Hey loves,
I just spent a week in London. While I have gone to London several times, I still learn something every time I go there.
I learn more about openness, spontaneity, the richness of a culture and its people and a bit about myself as well.
This trip was fun, my brother and I met a Lebanese writer on our way there, as if the universe was pushing me to keep writing.
This gem of a human being was kind and inspired me to keep writing, to find love for it again and reignite my passion for storytelling, expression and the the various processes writing can encompass.
Now back to my trip to London, it’s a lively city, fast-paced and it awakens my desire to be a small fish in a big pond.
The contrast of course being the big fish in my tiny Lebanese pond (my home country which I reside in).
Introduction
Arriving to London, albeit my eighth trip almost, always gets my soul happy. It gives my spirit a rush of excitement and anticipation for endless possibilities.
We went to a nice hotel, it was a family trip. I slept in for hours as I travelled on zero sleep, a sleep addict like myself’s worst nightmare.
The city was vibrant, I stepped outside of the lobby and felt it awaken me. True love a possibility at any corner of the street and the positive energy permeating my surroundings.
My filter and lens is always fitness and health. My next thought was what my next meal would be. A poke bowl at the Nobu hotel lounge (where I was staying) seemed appropriate.
I ordered a sweet alcoholic drink to soothe the parts of me affected by turbulence and airport stress.
I received free champagne to go with it, I love kindness. The excitement once again hit me, a new city, an open heart, fitness, let’s see what will happen.
What did I learn on this trip? Where did my mind and heart go? Did I expand? Let’s go over it and try not to deviate too much from health and fitness, a purpose I feel divinely guided to commit to.
Observations About the City & Its Fitness Culture
I’ve previously written on the secret of how Parisian women stay fit which is mainly walking everywhere. London is no different, their people walk everywhere.
I love it, a city where walking is promoted, runners, fast-walkers and bikers surround me. What a breath of fresh air from the materialistic Lebanese snobs who attach everything to their ego. No car? Poor. A Mercedes? A better human being. (A lesson on liabilities? Clearly lacking).
I loved seeing the parks, running trails, outdoor gyms, and the active lifestyle spots. It made me think of Lebanese infrastructure and its urban planning and how different a public vs. private sphere is between the two countries.
Lebanon’s public space is a social construct but does not in its conception truly serve as a place of expression and safety.
The public space is an extension of a private domicile but the rules, especially for women, differ greatly.
I’ve noticed that in public spaces in Europe, a continent I’ve fortunately gotten to know intimately throughout my life, people express and authentic disposition, they walk around with greater social security and a willingness to express themselves.
The Lebanese public space is outside of the home but does require politeness, entertains policing and is not truly a place where one can express and act within the freedoms of their soul.
I took the metro a lot in this trip, visiting my sister in Canary Wharf. It was clean, it felt safe and it was an interesting space to explore and navigate.
Pedestrian crossings are to be trusted, effective and can be navigated with safety and a certain degree of comfort.
I literally pray every time I cross the street in Lebanon, especially the highway, as PTSD and road rage are common psychological occurrences that permeate the Lebanese public transportation spaces.
London, through its vast array of parks and safe public spaces encourages physical activity, a pedestrian-friendly experience without necessarily forcing one to follow a structured workout.
Adapting Workouts While Traveling
Here are a few workouts that you can perform from your hotel room or an outdoor space like a park.
Here are a few bodyweight and minimal-equipment workouts:
Hotel room workout (no equipment)
You don’t need a lot of space or equipment to do your workout, you can simply do one short workout a day plus a lot of walking to stay fit.
15–20 min HIIT workouts such as these ones can maintain your strength and conditioning:
10 minute HIIT workout to burn fat
What matters the most when it comes to our fitness success is our ability to be consistent. Consistency matters more than perfection meaning that even short workouts count.
Walking around the city was a lot of fun as well, seeing all these different nationalities, exploring new places was just a great way to integrate movement into my day.
If you do have access to a hotel gym, here is one of my recent leg day workouts that you can do from there:
Eating Healthy While Exploring
When I travel with my family, we like to eat. I like to order the healthiest foods possible regardless of whether it’s a family vacation or not.
