Stef and James launched TheFitRV.com with the goal of “keeping you and your RV on the road.” As a Top 50 RV Blog, The Fit RV delivers valuable tips and tricks to help RVers enjoy a happier, healthier RVing experience. Whether you’re looking for workouts, recipes, RV advice or park reviews, TheFitRV.com can help.
Have you ever wondered what qualifies a person as “old?” Many say it’s the arrival of a certain age. Others simply claim old age begins when our first grand baby is born. Still, some believe we should consider ourselves “old” after we develop certain physical attributes. Of course, we all grow older, but becoming “old” isn’t something that is inevitable or forced upon us, as many choose to believe. It comes down to our choices and how we decide to live as the years pass us by.
Staying active is the key to aging well and remaining healthy and on the road for a long, long time. There are all sorts of opportunities to stay active, even if you live in your RV full time. Yet it can be way too easy to relax the day away in a lawn chair, watching the activity around you instead of engaging in it. But by doing so, you’re missing out, letting your body grow older in the process.
Below, I have included some ways you can incorporate more activity into your busy RV lifestyle that will help you to look younger, feel healthier and improve your overall quality of life.
1. Make Rules About Sitting
Sitting down is potentially the worst thing we do for our health all day. Sitting causes a chain of problems from our heads to our toes, and increases our risk for serious health issues. Just Google “sitting disease” for some real eye-openers. Make a plan to limit the time you spend sitting. For example, make a rule that after every hour of sitting, you’ll get up and move around for 15 minutes.
2. Pick an Active RV Park
Nowadays, RV parks work hard to cater to active RVers. They offer organized activities and amenities that promote a healthier lifestyle. Before your next trip, do a little research and find a park that might offer opportunities that interest you; whether it be a pool, gym, or a nightly pickleball social gathering.
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3. Start the Engine, Hit the Road
You’ve worked hard and earned your beautiful home on wheels, but when’s the last time it encountered an unfamiliar road? Taking a trip to somewhere new offers tons of natural opportunities to get out and get moving. Walk around and exploring a new city or go hiking in a National Park. After all, who wants to stay sedentary when your motorhome can take you somewhere new and amazing each and every day?
4. Get Motivated by Reading
It’s easy to find inspiration from like-minded people who live healthy and active lifestyles. Seek out blogs which can provide workouts for RVers, healthy recipes on the road and lots of healthy RV-tailored living advice. I humbly suggest TheFitRV.com, my own website! You can also read books about aging well, like my two favorites: Younger Next Year and Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. Once you start reading about the impact physical activity can have own your mind and body, you won’t be able to resist the urge to lace up your athletic shoes!
5. Reach Out to Your RV Neighbors
The fact is, RV parks are full of people who share your love for RVing along with other common interests, yet we so often refuse to go beyond a friendly “hello.” A huge part of aging well is staying social. Turns out, social isolation may actually be a big risk factor for human mortality, according to a meta-study performed by researchers at Brigham Young University. So try reaching out to your RV neighbors. Invite them on an evening walk around the park. You never know, you might just create some lifelong friends and improve your health at the same time.
6. Don’t Take a Vacation From Exercise
Our bodies need exercise, even when we don’t want it, and even when we’re on vacation. Foregoing exercise can set you up for some serious health problems. Without exercise, our bodies age at a more rapid pace. We lose muscle, gain fat and our mobility decreases. So aim for the Center for Disease Control’s recommendation of 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week (brisk walks count), along with two days of full-body strength training.
7. Explore Community Activities
Do some research and seek out interesting community sponsored events. Find a local rec center and check out the class schedule, or look for a sports league with pickup games you could join. Most communities offer a wide range of activities capable of holding just about anyone’s interest. A big part of staying active and young at heart involves trying new things. What have you got to lose?
8. Keep an Activity Calendar
Try prepping your activity calendar a week at a time, and schedule things like fitness walks, hikes, classes, swim time or even social gatherings with the neighbors. That way, you can see where your week looks a bit lacking, and you can work to find additional activities to fill the gaps. It’ll keep you off the couch AND keep you fit.
Remember, the most important part of staying active is consistency. Choose activities that are interesting for you, and that you can see yourself sticking with on a regular basis. Since we already know that being fit increases the quality of our lives, make up your mind to create a more active RV lifestyle for you and your loved ones. Through physical activity, you can become a better version of yourself, and you will live a longer, happier life. For more information on healthy and active RVing, stop by TheFitRV.com.
About the Author
Stefany Adinaro is an RVing exercise specialist and the self-proclaimed “better half” of the website she maintains with her husband James. While she loves her RV adventures, her favorite adventure is being “Mugga” to her grand babies Amelia and Eli. To learn more, check out TheFitRV.com!