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RVing has changed so much since we began RVing ourselves almost 15 years ago! Take physical activity, as one example. When we started RVing, active RV trips weren’t as popular. Back then, RVers seemed to be more interested in the ‘relaxing’ part of RVing rather than prioritizing physical activity. It’s what drove us to start our Fit RV channel way back then. We wanted to encourage a healthier, more active lifestyle than what we were seeing on our travels.
I remember how hard it was to get The Fit RV to take off. We had very little interest at first. We’d practically beg RV events to let us lead healthy-RVing seminars or exercise classes. Even offering these things completely free, we’d still get turned down, often with a laugh and something like, “we tried that before, no one’s interested”.
Boy, have things changed!
There are a few reasons I can see for the shift to a more active RV lifestyle. For one, active communities—like bicyclists, kayakers, and climbers—started buying RVs once they discovered that RVing is a handy way they can do their sport anywhere. It’s why James and I got into RVing ourselves. Having our own rolling bathroom at any endurance event was such a luxury! Back then, we’d oftentimes be the only RV overnighting at events’ starting lines. Nowadays, it would be weird not to see dozens of RVs at endurance events.
But it isn’t just the athletes who are giving RVers a more active reputation. It’s also the younger demographic that has embraced the RV lifestyle—digital nomads, full-time families, vanlifers, weekend warriors, etc. Many of these types of RVers got into it for the adventure aspect, where they focus first on what they want to DO, and the decision on where to go is secondary to that.
Finally, I’ve got to give today’s RVing retirees some credit, too. I’m not sure there’s ever been a time when seniors were so in tune to staying fit and aging well as now. When you compare RVers from a dozen years ago to now, you can especially see it. And these days, when we lead healthy classes at RV events, it’s the seniors who pack our sessions. I love to see it.
It’s not just me who’s noticed this shift in RVer priorities. RV manufacturers have, too, and it shows in their RV designs. Just look at our own Winnebago EKKO; a compact RV with a huge gear garage for toys. There was nothing like it 10+ years ago here in North America. Now it’s a best seller.
It’s become common to find features built into RVs that cater to more active, outdoorsy types—gear garages, bike racks, off-road rigs, etc. At an RV show recently, I had to ask the rep what some special hooks in the storage compartment of a travel trailer were for. Turns out it was a ski rack. A ski rack! More proof manufacturers know their customers are evolving, and so their designs continue to evolve along with them.
So then why is it still so hard to stay active on the road???
While it’s great there’s a larger interest in staying fit when RVing, that doesn’t mean it’s easy getting physical activity on the road. We’re not perfect beings after all, and vacation-mindset can thwart our otherwise good intentions. There’s a secret to ensuring you’ll have a fit-focused trip. That secret? It all comes down to this one thing:
Planning.
That one word right there is everything. Making sure you’ll stay active starts way before the trip even begins—while you’re planning. It’s one of the best habits you can get in; taking the time ahead to build in physical activity, and especially the kind that’s so fun you don’t even realize you’re doing something healthy.
I’ve shared hundreds of tips over the years on ways you can embed physical activity into your RV trips, and here are some of my favorite strategies. Keep these in mind next time you find yourself trip planning. They’ll help you keep the ‘fit’ in your RVing!
Don’t stay in one place too long.
One of my favorite Fit RVing strategies is to move frequently during your trips. If you are headed out on a month-long trip for example, and you stay in the same RV park the entire time, you’ll eventually tire of exploring your surroundings. You’re more likely to remain back at the RV and settle into a “home- like” routine where you’re potentially less active.
When you change your surroundings more frequently, there will be new places to explore and you’ll get lots of natural physical activity just because you’re somewhere new. So, as you plan your RV trips, keep in mind how long you really need in one place to keep it feeling like “adventurous vacation” versus “comfortable home.” Because even though ‘comfortable’ feels great, being active & getting outside your comfort zone is the difference between aging well and, well, aging.
Take lessons or sign up for guided experiences.
Gear your trip around an active learning experience. You could seek out guided outdoor pursuits like nature tours, hikes, paddling, rock climbing. Or you could try taking lessons in various sports (like golf or pickleball). James and I have done guided experiences in whitewater rafting, scuba-diving, snorkeling, ocean kayaking, and even dance lessons…all of which ended up enriching our trips and leaving us with fond (and in the case of dancing, slightly comical) memories.
