Tacos, hip hop & hotel room workouts
New York based event planner and fitness blogger Chinae Alexander knows the importance of keeping active no matter where she is in the world. Because this week is all about Keeping Fit for Travel, she gave us her thoughts on tacos, burpees and hot male trainers, all with a healthy dose of sass.
Q. How do you stay active when you’re travelling?
I like to use my exercise as a form of exploring. Don’t use google to find great places, use your legs! I think walking a city is the best way to see what the locals see, AND you’re burning calories. Win, win. Workouts on the beach or in a local park are a great way to switch things up.
Mostly my advice would be to get creative and be flexible with your workouts! Recently I travelled to central Mexico and we hired an affordable yoga instructor to do a group session one morning on the lawn of our villa — it was perfect.
Q. Do you struggle to find time to workout?
Honestly, sometimes it’s difficult to justify working out over getting things off my never-ending to-do list, but at the end of the day, my business as an event planner is just ME. So if I’m not taking care of myself — my mental state, my physical condition, eventually my work suffers. And no one likes a grouchy event planner!
Q. What are your tips for keeping things fun?
When I am dreading a workout to the point of considering skipping, I substitute the workout I was planning on doing with moves or another type of exercise I really enjoy. For example it might be leg day, but instead of skipping it all together, I’ll do yoga or make up a fun routine of all my favourite moves. Oh, and a loud hip hop playlist. That helps too, HA!
Q. Is there a difference between travelling for work and travelling for leisure?
Both have their complications. When travelling for work my schedule is naturally more hectic but that structure can be great in order to get those workouts in. Also, it’s a great excuse to not hang out with a weird co-worker! There’s so much more time to exercise when I’m traveling for pleasure but it’s SO much harder to pull yourself out of a giant cozy bed where french toast can be delivered in minutes, especially when you’ve got all the time in the world.
With either, I like to switch it up depending on what’s available. There’s not always a hotel gym, so my workout might look like some pilates oceanside, a quick HIIT in the hotel room, or a hike in the woods. I will say, one thing that is always available is a hotel room solo dance party. Bed jumping is considered cardio right?
Q. Do you take your own healthy snacks with you on a trip, or do you make the best of what’s available?
I actually don’t really like taking food with me on trips, it feels NOT FUN. I’d rather eat what’s fresh and delicious where I’m going rather than dig through a suitcase full of snacks. And let’s be honest, I need that space for shoes. If you let rigidity rule on vacation, you’re not going to enjoy yourself.
It’s about making good choices and being flexible. For example, the second I got off the airplane on my recent Mexico trip, I asked my driver to find the nearest taco stand (it happened to be in a field behind a gas station), which ended up being so delicious and made a memory that I’ll never forget.
“Sometimes you eat a salad, and sometimes you just have to eat the damn tacos.”
As for my daily work schedule, I always carry some nuts or a protein bar with me in those really desperate moments of hangry-ness but for the most part, I enjoy taking little breaks to sit down and have a snack at a local juice bar or cafe. It breaks up my day.
Q. If you could take just three items of workout gear with you to a deserted island what would they be?
Wait, if I was going to a deserted island I would not be working out. I’d be bringing some tanning lotion and not much else. Maybe a pizza oven and ingredients too but there’s not likely electricity on this island.
BUT if I must workout on the island, I’d for sure bring music, a good sports bra (Lord knows burpees are not going to happen without one), and as the third thing can I bring a hot male trainer?
