weight loss whilst backpacking or travelling?!

chocciechip
chocciechip Posts: 207 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Is there anyone else here who is currently either travelling or backpacking? would love to hear from you or from others who managed to keep up their weight loss whilst carrying on around the world. I've found that I've begun to put weight back on (probably near to 7-10lb) since leaving home 9 months ago - I struggle not having a gym that kept me motivated, or having a private space to do exercises at home as I was used to. It's also tricky to plan meals ahead when you're moving around and can't carry ingredients/groceries with you place to place!

I'm also a coeliac and lactose intolerant, which has made it very tricky in some places regarding food, being able to find stuff I can eat and avoiding convenience foods!

Anyone else been in this situation?

Replies

  • curds
    curds Posts: 201 Member
    Hey,

    I usually lose weight when I travel being active and what not. I didn't diet/meal plan one bit, but came home lighter from my last holiday.

    I did pick up some weight though when I first moved abroad, but that's cause I was settling in and found the places I like eating at etc.

    I'm not entirely sure why you picking up weight as I would think your activity level would offset the food, but are you perhaps a drinker?

    I know those sneaky lil beverages can really do a number on your calories.
  • lina011
    lina011 Posts: 427 Member
    i live and travel in a motorhome have been for 4 yrs now, i lost weight on our last trip away. the key is to write everything down you eat stay within calorie allowance...... exercise daily which means i walked everywhere.......... get yourself some resistance bands/skipping rope etc that small enough and light to fit in a bag. find a park and workout. i wear a HRM and make sure i hit the 500 calorie mark before finishing.
  • wahelga
    wahelga Posts: 304 Member
    Like Curds, I usually lose weight while travelling as I literally walk all day every day exploring. Not sure if your problem is time spent sitting on buses (always hard to manage), alcohol/food (can also be hard to manage while travelling LOL).

    But if you are missing the gym there are several options - look on You tube for video of exercises that just use your body weight eg callanetics, maybe buy some resistence bands as they are very light and easy to pack, run up and down stairs wherever you are (many cities are full of steep flights of stairs) etc.

    Borrow from asian cultures and exercise in local parks. No one will pay any attention to you even if you feel self-conscious

    Good luck and happy travelling
  • MummyMikaela
    MummyMikaela Posts: 130 Member
    Where are you at the minute we could research what you could eat locally as I expect your limited on your wifi access!

    I have always found cheap beer to be my downfall especially in hot places! I drank so much Chang in Thailand !
  • curds
    curds Posts: 201 Member
    Yes, lol Wahelga I actually forgot to make that point. In quite a few countries there are exercise parks in fact I will be visiting the local one tonight!

    I suppose it would be better to know which continent you backpacking on as some its quite feasible to buy a bike and use that as your transport!
  • wahelga
    wahelga Posts: 304 Member
    Or if you are in Europe, to hire a bike. I know they do this in London, Holland and other places.

    I exercise in my local park at home too as they have an outdoor gym set up there. So much nicer than being inside a hot and sweaty gym. And I love seeing the old people in the parks doing tai chi, dancing, etc as I travel through Asia
  • chocciechip
    chocciechip Posts: 207 Member
    ha thanks guys! I'm not a big drinker, so that's not the issue (maybe one or two beers a week).

    Currently in Hawaii - spent the last 6 months working/living in mexico (so I know the problem there will have been something to do with late night tacos). I've been working as well as a diver - so it's a mix of diving in the morning and then video editing so I do have to sit around on my *kitten* a lot haha. Food is hideously expensive here as well - so it's been quite a lot of rice, (trying to stick to brown rice) and canned low sodium soup and porridge oats!

    Hitting up New Zealand in two weeks, so thinking that lots of hill walking should help a bit.
  • wahelga
    wahelga Posts: 304 Member
    Oh yes, NZ is an outdoor sort of country so you can have a ball and regain any lost fitness. North Island in particular is an adventure island, though the south island has great walking tracks eg Milford Sound trail
  • shadowlydarkness
    shadowlydarkness Posts: 243 Member
    For some weird reason I managed to lose heaps of weight while I was travelling! I was eating junk because it was cheap and easy and like you said you cant carry your food with you in manhy of you places travellers will stay.... to be honest I wasnt happy with my eating habbits during my travelling and I rather be a bit heavier as long as I'm healthy.

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