If you want to enjoy the RV life for an extended period of time, staying in shape is a key part. Keeping yourself healthy is a very important piece to truly enjoying the RV life, but there are some obstacles. In this guide, we will give you multiple tips and tricks about RV life exercising to help you stay in shape on the road.
Obstacles to Staying Fit
At first glance, you’d probably think it has to be easy to stay active on the road. You are always going to gnarly places, seeing beautiful sites, and getting to the optimal climate, right? Well yes, you are seeing the best places, and having one of a kind experiences. But there are other aspects of the RV lifestyle that have to be overcome when trying to stay active.
Long driving days
Spending a lot of time behind the wheel of a vehicle is counter productive to being fit. I know after a day of driving my rig, I am exhausted. My body isn’t necessarily tired, but my mind is finished. I just want to sit back and relax.
Microbreweries and unique restaurants
Let’s be honest, this is a real issue for a lot of us starting out. We get excited, and have to try all the different beers and wines. We need to identify who has the best pizza, sandwich, or burger. My wife is all about locating the best cookies and ice cream shops in each town. And when someone claims to have the best pie in the world, I feel like I need to be the judge of that. However, these things aren’t helpful for staying fit.
A lack of routine
If you don’t purposefully create a routine for your new lifestyle, one will be created for you. The unintentional routine will probably lead to a more stagnant life because all of the “newness” of travel can get a bit exhausting. It isn’t that this is what you want for yourself, but by human nature we like comfort. This “lack of routine” will not be kind to the health and fitness of your future self.
Space
The lack of room to workout inside your RV, plus the lack of space for equipment is a real bummer. A lot of people have their favorite piece of equipment—Peloton anyone? And unless you get a toy-hauler to fill with all of your favorite workout gear and machines, you won’t have the gym space you’re used to. Between the lack of equipment and the lack of floor space, it can be difficult to maintain your old exercise routine.
All of these things make it incredibly difficult to stay fit on the road. But we are going to forget about these obstacles, and help you move forward, take back your health, and stay fit during your adventures.
Steps Toward a “Healthy RV Life”
When you set out in your RV, you are temporarily leaving reality. The idea of everyday being packed with “living your best life” has to wear off eventually. Mostly because it isn’t sustainable to live at such a hectic pace. Once you come back down to earth, you will realize you don't have to do it all in one day.
By coming to this conclusion, you are now on your way to truly living the good life—the unhurried, fully present life. Now you can create healthy rhythms again.
But before you begin a workout routine, you should always consult a healthcare provider. It is always a good idea to be on the same page with your physician and let them know—and guide—your fitness goals.
Pick daily goals you will never miss
When we pick daily goals that are sustainable and attainable, we trigger something in our brains. It informs our mind of the direction our life is going to go. It is important to make these goals realistic, and make them something you will truly commit to doing every single day.
Because we need to make sure they happen daily, they need to be achievable on days when it’s too hot, too humid, too rainy, or too busy. Pick goals you will 100% commit to accomplishing every day.
When I first started out, I committed to being in the 50/50 club—50 push ups and 50 sit ups everyday. It was simple and clear whether I had accomplished it or not. Later, I added a minimum number of steps—7,000. This wasn’t an intense workout, but it was a commitment to my health.
When trying to plan out your daily exercise goals, think through these questions:
- What simple goals could you commit to?
- What would you look forward to doing everyday?
- If you did something everyday for a year, what would you be proud of?
- What is realistic?
- What is going to keep you motivated?
These exercise goals aren’t meant to be over the top or extreme, but just to challenge you to committing to exercise. This is a first step on your way to staying fit on the road.
Have a yearly goal you’d like to achieve
Once you prove to yourself you can commit, it is time to go after something that seems challenging. This could be working toward a 5K run, a 20 mile hike, a century ride—100 mile bike ride—or something unique to you. Perhaps a yearly step-count like 4 million steps in a year. That comes out to less than 11,000 steps per day.
If you aren’t ready for 11,000 steps a day, pick a number that seems just out of reach. This will help you grow in your fitness on the road.
This will help motivate you to stay committed to your daily goals, and help you see results over the long haul.
