Our Top Tips For Staying Fit While Camper with a Trailer

Whether you’re heading off on a long-term adventure, a lap around Australia or just packing the kids up for school holidays– being away from normal routine can take its toll on our waistlines.
Besides packing on a few unwanted kilos, a lack of exercise and good food can make you feel really sluggish and drowsy no matter how excited you might be for the next destination on your list.

Combine a day full of travelling and munching on corn chips with nightly happy hour and before you know it you’re back home with the holiday blues (made even worse because your jeans don’t button up anymore).

People often approach holidays as if your time away shouldn’t resemble you real lives. We break way from routine and we relax- and so we should!

For the most part, this is true. You deserve your camper adventure and the cold beers that come with it. But the simple life that comes from traveling with a camper trailer can also quickly turn into the lazy life, think about your long days on the road and watching amazing sunsets.

Being healthy and living in the moment need not be mutually exclusive and there are a ton of great ways that you can maintain an active lifestyle without having to wake up at 5 am or skip the cob loaf.

We know, we know! Exercising is the last thing on your mind when you’re on a well-deserved holiday, but trust us, you’ll thank yourself when you feel fresher, more alert on the road and able to get the most out of your camper trailer adventure.

You can still have fun, eat new things, have a sneaky bev. Remember, you aren’t training for a marathon, you just want to feel good, so you have more energy to do the things you love on your trip.

Exploring Australia means getting out there and getting your hands dirty and being in a camper trailer, you’ve already taken the first step in being immersed in the great outdoors. Being active in Australia is so easy, as any place you’ll go has natural wonderments to explore inside and out, not just from the car window!
Walk as much as you can, skip the bus and take the scenic route home.

Exploring an area on foot or a pushbike as opposed to a bus tour is a really easy way to get more exercise into your day (and you’ll have more fun, too).
If walking isn’t your thing, here are some other activities that will let you see Australia from a different perspective.

• Surfing. The best place to surf in Australia depends on who you ask and we’re sure you have your favourites too, but you can’t go past Bells Beach in Victoria or Cabarita Beach in New South Wales.
• Hiking. We’ve got more natural parks than you can poke a stick at filled with gorges, hills and walking trails. Some of them even let you set up your trailer overnight, but make sure you check ahead.
• Water skiing is a classic Aussie activity in the warmer months. Relive your glory days on the Mighty Murray River on the New South Wales and Victoria border.
• Snow skiing isn’t for the faint hearted, but if you’re traveling during winter there are some great spots to hit the slopes. Ben Lomond in Tassie is our top pick.
• Kayaking through amazing spots like Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia or Katherine Gorge in the Northern Territory are ‘must-dos. Viewing the spot from the sea is a perspective that you can’t beat.

It goes without saying that you’re destined to eat differently than you would at home when you’re on the road. Whether this is your life now or you’re taking a holiday an extra couple of kg’s are almost inevitable. However, a few small sacrifices can mean you still look and feel fantastic.

Snacks can be where you fall even if you have been eating healthy meals. Life on the road can present a lot of opportunities for snacking! Even if you think a hand full of chips here and a square of chocolate there aren’t damaging, it can all add up.
Let’s look at a day in the life of a snacking camper to put it all into perspective.

You open a packet of chips to get you through the long stretch of road and to your first spot to stretch the legs, then some bikkies with your afternoon cuppa, some cheese and kabana to get to know the neighbours and then a little something sweet after dinner. Before you know it- you’ve had a day full of snack-cidents.

Another way that campers can avoid the extra kilos is to resist the urge of take away for dinner after a long day. We get it, cooking can be the last thing on your mind after you’ve either been driving or exploring for hours on end

Luckily, the right Mars Camper comes with all the cooking facilities you need to make a stress-free meal like a pull-out kitchen, sink and stove. Whipping up something easy in your camper is almost as easy as running down to the local take away shop, with much less damage to the waistline. To help you out with meal ideas, check out our list of camper recipes that are quick and easy!

Think about certain foods you would like to try on your trip and plan ahead for them. If competing in the local pubs’ pot and Parma challenge or wine and cheese tasting in the Barossa Valley is on the cards for you, don’t skip it! Instead, take it easy with a light breakfast and lunch.

Still enjoying great times like fish and chips on the beach or a sausage in bread are possible while staying healthy on the road. In fact, they’re encouraged.

If you lead a full-on fitness lifestyle at home, there’s no reason why you can’t keep it up on the road. The alphabet workout has been specifically designed for travellers by Aussie family The Blonde Nomads, and it’s something the whole family can get involved with.

Simply spell out the name of the town you are staying in for a fun, targeted workout.
Maybe avoid waking up in Mamungkukumpurangkuntjunya Hill in South Australia for this one.

You don’t need a Gym to stay fit and healthy while you’re travelling, almost every single location in the country has a good old-fashioned playground for you to use.

If you’re travelling with young ones, you’re bound to end up there anyway and if you’re not, recruit your neighbours’ young ones and head off. With poles and ropes to get the blood pumping, there’s plenty of equipment there for you to get some solid reps in!

This is a guaranteed way to get your legs moving, even if you don’t want to. If you love being with your doggo so much that they’ve come away with you on the road, we can bet you won’t let them go a day without going for a big run and seeing their surroundings.

When you’re in unfamiliar territories or somewhere that is prone to Australia’s range of creatures and creepy crawlies, even the most obedient of dogs should stay close by.

The good news is that this means you’re out and about with them keeping a watchful eye. If you normally just observe from afar, try playing with your dog or running beside them. You’ll enjoy the bonding experience while at the same time getting in some exercise

Happy hours are great for several reasons. They’re a great way to get to know the people around you and swap stories with fellow campers. Having a cold beer or wine can be a great way to cool off after setting up or a day of adventure and is a sunsets best friend.

Alcohol is a calorie trap though and having a few too many can mean you wake up with a sore head and don’t fit in any exercise the next morning. Limit your intake and choose low-calorie options such as mid-strength beer, low-carb wines and ciders. If a mixed drink is more your style, pair it with sugar-free soft drinks or soda water.

Mars Campers are a fantastic option to get connected with nature and explore Australia while living an active lifestyle. Look at our campers to see which option is best for you.