So you’re heading off on holiday. A chance to relax, unwind and take a break from the old routine.

Exercise probably isn’t top of your holiday agenda. But if you’re taking a course of physiotherapy or osteopathy, it’s important not to let your good efforts slide, particularly in the case of strengthening or rehabilitation exercises.

The exercises our physiotherapists and osteopaths suggest to patients are intended to enhance the treatments they provide when you come to see them. Wellbeing doesn’t take a holiday so it’s important to find time to keep up with your exercises while you’re away from home.

Make your exercises a part of your holiday routine. Find a time that suits you, be it before breakfast, or before you head out for the day. Or how about taking a break from the sun during the hottest part of the day and coming inside to do your exercises?

Here are seven more ways to stay active and take some gentle exercise while you’re on holiday.

1. Go exploring. You’ll be amazed by how many steps you can clock up during a day’s sightseeing. Use a pedometer to keep track – many pedometer apps also tell you how many calories you’ve burned.
2. Take a walk along the beach. Walking on soft sand requires more effort, working your muscles and tendons and burning more calories.
3. Swim. If your holiday accommodation has a swimming pool, make use of it. Swimming is a great form of all round exercise – and half an hour in the hotel pool can help you work off some of the calories in last night’s three course meal!
4. Take advantage of the activities on offer. Most hotels and apartments have daily group fitness activities such as water aerobics in the pool, a guided trek into the hills or a walking city sightseeing tour.
5. If you use weights for your workout at home, improvise by using filled water bottles in place of weights. We also like this No Weight Workout you can do without any fitness equipment.
6. Can’t take your regular fitness DVD away with you? Take your tablet and use YouTube for fitness routines you can follow in your room.
7. Stay motivated with fitness apps. Download a fitness app to your mobile phone or tablet before you go away. Apps like Power 20 offer 20 minute workouts, or how about Pocket Yoga for a more chilled toning session?

Chances are you’ll be more active than you think on holiday. We enjoyed this fun post from Cosmpolitan: 7 Ways You’re Exercising On Holiday Without Even Realising.

If you’re going away soon, enjoy your break!