Staying Healthy on the Road

Staying physically healthy might be a little challenging for a full-time RVer. All the conveniences of home are available in an RV, but the temptation to eat quick and kick back and enjoy the view is

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greater. When a beautiful sunset at a different angle is available anytime you please, it is a little hard to think about the best exercise or the healthiest thing on the menu; however, with these tips, you can stay physically healthy while looking at all those wondrous sights that RV traveling/living affords.

Stretching Those Limbs

Staying healthy is getting harder with so many food additives, but this doesn’t mean that it’s impossible. When taking trips to the store, instead of trying to get closer to the door, park a little further out and walk. This bit of exercise may not burn a great deal of calories, but it will give you a chance to stretch those limbs. Stretching is an important activity; as people grow they take less and less time to stretch the muscles of the body. Each time you stop for a dinner break, take the time to stretch — sitting for long periods will really take a toll on the body.

Maintain a Healthy Diet 

Diet is a very important part of staying healthy. Packing a few healthy snacks to eat helps your health tremendously. When eating on the go, grabbing the first thing you see to eat is easy. Usually, this is junk food or fast food, but there are alternatives. Many fruits are now in pop-top cans. This is one option that creates an easy way to carry healthy items around. Carrying a few pieces of fruit in a lunch pail solves the need to eat before meals and cuts the intake of sugary foods. Remember that "whole" foods (bread, fruit, vegies, grains, etc) are always best rather than processed, canned or boxed alternatives. Eat leafy green vegetables on a daily basis in order to keep vitamins up. If you can cook it in a house, you can prepare it in an RV too.  There are many RV cook books that focus on ease of preparation without loss of flavor or health.

Exercising on the Move

A full exercise program for people traveling can get hard to fit into a schedule — especially if you are accustomed to using heavy exercise equipment or visiting your local gym during the week. As an alternative, consider a simple item that will fit in a glove compartment or your pocket: a jump rope. This is a great way to exercise, and the equipment is simple. Any retractable piece of handheld stretching equipment will give strength training, and it is easy to use in your sleeping area if you are traveling.  Also, even though it may not be natural for you at first, if the RV Parks you visit have yoga, exercise or zoomba (zumba) classes, consider taking advantage of them.  Exercising/dancing with others is a powerful incentive to continue.

Drinking Water

A most important and most overlooked health measure is drinking water.  It positively affects every fiber of our being.  Alas, RV travel takes people into many different places and this can create a problem with water. You need to drink an adequate amount of this life-giving substance each day. It keeps skin moisturized and flushes the body keeping down toxins.  Toxins cause fatigue, lower your immune system and contribute to bone and joint problems. When traveling into different regions bottled water is best. If you are not accustomed to drinking water from a new region, things can sometimes get uncomfortable. Some people need to adjust to the water system in different areas. Keeping excess weight off or staying active is essential to staying healthy; with these simple ideas, you can keep a health regimen wherever you happen to find yourself.


Although our health is always and important issue, even more so should we watch our health in a preventative mode while we're on the road.  With doctors being more difficult to find on the road and medicines not as easy to attain...the old saying stands, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."  Happy and healthy travels all!