Drink liquids
It is recommended that everyone drinks around 100 ounces of fluids everyday. And while coffee and other liquids do count—including liquid courage—the vast majority of your fluids ought to be water. You can add lemon juice or other combinations to add flavor, but water is your best bet for staying healthy and hydrated.
Plan meals
If I wait until I am hungry to figure out what I am going to eat, it will probably not be the healthiest meal. Planning meals is helpful for my refrigerator space, my gut health, and my energy levels. If we plan our meals, we typically don’t plan to eat poorly. Plan your meals ahead of time, and you will be glad you did.
This includes planning your meals out at restaurants too. Going out to eat and enjoying the experience is important. But make sure to plan those meals, so that your health can stay on track.
Sleep well
Good sleep is incredibly important to staying fit. Not only does it help your metabolism, but it boosts your energy and your productivity as well. By getting 7-9 hours of sleep per night, every single night, you are setting yourself up for success. It can help increase your immune system, so you can avoid a lot of sick days. By taking advantage of your Harvest Hosts and/or Boondockers Welcome Memberships, you can find safe places to lay your head down at night. This eases your mind and lets you wake up with more energy.
Stay accountable
Having someone in your life—a friend, a life coach, or a health coach—you can stay connected to will help with your perseverance toward your health goals. I find the more honest you can be with this person, the better it will be. Someone who will challenge you to fight through the excuses, and can help get you back on track, if you fail, will really help.
Exercise Equipment
Purchasing exercise equipment is the typical thought process for people when considering staying fit on the road. There are a number of options you can choose from. And below are some of our favorite options.
Resistance bands
These are probably the fastest growing piece of equipment for RV lifers. They do everything you want, all in one purchase. They offer the same—or better—results as compared to free weights. They are super versatile. And you can replace almost every piece of gym equipment with a good set of resistance bands.
Kettlebells
This is the most popular piece of exercise equipment for those who wish to focus on weight lifting. You can do a lot of different movements with one single weight. And when the kettlebells are off-duty, we like to use these to help hold down our RV awning.
Yoga mat
Yoga mats are one of the most frequently used pieces of exercise equipment—and not always for exercise. If you don’t do Yoga, you might still find yourself using them for a good stretch, or even for body resistance workouts. Either way, this is a great item for anyone wanting to stay fit on the road.
Jump rope
Jumping rope isn’t just for kids on the sidewalk. If you only have a few minutes everyday, jumping rope can be a great workout for you. It is a small and compact item, and it packs a mean punch to your workout routine. Not only does jumping rope help you burn calories, but it also increases your coordination and balance.
Hobby exercise equipment
There are those items designed specifically for exercise, like the above mentioned things. And then there are all those pieces of hobby exercise equipment. Things like bicycles, hiking boots, kayaks, and more are still considered pieces of exercise equipment. And honestly, using these on a regular basis is one of the most important things you can do.
Get A Puppy
Ok, a puppy is a huge commitment and they aren’t exercise equipment, but you will get plenty of exercise as a result. My wife and I have two dogs and because of them we walk about five miles a day just to get that energy out of them. This might seem counter to the free and unhurried life, but they are incredibly life-giving and will absolutely help you get more exercise.
Best Exercises to Stay Fit on the Road
There are so many people out there talking about exercise. Sometimes it’s hard to sift through it all, and discover what will work best for you. Below are different types of working out that will benefit different aspects of your body and overall health.
If you happen to have cardiovascular issues and are over 65 years old, you might just gain the most from consistent exercise. According to Johns Hopkins, adding in 30 minutes of cardio at least five days a week, strength-training two days a week—non-consecutive, and daily stretching to your lifestyle can really pay off.
Cardio
Of all the different types of exercise you can do on the road, cardio is the easiest to integrate into your daily life. The RV lifestyle lends itself to things like cycling, hiking, and kayaking. There are a lot of different options like:
- Paddleboarding
- Swimming
- Trail Running
- Jogging
- Walking
- Biking
- Yoga
- Stretching
- Jumping Rope
Even if you aren’t ready for something intense, a purposeful, daily walk can be a great—and often the most sustainable—form of cardio. A 30 minute walk is a great place to start.
Weight training
At first glance, weight training seems like a no-go for the RV lifestyle. But that doesn’t have to be the case. You just need to be incredibly purposeful with the weights you choose, and make it a priority. As we mentioned above, a lot of people bring kettlebells in their RV.
