Staying Active on the Road: Fitness Tips for Full-Time RVers

When my husband Bill and I sold our house in Naperville and hit the road in our Winnebago Adventurer, I was terrified I'd turn into a couch potato. I'd been walking the same neighborhood loop for twenty-three years. What would I do without my Tuesday morning water aerobics at the community center?

Well, dear readers, I'm happy to report that four years later I'm in better shape than I was at sixty-two. And I didn't have to do anything extreme — no CrossFit, no marathon training, nothing like that. Just simple, consistent movement that fits around our travel schedule.

Morning Walks Are Non-Negotiable

Here's what I've found: campground loops are surprisingly perfect for walking. Most are flat, paved or well-packed gravel, and you get to be nosy about everyone's setup. I've gotten some of my best recipe ideas from chatting with fellow campers on morning walks. Win-win.

Resistance Bands Changed Everything

My daughter Katie — she's a physical therapist in Portland — gave me a set of TheraBand resistance bands when we first hit the road. I thought they were silly. Little stretchy pieces of rubber? Please. But she showed me twelve exercises I could do right inside the RV or at the picnic table, and now I'm a convert.

They weigh almost nothing, they fit in a drawer, and they genuinely work. I do arm curls, lateral raises, seated rows, and this one move where you step on the band and do squats that absolutely gets my legs burning. Three times a week, twenty minutes. That's it.

Take Advantage of Where You Are

This is the part that took me a while to figure out. When you're traveling full-time, you have access to hiking trails, beaches, state parks, swimming holes, and all sorts of terrain that gym-goers would kill for. Use it!

At Huntington Beach State Park in South Carolina, I walked the beach barefoot every morning — and let me tell you, walking in sand is a workout. At Custer State Park in South Dakota, Bill and I hiked the Sylvan Lake Trail and I was huffing and puffing but we did it. At Lake Havasu, I swam laps in water so blue it didn't look real.

The point is, you're not stuck. You're actually in a better position to stay active than most folks sitting at home.

A Few More Things I've Learned

• Stretch before bed. My lower back thanks me every morning. Just five minutes on the floor — and yes, there IS enough floor space if you move the dog.
• Drink water like it's your job. I carry a 32-oz Nalgene and try to fill it three times a day. I don't always make it, but I try.
• Park farther away at Walmart and the grocery store. Free steps!
• Find the local YMCA or community pool. Many offer day passes for $5-10, and some honor Silver Sneakers if you have it through your insurance.

I won't pretend it's always easy. Some days it's raining and cold and I just want to sit in my recliner and watch Hallmark movies. And you know what? Some days I do exactly that. The important thing is getting back to it the next day.

Bill says I'm more energetic now than when we lived in the house. I think he's right. There's something about waking up in a new place that makes you want to get out and explore it. And exploring, my friends, is just exercise with better scenery.

Stay safe out there, and keep moving. Your body will thank you for it. Trust this old teacher — I know what I'm talking about. Mostly.