We climbed multiple ladders like these on a guided tour of the incredible Cliff Dwellings at Mesa Verde NP.
Seek out local group activities.
Instead of a formal guided experience which usually costs money, you can find totally free group bike rides, hikes, or paddles in the areas you’re visiting. For group bicycling, check with any bike shops in the area. Besides good old Google searches, Facebook can be a useful resource for finding group hikes and paddles. You can search through local hiking or paddling group’s “Events” tabs. Hanging out with other active people who share your interest is a great way to stay motivated. It also gives you the chance to connect with locals wherever you’re traveling, and who better to take a hike or ride a bike with than people familiar with the area.
Plan a trip to an active event.
Make fitness be the entire focus of your trip by heading to an interesting event that could either be competitive or fun-focused. While you could always do a traditional 5k run/walk or cycling tour, you can also find events that involve silly costumes, glowstick night run/walks, zombie races, and even scavenger hunts. Or! If pickleball, golf, or some other sport is your thing, do a search for a tournament happening somewhere you’d like to visit.
If you’re like James and can’t stand dirt, or even walking on sand, this neon 5k, where colored chalk is thrown at you for over 3 miles, probably wouldn’t be for you. But I loved it!
Bring Active Gear.
Whether it’s hiking poles, bikes, inflatable boats, daypacks, exercise gear, etc, traveling with active gear does something to your mindset on the trip. You took the time to pack it, after all, and that act alone tends to stay on your mind; a little voice telling you that you’ve got it taking up precious space, so don’t waste it. It’s a bit like the whole “if you build it they’ll come” thing. “If you bring it, they’ll use it.” It really works!
We sacrifice a ton of space for this inflatable, you can bet we’re going to try to get as much use out of it as possible!
So there you go! Some of my favorite tips right there. It’s all quite simple, really. PLAN a fit-focused RV trip, and then you’ll HAVE a fit-focused trip.
It’s great seeing more and more RVers embracing this mindset. With some good planning and some exciting activity-focused adventures on the itinerary, perhaps your next RV excursion will be your best trip yet!
Adventure on, RV friends!
❤️Stef
P.S. Looking for a solid 8-week workout plan to get back into a fitness groove? My Y.E.S Workout Plan starts HERE, totally free, no catches, ready and waiting for you!
Stef, I am the woman who laminated your workout sheets, and like Tracy, I try them all. As a full-timer now in my fifth year, I have made room for a set of bands, some dumbbells, and a yoga mat. It’s funny, but I actually find it more challenging to get my daily exercise when we are moving frequently… Sometimes it’s just a function of long travel days. When we are parked up somewhere for a few days, I can be in my : morning, run, weights, and some stretching. Then we go do something fun like a hike!
Thank you for all you do for the RV community!
You bring up such an excellent point, Eileen! I see it as two different things—- traditional forms of exercise, like you’re talking about, and then more natural physical activity, the things we do to fill the rest of our days. While traditional exercise is critical for a healthy lifestyle, it alone isn’t enough. We can’t spend a mere 5 hrs moving/exercising in a 168 hr week, and then lounge around the rest of our waking hours. So then this becomes our challenge: how do we fill our time after our workout is over? That’s why I encourage frequent location moves— so you can get natural physical activity throughout the rest of your day, in the form of exploring, paddling, biking, hiking, and experiencing new places!
And hey, it’s so great you’re staying fit-focused on the road; keep rocking those workouts! Proud of you!
Great idea to laminate the workout sheets! I placed the sheets in clear plastic sleeves so I can flip them over when working out. I put a round carabiner through the top side hole so I can hang it on something when working out. I did the same with J & S packing for a trip lists and always adding a thing or two. Both have been so helpful!
Thanks and I’ve save all the workouts I’m interested in over the years from you. So important to stay limber, hydrate, stretch and exercise before-during-after trips. Eating healthy and preparing the menu prior to a trip is just as important as the rest of it. Thanks for keeping us motivated.
Tracy
I’m so glad you’ve found some useful workouts here! Absolutely, healthy eating is a huge piece of the healthy living pie—and planning that ahead as well as the physical activity is a winning combo right there.