Getting Healthy on the Road

I am going to be very honest here. Sometimes staying healthy on the road is difficult. It isn’t something that has ever come easy for me, but over the last two years, I have found excuse after excuse. Some of the excuses have been legitimate, some have been lazy. But that’s how life on the road can be - it requires constantly being intentional with important things.

Sometimes, the road offers unique difficulties that weren’t normal for me while living in a sticks-and-bricks home. Much like day-to-day life, it’s easy to slide into a busy schedule and not make room for my health and wellness. But, you can either face the challenges and work through them or stay exactly where you are. We decided to make changes that help us make our health and fitness a priority while traveling.

Campground Workout Facility

The easiest way to work out is to find campgrounds that have gyms or workout facilities. Quite a few RV resorts offer this, and although they were closed for some time, many of these facilities are back up and running again. These have ranged from a few weights and a treadmill to ellipticals, weights, and even group workout programs with other campers!

National Gym Membership

I’ve met other full-time families that opted to get gym memberships for a national gym. This is a great option as well, as you can know exactly what you may be getting. I even hear it’s a great workaround for a shower when you’re boondocking.

Folding Treadmill for Your RV

I tried running outside when there aren’t gyms available, but I won’t lie, it’s not my jam. I don’t have excellent balance, hate running in the heat and have found that our dog, Dixie, thinks she wants to come with me (and then I struggle with balancing a dog, running, and making sure no potholes jump out at me). Thankfully, with a little looking and an extremely supportive husband, we were able to find a folding treadmill for me! This has been an excellent workout source for me. Although it may not be the right option for everyone, as it doesn’t go top speeds and has a weight limit, this was a perfect fit for us and our rig. We found a great spot to place it out of the way when we don't need it but it is light enough to set up easily.

Yoga in Your RV

I have also set some goals to try and become more flexible, as well. So in between running days, I’ve opted to start some beginner yoga. YouTube has been a wonderful source for videos. All I have to do is set up in the living room and press play!

Get Moving Every Day

Of course, for exercise, it’s always fun to include where you are and fun activities! We take Dixie for walks every day but have also included her in some hikes that we do. We also love to pull out our inflatable kayaks and get some time out on the water! I think this is one of Louie’s favorites and it’s always entertaining for Travis and me.

Eating at Home and Meal-Prep

Another big part of health is eating well. We have found that it is extremely easy to go into vacation mode and want to check out all the local eateries. I have to remind myself to be careful and to treat them as a special occasion. So, in changing to this mindset, we’ve been meal planning, finding good local grocery stores and cooking at home. The grill has been a great friend of ours during the summer months! With planning and cooking at home, it’s important to keep travel days in mind. Because after a long travel day, I like just to order pizza and veg. But, that’s not always the healthy option, so we’ve found a few quick and delicious meals that don’t take a lot of time. Recently, I found that having some leftover options in the freezer is also a helpful way to always have low-calorie, easy-to-cook meals for those days.

With all of these changes in the works, we are determined to get back to our healthier lifestyle again! Enjoy one of our favorite meals - it has no added sugar, gluten, or dairy but is packed full of taste!

Jerk Chicken with Mango Salsa

Ingredients:

3-4 chicken breasts

For the marinade:
1/8 cup yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 jalapeno, chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
1 date, pit removed
1 lime, juiced

For the salsa:
2 avocados, pitted and diced
1-2 mangos, peeled, pitted, and diced
1 jalapeno, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/4 red onion, diced
1/8 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1 lime, juiced
Salt to taste

1. In a food processor or blender, combine ingredients for the marinade. Process until smooth.
2. Place marinade and chicken in dish or ziplock bag and allow to marinate. The more time you can allow, the better, but at least 30 minutes.
3. Cook chicken in a pan with marinade in the oven at 375 degrees for 30 minutes -or- place chicken on the grill and grill chicken until done.
4. While chicken is marinating or cooking, combine all the salsa ingredients.
5. Serve chicken with salsa on top or to the side. We love to pair this with some tortilla or plantain chips and enjoy!

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