Nomadic Times contributor shares useful tips to help digital nomads create a healthier lifestyle by incorporating more walking into their daily routine.

By Rebecca Brown

Let’s be honest – staying healthy and fit as a digital nomad can be challenging.
Your lifestyle can be overwhelming, and with long hours on your laptop, finding time for physical activity may seem like an overstretch.

That’s where walking comes in – it’s accessible, everyone can do it, you don’t need any special gear, and you can easily incorporate it into your everyday activities. Last but not least, walking comes with amazing health benefits.

Let’s see how including walking in your daily routine can help you live a healthier life, take better care of yourself and perform better at work.

Walking has Benefits

Walking improves your cardiorespiratory fitness, endurance, and muscle strength while reducing the risk of chronic diseases at the same time. It also strengthens the bones and contributes to reducing fat and better weight management.
It also boosts mental health.

When it comes to any physical activity, it has to go hand in hand with a balanced diet packed with micronutrients to keep your body properly fueled for the challenges ahead.

With extended hours of work, going out for grocery shopping and preparing healthy meals isn’t always feasible.

Luckily, you can elevate your nutrition with natural dietary supplements like multivitamin tablets enhanced with healthy superfoods like spirulina.
They are a great addition to keep your health in check when you’re short on time.

Walking is Convenient

Even when you are traveling a lot, walking is an easy and convenient way to stay fit as a digital nomad. No one wants to spend hours working out at a gym when they can be out exploring incredible new places.

Walking is the simplest way to stay in shape, and you can do it anywhere, whenever you have free time. And what’s also impressive about it, since you are discovering new surroundings this exercise doesn’t feel like exercise at all!

One of the best times to walk is in the morning before you have your breakfast. A morning walk in the crisp air can stimulate the mind and body and improve your mood for the entire day.

Create a Daily Walking Routine

Try to include walking into your everyday activities as often as possible. Walk to wherever you need to get instead of using public transport.

When you are on your way to your coworking space or to meet colleagues for a coffee – skip the bus and get there on foot. It will exercise your legs and your core while increasing your heart rate.

Also, walking is a great way to take a break and relieve you from work-related stress, even if you take a short walk around the block. And you know what else is fantastic – walking is excellent for productivity and creative thinking.

Walk with Others

When traveling and working, you are exerting yourself much more than usual, so staying fit and healthy is crucial. Sticking to your workout plans is much easier with a buddy on board to keep you accountable and motivated.

Ask for people in your coworking space if they are interested in joining you for walking tours or hiking.

Also, joining a local walking club will help you stay in line with your fitness goals by preventing you from skipping walks and encouraging you to persist on days when you lack motivation.

Walking to Explore

Exploring new cities and other places on foot has some amazing perks – think about all those sights, smells, and sounds you get to take in by navigating urban streets or countryside.

You may even stumble upon hidden gems like an excellent local café or an incredible shop and engage with the locals. It’s a great way to find out more about their traditional food and culture.

Embracing magnificent natural surroundings allows you to burn calories and have an unforgettable experience simultaneously. Hiking will get your muscles working while immersing yourself in the incredible scenery and completing a workout.

It is a great cardio exercise that will improve your mood and overall health.
Staying in nature also provides much-needed screen-free time, especially important for digital workers.

Fitness Apps to Walk

If you lack motivation and need a little push, don’t worry since there are fitness apps available that will inspire you to get out there and get moving!

MapMyWalks is the app you can use to explore new regions on foot. It allows you to track your mileage and as well as the calories you burn. And with today’s technology, hiking has never been more comfortable! A free AllTrails app allows you to discover trail maps around the world, and more importantly – those nearby.

Remember: you don’t need to be perfect. It’s fine to skip your exercise routine or your regular diet and have a pizza or ice cream once in a while.

Walking makes it easier to have it all – to stay fit and healthy while enjoying amazing journeys, local cuisine, and local social life.

About the Author:

I’m Rebecca, a translator and avid traveler, a book worm and horror flick enthusiast.

My job has given me the amazing opportunity to travel to dozens of countries around the world, and writing on Rough Draft gives me a chance to try to showcase some of them.

Follow me on Twitter.