Traveling With a Backpack Proves Most Workouts Need No Special Gear

She borrows equipment when needed, including a Taekwondo uniform. Traveling with only a backpack taught me that most workouts don't require special clothes or gear. Renting or borrowing equipment has let me try sports around the world without spending a lot.

Focusing on movement instead of appearances has made exercising while traveling much easier. One unexpected lesson I learned from traveling with just a backpack is that you can't make excuses if you want to stay active. If you spend time looking for the perfect outfit, the best gear, or the right location, you'll end up with a long list of reasons why you can't exercise.

I don't have the right clothes to go to yoga class, one of my family members said this week when I invited her to a free session at the local recreation center. We were both vacationing with only a backpack's worth of clothes. She skipped the class, and I went in the same outfit I'd already worn for biking, walking, and pickleball that day.