susceptible to shin splints — especially if you’re running barefoot.
Hit the Beach
Whether you’re looking forward to a little solitary sunrise yoga or an enthusiastic game of beach volleyball, the shore is the perfect place for fitness fun. For an alternative to Frisbee, locals bring a bucket of golf balls to the beach and create a version of the classic ski ball board in the sand. Dig five circles increasing in size from golf ball to grapefruit, stand back 10 feet, roll your golf ball and try to hit one of the holes. This combination of cornhole, ski ball, and golf is pleasurable exercise — you’ll log plenty of steps chasing errant balls.
Learn to Surf
Surfing is excellent exercise. You’ll get a cardio workout, plus strengthen your arms and shoulders while you paddle out and improve your balance by learning to stand up on the board. The best part of surfing is that it requires total concentration. By the time you’ve finished practicing, you’ll be relaxed and will feel great. Pick up your board from Ocean Rentals and they’ll recommend a size and shape for your level of experience.
Kayak or Paddleboard
Standup paddleboarding is a clever alternative to surfing. Using a large, buoyant surfboard and a long paddle, you will make your way through the waves while standing or kneeling on the board. When you’re ready to catch a wave, just turn around and take your paddle out of the water. For an easy, peaceful experience, go past the breakers and travel parallel to the shore. You can also rent a single or double kayak and explore Back Bay or the shoreline from the water. Ocean Rentals offers kayaks and paddleboards by the day, and will deliver right to your rental house on Sandbridge Beach.
Take a Class
While you’re recharging on vacation, why not take a class and try something totally new? The Princess Anne Community Recreation Center is only five miles from Sandbridge Beach. You can get a day pass for this 83,000-square-foot recreational facility that allows access to group fitness classes such as Zumba, Pilates, yoga, and more. Most classes take place in the morning, so you can get up and get moving. You’ll also have access to the center’s cardio and weightlifting equipment, an indoor pool with lap lanes, a diving board and an ADA lift, racquetball courts, and a sportwall.
Whether you’re taking a quiet solo stroll through a nature preserve or trying a spirited group fitness class at the community center, Sandbridge Beach has exciting ways to stay fit on vacation. Pack your tennis shoes and workout gear and you’ll likely experience new adventures … and go home in better shape than when you left.
How to Keep Your Fitness Mojo Going While on Vacation
be diligent about your fitness routine. You work out religiously to stay toned, fit and in shape. However,
if you’re like most people, you’re at high risk to suffer a collapse in this healthy habit you’ve formed
once you go on vacation.According to exercise physiologist and fitness consultant
Elizabeth Quinn,
“You start deconditioning (losing fitness) in about two weeks if you stop exercise altogether. Once lost, it
takes nearly three times as long to recondition as it took to detrain.”Elizabeth’s
best advice? “If you need to reduce your training time for a couple of weeks, don’t worry, you’ll get back
to your current fitness level pretty quickly when your schedule returns to normal. Just don’t stop
exercising altogether.”According to
Men’s Fitness, there are a few pros and cons to not exercising during a vacation. The biggest risk
for men or women, however, isn’t losing muscle mass or gaining weight: it’s losing your drive and
motivation. Never fear! It’s actually easier than you might think to get at least a
short workout in every day while on vacation.
Walk
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