How do travel and fitness go hand in hand? I will share how fitness plays a significant role in your traveling and has shaped my traveling career. You will discover why it is vital to be fit to travel. I will share two things you may or may not know about me, depending on whether you have booked travel or followed my adventures. One is an essential part of who I am and how I approach life and living, and the other is an inspiration and a reminder of why you must take care of yourself and do when the opportunity presents itself.

I have a separate component called Be Fit to Travel within Boomerang Escapes.

Being fit to travel came from my long history of being in the fitness industry and discovering over the years how taxing travel can be on the body. I was always a fitness buff, having been at the prime of my life when aerobics first took its hold, and shiny spandex was the attire. The love of fitness established in my youth carried over into my early family life as I received my personal trainer and fitness instructor certificates just before discovering I was pregnant with my first child. I taught classes and maintained my certification for about ten years before. Fast forward to my mid-forties, when I opened the agency and life’s stresses had a detrimental impact on my health, I returned to fitness as a motivational coach for Bodi (formerly Beachbody). At this point in my travel career, I was on the road nearly every month, realizing that if I was going to keep up with the pace of activities and enjoy all the things offered, I needed to regain my health. I witnessed many travelers who were also sidelined and unable to participate in something as simple as an easy-grade walk through a rainforest. I had clients who had to cancel major trips due to health issues arising before travel that likely might have been prevented had they spent a little more time on healthcare.

And this is where the second influence comes in. It is something I will never forget. It occurred long before I had any idea I would be a travel agent or, let alone, own an agency. A woman who was in her sixties and ran a consignment shop gave me a crucial piece of advice one day when I was selling some of the kid’s clothes at her shop. We were discussing my husband, who was living and working in Germany at the time. I shared with her how I wanted to see it for myself but wasn’t sure about traveling with the kids and the cost if I should do it. She then told me their dream of traveling the world did not happen. She told me how they had planned to travel the world in retirement. She worked and saved only to have retirement day come and take the dream away when her husband ended up on a dialysis machine. She told me, “Do not wait; go when you can. You never know what will happen in life.” Needless to say, I went to Germany with my toddlers in tow that year to visit their dad.

It’s always possible to begin that journey of health. And it isn’t about the swimsuit body but about longevity and mobility. You want to truly enjoy your rewards when you have worked as hard as you have worked. Feel free to follow @BeFitToTravel or join my private motivational fitness group to spur you on your wellness adventure.

As May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, I encourage you to BE FIT TO TRAVEL.