Being a digital nomad is all about freedom.. the freedom to explore, work remotely, and live life on your own terms. But let’s face it, with freedom and travel comes the challenge of staying fit and in shape with our exercise and nutrition. Working out and eating clean whilst hopping between tropical beaches, local restaurants and mountain retreats isn’t always easy. But, if we’re not careful, the “nomad bod” can quickly turn into the “permanently on holiday bod.” Luckily, we’ve got you covered. Below are some useful nomad fitness hacks that have worked well for us and allowed us to stay in shape (most of the time) whilst living in Koh Phangan for many years.
These strategies for getting (and staying fit) can work wonders and will fit effortlessly into your nomadic lifestyle no need for a gym membership or carrying around a suitcase full of dumbbells.
1. Staying Fit requires building a Flexible Workout Routine
You don’t need a fancy gym to stay in shape while traveling. With the right mindset and a few simple adjustments, you can train anywhere and stay in shape!
1.1. HIIT Workouts
The key thing is consistency so if you don’t need to work until late morning or afternoon then get into a routine of working out in the morning before you do anything else. Once you get into the swing of it its easy. I prefer HIIT workouts with mainly bodyweight and cardio exercises. You can easily find great ones on youtube that can be done anywhere with little or no equipment.
1.2. Bodyweight Exercises
If you don’t have a way to follow a routine then just do a set number of bodyweight exercises as soon as you get out of bed: Push-ups, squats, lunges, and planks are your best friends.
If youre lucky enough to have a pool or nbe near the sea than go for a swim in the morning or afternoon. Thats a great full body workout. And if you like running, thats a great way to get to know an area and burn calories so why not head out for one or two a week.
Either way the point is, you can easily get a routine of staying fit in Koh Phangan with regular workouts in no matter where you are or how much space you have. You just need to stay disciplined and the best way to do that is do it at the same time every day and/or book times out in your diary a week in advance.
1.3. Join a Co-living to help you with staying fit in Koh Phangan
If you don’t think you can manage that then you can take the easy route and join our Co-living retreat in Koh Phangan Thailand. Where we combine fitness, productivity and social activities in paradise. We stay at our beach front resort where we have a garden gym, Muay Thai training, morning workouts, and yoga session as part of our co-working & co-living for entrepreneurs & digital nomads. (We make the schedule so you don’t even need to figure out the routine. You just have to show up.)
2. Move More Without Overthinking It
Staying active doesn’t mean spending hours in a gym. Here are some sneaky ways to keep moving and stay fit while exploring Koh Phangan and maintaining a busy work schedule. You’d be surprised how much little extra bits of exercise add up. Don’t take the easy route!
2.1. Some of our Top Tips for staying fit whilst moving more!
- Walk everywhere: Explore new cities on foot, take the scenic route, and aim for 15,000+ steps a day. Have a stroll instead of taking a cab/bus.
- Cycle instead of Biking: More adventure, fewer calories consumed.
- Standing desks & mobility work: Alternate between sitting, standing, and stretching while you work.
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator (and don’t be one of those people who stands still on an escalator)
- Carry your suitcase or bag instead of wheeling it! Sounds small but if you’re always traveling we can walk long distances in airports, stations, piers, and between hotels and guest houses, adding a bit of weight helps use use our muscles and stay strong.
- If you are stuck at an airport or waiting for a boat, get up and move around, do laps of the shops, check out the other areas. Don’t just sit at the gate eating Dunkin Donuts or in the lounge sipping Chandon.
3. Nail Your Nomadic Nutrition in Koh Phangan
You can’t out-train a bad diet, and living on Fired Chicken and Margaritas won’t help you stay in shape!
3.1. Below are some Nutrition Tips that have helped us with staying fit in Koh Phangan
- Prioritize protein Grilled chicken, tofu, eggs, or legumes in every meal.
- Healthy snacks for travelers: Nuts, jerky, protein bars, fruit—avoid the “just one croissant” trap. Cheap, healthy snacks like Frit bags, meat sticks and fruit shakes are often available from street vendors in Asian countries like Thailand (where we live).
- Portion control: Share meals or opt for smaller plates or put some in a doggy bag for later. You don’t have to eat it all cos it’s there!
- Hydration: Drink at least 2 liters of water a day. Bonus points if it’s coconut water. If you get hungry all the time try drinking loads of water to fill you up a bit. You’ll consume more calories AND stay hydrated.
- Limit liquid calories: Alcohol and sugary drinks are fun but should be occasional treats. Stick to the skinny drinks and red wine if you must drink. Definitely avoid sugary fizzy drinks. Because whats the point?