With this one weight, you can do a lot of movements that will help strengthen your entire body. It is recommended that beginners start with a lighter weight like 15-25 pounds for men, and 8-15 pounds for women. This will help them get familiar with the movements. As you build up your strength, you may try increasing your weights to something that gives you the desired resistance. Here are some recommended exercises you can do with these weights.
Resistance band training
With the difficulty in finding extra RV space to bring weights, a lot of RVers have moved toward the resistance bands. There is a definite movement in the health and fitness world toward this option. They are thought to be better for your joints and muscles. They can be very low resistance too. This means it is a great option regardless of your age or fitness level. And the best part for RVers is the space-saving nature and versatility of these bands.
Bodyweight workouts
Another great option that replaces equipment altogether is just using what you have—body weight training. Below is a sample bodyweight circuit workout from Healthy RV Living.
Bodyweight Circuit Workout:
Move from one exercise directly to the next, resting only 15 seconds in between, as your transition. After you complete all 7 exercises, take a 90-second break, then repeat. Complete 2-3 rounds total.
There is a pretty good chance some of you aren’t ready for all of these, but do what you can to the extent you can. And I promise you you’ll be surprised by what you can do after only a couple of months.
45 seconds: Belt Kicks with Twist
45 seconds: High Knees
45 seconds: Close Feet Squat
45 seconds: Kneeling Push-Ups
45 seconds: Curtsy Lunges
45 seconds: Butt Lifts with leg Swing
45 seconds: Pulsing Squat
Stick to a Program
Whether it be weight training, resistance bands, or bodyweight workouts, sticking to a program for an extended period of time matters. It’s that kind of consistency that will give you the results you’re looking for, and help your overall health and wellbeing. Below are some helpful tips to keep you consistent.
Download an app
There are a lot of apps out there to help you get started—and more importantly, to stay the course. Here are some great options to consider.
- FitOn: This is great to help you find your favorite types of workouts.
- MyFitnessPal: If you want to track your food intake and exercise burn, try this one.
- Fitbit Premium: The best for Fitbit owners.
- Calm: Choose Calm if you want to do more than just train your body.
- AllTrails: For those of you with a step goal, this is a great way to never be bored on a walk again. It helps you find hikes that fit you. This is also one of our Top 20 RV Apps for 2020.
- 7 Minute Workout (Apple IOS/
Accountability program
If you have a friend that you can stay accountable to, you might try doing the same workout routines. You can compete against each other. And you can even add a fitness band to your wrist to get real time feedback, and share it with your workout partner.
Hire a health coach
If you want to get in shape, get back into shape, or stay in shape, hiring a health coach to help you through the transition-time is the best advice we can give. A good coach will help you get to where you want to be.
Choose a coach that will listen to your goals, ask clarifying questions, and even push you to go beyond where you thought you could get to. Christine from Irene Iron Fitness is a coach that focuses on the things that matter most, and who knows all about the struggles of RV life.
You won’t always jive with every health coach. Sometimes it takes a minute to find your best fit. But don’t use that as an excuse to bail. You just need to find someone to encourage, equip, and empower you.
Utilize Your Boondockers Welcome and Harvest Hosts Memberships
Having a shorter driving day can help. If you spend all day behind the wheel of a car, you aren’t getting much exercise. Just shortening it by one hour a day gives you time in your day for a long walk, a Yoga session, or even time to do a nice deep stretch.
A Couple Recipes to Get You Started
Sometimes we just need some inspiration to understand that eating healthy on the road doesn’t need to be bland or complicated. You can download our 50 Simple & easy RV Camping Recipes here. Or check out a few from Irene Iron Fitness.
To get more recipes from Irene Iron Fitness, you can search her page here.
For other healthy meal recipes, you can take a look at healthyrvliving.com. Here you will find advice on healthy cooking, creative meals, and food storage that is perfect for RV life.
Just Start Moving
In the survival of living things, there are seven main characteristics. And movement is listed right there alongside nutrition, respiration, excretion, growth, reproduction, and sensitivity. If we want to maintain a healthy, fit life on the road… then we must remember that movement is a crucial part of our survival and overall wellbeing.
If we get started moving in one direction for an extended period of time, I believe we will all see the results we are searching for.