I think that health is wealth and I always like to treat my body with the utmost respect that it deserves.
From sushi to salads to protein-rich platters, this trip was full of love and commitments to the future version of myself.
I like to compound my success, I therefore invested in my fitness and nutrition so that I can be proud of myself when the vacation ended.
Check out my previous fit girl’s guide to London. Some recent healthy eateries aside from the Nobu hotel and the fancier restaurants my dad took us to:
Healthy cafes:
Natural Kitchen
Natural Fitness Food
Juice bars:
Market finds:
For vegan options, frozen yoghurt, Korean and Japanese food, Mediterranean cuisine, Açai treats, Poké bowl, Vitamin C (Camden juice).
Coffeeshops:
Marks and Spencer
Costa Cafe
Here are a few tips for staying balanced without stress:
One must exercise portion control and mindfully indulge.
One must prioritize protein consumption for strength maintenance on holiday. Aim for protein rich meals and snacks with an emphasis on movement and you’ll have the type of trip that you won’t regret.
I personally ate a lot of salmon on this trip, chicken and beef were also favorites of mine. I ate some desserts but didn’t overindulge, I find that eating protein prevents me from getting too hungry.
Hydration, Energy, and Recovery on Vacation
Drinking water is also important on holiday and staying hydrated during long sightseeing or shopping trips is crucial towards having a hydrated appearance and staying slim.
Good snacks and portable options for energy are nuts, protein bars and fruits.
Recovery strategies include stretching in the hotel, foam rolling and walking to explore. Sleep’s role in fitness is important even while traveling.
Aim to reduce your caffeine intake before bedtime as this will allow your circadian rhythm to operate with full efficacy.
Mindset & Motivation Lessons
I travel a lot and I adore how being in a new city reshapes my approach towards health and fitness even if it’s just temporary.
I reconnected with myself through play and exploration to not feel like I was moving through the motions of my routine in my hometown.
The mental benefit of walking, exploring, and staying active in new environments are fundamental.
Small habits such as walking or hotel-room workouts maintain one’s discipline. These always teach me that my inner self is stronger than my circumstances.
It becomes a reminder towards my resilience and the type of person I have become that must maintain a routine instead of succumb to the chaos of whatever it is that I have survived.
My psychological insights remain, however, that that flexibility and accountability beat strict routines while traveling.
It is because allowing myself pleasure and exploration did heal my feminine and allow me to come back with full energy and force.
I encourage you my readers to embrace exploration instead of feeling guilty for changes in one’s routine.
Integrating Fitness Into a Social & Cultural Experience
I encourage you, my readers, to balance sightseeing, social events, and fitness. Go on group walks, active tours and just indulge in playful exploration.
You can climb Tower Bridge stairs, run along the Thames or go to weekend markets as cardio.
Staying active doesn’t require a gym, it just requires an open heart and a state of playfulness.
Reflection & Takeaways
Consistency is more important than perfection. Just exercising once or twice in my trip and walking a lot kept my physique.
Incidental movement adds up so make sure to remain flexible and playful towards seeing a new friend or walking with a new lover.
Nutrition can be flexible if planned wisely and finally, recovery and mindset are essential.
Travel can inspire fitness instead of derail it. I invite readers to reflect on their own vacations and how they maintain fitness.
Finally, I encourage you to use travel as an opportunity to experiment with new habits.
Actionable Tips / Bullet Points
Here are 8 practical tips for staying fit on vacation:
1) Walk or bike instead of using public transport.
2) Do 15–20 min bodyweight workouts in the hotel room.
3) Prioritize protein at every meal.
4) Carry portable snacks.
5) Stretch every evening.
6) Hydrate constantly.
7) Use sightseeing as fun cardio.
8) Take photos of meals, workouts, or active experiences to reinforce habits.
Closing / Call to Engagement
Travel isn’t a pause button for your health, it can be a reset, a learning experience, and a reminder of what your body can do.
Kindly share your favorite fitness-travel tips in the comments section!
I hope that you enjoyed this blog post on Health, Fitness, and Travel: What a Week in London Taught Me, please let me know what you thought about it in the comments section below!
Taras Fit World 