Peloton Instructor Callie Gullickson Shares Her Ultimate Hack for Staying Active On the Road

Even if you've recently designed the perfect weekly fitness routine that works for you or you just added a shiny new piece of equipment to your home gym, one thing's for sure: Nothing can derail a workout routine — and your motivation levels — like travel. And when Peloton Strength and Bike Bootcamp instructor Callie Gullickson is vacationing in Italy or heading back to Florida to see family, she follows one golden rule for staying active.

"The one thing that I go by in my classes [and in my own workouts] is, 'We take the work seriously but not ourselves,'" she explains. "I love having fun in my workouts. Keeping it fun is how I stay motivated [on the road], and you don't have to do your hardest workout while traveling."

Instead, the former dancer and Trader Joe's aficionado chooses her workouts based on one simple metric: What sounds like the most fun way to move? "Maybe it's more of a music-genre class or you're trying a new workout — I think that's always fun," she says. "I teach dance cardio, and if you're like, 'I just need to move. I don't care how I look right now — I just need to humble myself a little bit,' those are the classes to take. It doesn't feel like a workout whatsoever." (Want to try dance cardio for yourself? Check out Shape's favorite online dance classes.)

When traveling for a vacation or over the holidays, Gullickson has learned the fine art of balancing movement with relaxation. The key is remembering the post-workout high she feels after the sweat session is over, she says. "I don't need to work out [on vacation]," she emphasizes. "But I know how good I feel after movement, and I just need something to start my day off right."

For those returning to regular work travel after taking time off during the pandemic, Gullickson suggests viewing your workout as a way to improve your energy levels and mood before a potentially long, hectic day.

"If you're traveling for work, I look at workouts as less of a workout and more of an energy-shifter," she shares. "If you have good energy, you're a magnet for all things to come your way. If you have an important meeting, doing that workout is going to set you up with the best mindset and the best energy so that whatever happens, you know you feel confident and like you gave it your all."

Another travel hack Gullickson relies on to get moving when on the road? Exercise snacks — but not of the Trader Joe's variety. "Sometimes when I'm traveling, my biggest excuse is that I'll be so busy and I won't have time [to work out] when in reality, Ido have time," she points out. "So I start with a short workout. There are so many [workouts] on the [Peloton] app or Bike that are 10 minutes long. Usually, from there, I'm like, 'I can do a little bit more. I'll stay for another 10-minute workout.'"

And there's good news for those prepping for a busy season of travel and wondering how to best fit in workouts. Peloton and Hilton have announced an industry-first partnership. By the end of the year, nearly all 5,400 Hilton-branded hotels in the U.S. (including Hampton by Hilton, Double Tree or Waldorf Astoria) will feature at least one Peloton Bike in every fitness center. In addition, Hilton Honors members will have access to a free 90-day trial to the Peloton App starting today and running until January 1, 2023. With this partnership, Peloton will be able to meet its new and current members where they are — whether that's on the road, at home, or at the gym.

For some, traveling to a new place and taking advantage of this perk might be the shake-up their stale fitness routine needs. "At home, it's easier to get stuck in a routine," points out Gullickson. "It's nice to venture out when you're traveling and try all the different classes that [Peloton] offers on the app and the Bike."

Outside of movement, Gullickson relies on getting enough sleep, journaling, and staying well-hydrated to feel her best when she's not at home. Peloton's in-app sleep meditations, in particular, earn rave reviews from Gullickson. "I love a five-minute morning meditation, or I fall asleep so easily to the sleep meditations — they're so incredible," she says. "You wake up in the middle of the night and you're like, 'Wait, what happened? Is my phone still on?'"

While Gullickson has found a way to balance movement and rest that works for her, it's important to honor what your body needs during travel. And if that includes accidentally sleeping for 10 hours straight in a cozy, quiet hotel room, you do you.