Holiday season is fast approaching and, since the UK has experienced one of the coldest and wettest Springs, you’d be forgiven for endlessly scrolling through holiday booking websites in search of a lovely sunny vacation to look forward to. Time away from your day-to-day is crucial for your well-being and no matter how you spend your precious annual leave, be it staycation or tropical destination, we all need a reboot occasionally. Now, we’re never ones to stress about being “beach ready” or having a “bikini body”… ditch those negative phrases and don self-confidence instead. That looks good on everyone! In saying that, movement is such a vital part of caring for your body and you can TOTALLY sip on your favourite cocktail, enjoy the treats, revel in the lie-ins and still find a way to prioritise movement to keep things ticking over. There are lots of handy things to pack in your suitcase that will make working out on holiday a whole lot easier and less effort so we’re sharing our workout essentials below…

Take a resistance band…

One of the simplest things you can pack that takes up no room at all (it will easily fit in your hand luggage, heck it will fit in your purse… so no excuses!) is a resistance band. What CAN’T you do with a resistance band is the question you should be asking. It’s incredibly versatile and can be used to work your glutes, thighs, arms and abs, all in a very confined space. So if your hotel or villa doesn’t have a gym and you’ve just got your bedroom to work with, you can still get a great toning workout in. If you want to win a Silver Linings resistance band, they are giving 300 away! Worth £15, enter here to be in with a chance of winning!

Pack more sports bras than you think…

Working out on holiday takes sweat to a whole new level! Factoring in the heat and humidity, you’re guaranteed to sweat more than normal! While many hotels have a laundry service, unless you want to spend a fortune dry cleaning, you’re going to need to pack a few more sports bras to see you through your holiday. Sports bras often get the sweatiest and yuckiest so don’t scrimp on them. No one, NO ONE wants to be doing burpees without a sports bra. Ouch. 

Don’t forget to take a water bottle…

Speaking of heat and humidity, hydration needs to be more of a priority regardless of whether you’re working out or not. Don’t rely on plastic bottles because A) it’s not great for the environment and B) plastic bottles are susceptible to heating up and you don’t really want to be drinking from that. Taking a thermal-style water bottle means you can top up on the go and it will keep liquids cool for many many hours. We love Ocean Bottle.

Have a smart device to stream workouts…

Unless you’re super confident about adapting workouts to holiday conditions, having access to online workouts is going to be the easiest way to fit in exercise. We’d recommend taking something like an iPad to view your workouts without having to squint on your phone! Our favourite online workouts come courtesy of Silver Linings… This summer they’ve launched their Summer Band Series which provides 4 x 15-minute toning band workouts with founder and ex-ballerina Chrissy live from the Bahamas! Dreamy! So if you’re new to band workouts, this series is a great place to start and it’s available via their app or website.

Do a Diana and pack your cycling shorts…

Leave your leggings at home, we have very few weather-appropriate opportunities as Brits to rock a pair of cycling shorts so invest in a few pairs and bring them on holiday for your workouts. They offer all the support of your favourite pair of leggings but are much cooler for warmer climates and great for hiking too. You can’t beat Lululemon or Girlfriend Collective.

Nab yourself a pill box for your wellness supps…

Pill boxes are cool, ok?! In all seriousness, no one can be expected to pack a pantry’s worth of supplements into a suitcase, it’s just not practical or sensible! If like us, you’ve got a few different supplements on the go then grab yourself a nifty pill box to organise your supplements for the time you’re due to be away. It means you won’t miss a dose, thus keeping on top of your wellbeing, and your suitcase won’t be rattling with pills every time you lift it!

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