Need help staying on track? If you stay on site at our DNA co-living in Koh Phangan then you’ll have access to our beach restaurant that serves healthy meals, juices and shakes that fuel your workouts and adventures.
4. Sleep, Stress & Recovery for Nomads
Your body needs rest. Neglecting sleep and stress management can mess with your metabolism and energy levels. It can be hard to sleep when you’re stressed, busy or on the move but sleep you must.
- Aim for 8 hours a night (don’t worry, no one manages it every night) Use earplugs and blackout curtains if needed.
- Wind-down routine: Herbal tea, journaling, breath work, meditation.. whatever helps you switch off.
- Stress management: Ice baths, sauna, and Muay Thai training can do wonders. (Lucky for you, we have all three at our Co-living Resort in Koh Phangan!)
5. Embrace Intermittent Fasting
If eating healthy on the road feels like a struggle, intermittent fasting might be your secret weapon (it is mine). It allows you more freedom with what you eat, AND it’s not even that hard. Especially if you workout in the morning and don’t eat your first meal till around midday. Then you can eat again about 6pm and you wont get hungry again before bed. Less meals, less calories, more time to burn fat in between meals. Nice.
5.1. Our Top Tips for Intermittent Fasting
- Time-restricted eating: Eat within a 6-8 hour window (e.g., 12 PM – 7 PM).
- Fasted workouts: Burn fat by training before your first meal.
- Simplicity: Fewer meals = less food stress while traveling.
- Health perks: Better digestion, improved focus, and weight control.
- Stay hydrated during fasting periods.
- Break your fast with a balanced, nutrient-dense meal.
- Listen to your body and adjust the fasting window as needed.
6. Structure = Success – Consistency is Key
Nomad life is unpredictable, but setting a structure with your health in mind can be a game-changer. The most important thing (as with all things) is consistency. If you cant work out for long then make sure you do it regularly. One of my mates recently lost a shit load of weight just by doing 100 pushups and squats every day. He’d do 20 or so of each whenever he got time (which is often).
6.1. Our Tips for staying consistent
- Schedule workouts like meetings: Non-negotiable.
- Try a quick 4 min routine every day when you jump out of bed. 50 push ups, 50 lunges, 50 sit ups and 20 burpees. Even just this will make a difference if done every day.
- Stay longer in one place: Gives you time to build habits.
- Run (or swim or skip or whatever) for TWO MINUTES EVERY DAY – it will become routine and you’ll soon be able to (and want to) do 3, 5, 10, 15 mins easily.
- Join a fitness community: Like our Digital Nomad Adventures Co-living in paradise :)! (Yes, we’re shamelessly plugging ourselves again, but for good reason – our co-living has a weekly schedule including some sort of fitness activity EVERY morning, you don’t have to join them all of course but your fellow nomads (and us) will encourage you to join in the ones that will best help you reach your fitness goals.
7. Work Hard, Play Hard (Without the Guilt)
Life is all about balance. Yes, you should indulge in amazing food, local delicacies, and occasional cocktails. Just don’t let “treating yourself” become “every meal is a cheat meal.”
If you do something every day that gets you out of breath then you can enjoy some of life’s pleasures without too much guilt. That’s why I like working out in the morning. If you end up having a beer at sunset and missing the evening run then at least you did one workout.
7.1. We Recommend
- Being mindful, not restrictive: remember, everything in moderation.
- Listening to your body – sometimes rest is just as important as exercise.
- Enjoying your journey, because what’s the point of being a nomad if you’re not having fun?
8. Want a Shortcut to Staying Fit While Living Your Best Nomad Life?
You could try to figure this all out yourself… OR you could book a co-working & co-living package with Digital Nomad Adventures and let us handle the hard part for you. Our co-living packages are from one week to one month and allow you to stay active, productive and connected whilst living the dream with other nomads and entrepreneurs on a paradise island in Thailand.
8.1. What you get
- Beachfront accommodation in Koh Phangan (if you choose the accommodation option)
- Garden gym, ice bath, sauna, and healthy restaurant on-site
- Regular hikes, workouts, yoga, and Muay Thai training
- Mastermind sessions, Thai lesions, workshops, co-working
- Social events like group dinners, nomad meetups, trivia, barbecues and nights out
- A built-in **accountability group of nomads and entrepreneurs**
Starting April 2025, our fitness-focused co-living experience aligns perfectly with our next Beach Meets conference! Why not book both?
8.2. Live on a tropical island, get fit, and connect with inspiring nomads.
- Book your Co-living spot here! https://digitalnomadadventures.com/co-living/
- Explore Our Beach Meets 2025 (https://digitalnomadadventures.com/beach-meets-2025/
