Health & Fitness Tips + Healthy Eateries + Fitness Facilities + Where to go
Regardless of whether I travel for work or for vacation, I always try to maintain my health and fitness lifestyle tips to keep me on track.
My lifestyle is beyond yo-yo dieting and prepping for the summer holidays, I don’t believe in dieting. The healthy lifestyle I try to maintain is balanced all year round.
5 Health & Fitness Travel Tips
1. The Flight
I stopped eating plane food because I have noticed that it makes me extremely bloated right after I eat it. It contains a lot of chemicals which makes you feel constipated. I prep my plane snacks so I can eat when and what I want.
2. Get in a Workout
It doesn’t have to be hardcore or super long. Just 20 minutes – 30 minutes a day strength and conditioning does it for me. Even if there is no gym, I go out for a walk exploring my new surroundings. Working out in beautiful scenery for me is beyond a workout cause it makes me in a better mood!
3. Routine
I follow the same routine I do when I’m home. I wake up early – have a nice fulfilling breakfast and go for an early morning workout.
4. Location
Lucky to have Travco Holidays chose for me an ideal location! I always research the location of where I’m staying to see where is the closest juice bar, health food café and workout places. I was super lucky that Fruitca and Brunch & Cake were 2 minutes away from my hotel.
5. Indulging in moderation
I love ice cream and I don’t restrict myself from eating what I’m craving for. I don’t know why ice cream tastes better abroad as I’m walking and getting lost in different streets. I usually crave more sweets but I try to replace healthier sweet snacks whenever possible like frozen yogurt, vegan ice cream, no sugar ice cream.
HEALTHY EATERIES
Barcelona’s healthy side is also picking up fast – it definitely wasn’t like that a couple of years ago. Not to mention that a couple of years I ago when I was there the only thing I was doing was eating icecream and fried food. They now have vegetarian and vegan dishes, and juice bars popping out literally everywhere! You here have a list of my favorite healthy food spots in Barcelona
1. Brunch & Cake
This was literally 1 minute from my hotel Evenia Rossello – they have the best blueberry sugar-free muffins I’ve ever had! Apart of that, all their salads are super yummy and you can customize your own. I had a Chicken Quinoa Salad. If you’re a vegan – this is a must-try by the way!
2. Fruiteca
I was pampered by the best smoothies and snacks my entire stay. My favorite was Acai Bowl Carioca! Expect delicious smoothies and nutrient-dense bowls!
3. Flax & Kale
Ultimate hip-healthy restaurant with fab sweet and savory meals.
4. El Rey De La Gamba
If you’re adventurous enough to try black rice paella!
5. La Carioca
Wide range of dishes and drinks that include plenty of healthy spices and superfoods.
6. Fit Kitchen
Super fulfilling healthy lunch meals for maintaining your weight while you’re traveling! They also provide nutrition meal plans if you’re there for long.
7. Green Shots
My first wheatgrass shot! I loved it plus a lot of options for healthy lunches.
8. Manglar
Everything there is made in house, with fresh local ingredients. Brunch there is super cozy! A lot of gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options as well!
9. Teresa Carles
One of my favorites as a salad bar at the entrance just makes me happy! Apart from that, I had the best MATCHA ice cream and yummy vegan tacos.
10. Gut
Super cozy with a lot of veggies and dairy-free options! Something I’m not used to eating is gluten-free bread and definitely loved it!
FITNESS
1. Stactive
It’s basically the meeting place for all types of sports. Andi and Sash, the founders, have been super supportive before and during my entire stay. Thank you so much for being that welcoming, supportive and providing me with all the help I needed in order to schedule my workouts. Don’t hesitate them hit them up once you’re there!
2. Frank – Functional Boxing
If you’re looking to burn those holiday calories while having fun – try a functional boxing workout! Thanks to Frank, who is Nike Sports Talent, by the way, this workout had me reconsidering to relocate to Barcelona J So I guess enough said?
3. Fit Pack
Owned by 2 professionals, Franciso and Stefano, they provide classes ranging from HITT – Full Body Circuit Training – Flexibility etc. Everyone was super welcoming and friendly – I really enjoyed the vibe and the leg burn! Expect a fun group challenge at the end of the workout!
4. Beach Fit Barcelona
Beach workout vibes at its best! Great location to have a splash after your workout sweat.
5. BootChamps
From Urban Bootcamps to Ladies Bootcamps to Circuit Training – a lot of fun options to try! They also have a Foundations class if you’re new to the whole fitness lifestyle.
6. WatchOut Barcelona:
Fitness community of all different sports and facilities located in Barcelona. You can check their Instagram page for more information about fitness.
7. You can literally work out anywhere!
Calisthenics Park is literally an outdoor beach public gym. There are pull-ups bars – high bars – low bars – monkey ladders – basically everything! Great ambiance and you’ll meet a lot of locals showcasing their skills. Meet a lot of cool people at sunrise workouts! You can workout at any park – anywhere by the beach – Barcelona’s vibes leave you at no words.
WHAT TO SEE
There are about 300 tourist places you can go to but below are my top 5. I didn’t have time to explore everything since my stay was 6 nights but I’m definitely having a Part II soon! Stay tuned J
1. Park Guell
One of the beautiful masterpieces that I’ve been to! Gaudi’s work is just literally amazing! I was forced to go by my cousin who is an architect but I enjoyed every part of it. You’ll have amazing views of the city and a lot of cozy paths.
2. Barceloneta Beach
Whether you’re going there for a morning run or a sunrise workout or to have lunch at beachfront restaurants or to have a good swim – this is a best-go. Watch the sunset there, the vibes will leave you with no words. There is nothing extravagant about it, it’s just a peaceful place with people minding their own business.
3. Castillo De Montjuic
First, take the cable car ride up – the views from the top are just amazing! There are a lot of beautiful gardens and fountains you can stop at as well. The most thing I enjoyed, to be honest, is the goosebumps I got from the cable car – I will literally screening “This is UNREAL!”
4. National Art Museum
This is kind of a super magical place. I saw the magic fountain at night – the VIBE was insane and not to be missed. About 500+ people just gathering around and listening to nice music. Other than that, there is a historical garden inside that you can check out too. It’s definitely worth the visit because you will see views overlooking the beautiful architecture that Barcelona has.
5. Parc de la Ciutadella
Every time I walked through this park, something different was happening. There was a table tennis tournament then the other day there was a couples-yoga event and lots of picnics on the weekends. The park is huge and there are lots of space to have a run, exercise, bike, or sit and chill for a bit.
Follow Amira’s footsteps and book your trip to Barcelona right here!
About the Author
Amira Azmi
My health and fitness journey started when I decided I want to lose weight. As I was losing weight and trying to tone my body, I found empowerment. Through acquiring a balanced healthy lifestyle, I wanted to help other women reach their goals. I’m a Certified Health & Fitness Coach and a Certified Fitness Trainer with a media production background that winded me up launching my own production house “FitCore Production” to produce health and fitness-related content.
