Why I’ll Never Travel without Audio Fitness App Aaptiv Again

I live out of airports, sleep in overnight buses and work from local coffee shops. In fact, I’m writing this from a Sri Lankan flight en route to Colombo, after spending 11 hours in Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport having flown in from Pakse, Laos after boating and busing from the southernmost islands. I seldom settle in a place long enough that warrants a gym membership, but I’m readily aware that both my mind and body are wrought by workouts and, perhaps moreover, meditation.

Traveling leaves little “me time,” however—at least in the concerted sense, since most of solo travel is intrinsically “me time.” Amid navigating uncharted streets, catching connecting flights, hopping hostels, writing and working while wandering and desperately trying to sustain an adequate sleep schedule (mostly to no avail), I’ve found it an even more taxing feat to focus on nothing and no one but myself. Self-care has become a chore in and of itself.

Was a chore, rather. That was until I downloaded Aaptiv, an audio fitness app that allows me to take my workouts and meditation sessions on the road with me—so I can make that time wherever, whenever for however long I have. I’ve since found myself running along rivers, meditating atop mountains, doing yoga on beaches and counting crunches in city parks. I’ve started stretching in airport lounges and ruminating in rail cars. And I’ve realized just how critical mind and body exercises are to my health and happiness during my travels; I need them both to evade burnout and to maintain some level of routine to keep me centered in a lifestyle that’s, frankly, defined by erraticism.

So here’s what I love about Aaptiv, and why I’ll never travel without it again.

1. There are always different trainers from which to choose.

Aaptiv boasts a gamut of trainers who appeal to different personalities because the team behind the app understands that there’s intimacy in finding the “right” trainer for you. There are, therefore, 15 certified trainers from which to choose—but something about Aaptiv has me feeling a personal tie to the same few trainers to whom I’ve found myself turning time and time again.

What I find most empowering about the app is that there are so many inspiring and supportive women teaching these audio classes, inviting listeners to reach out for personalized advice. Nothing motivates me more than woman-to-woman mentorship.

And I’m not alone. Sixty-one percent of Aaptiv users revisit the same trainer in their first four completed workouts, and that number climbs to 81 percent upon completion of their first five workouts. That’s because those connections we foster in person are somehow replicated digitally, only with much more convenience and affordability.

2. There are always boundaries to be pushed.

I’ve been kickboxing for years as it’s the only workout to which I’ve ever truly stuck—I much prefer to punch a bag than lift dumbbells. So I’ve rarely broken away from boxing because it’s not often that I anticipate another workout sating my appetite for adrenaline to the same extent. But with Aaptiv, I don’t have to spend dollars on a workout I may or may not enjoy; rather, I have boundless opportunities to try something new each day.

I never thought I’d be flexible enough for yoga, but practicing with Aaptiv is getting me there—slowly, but surely. Likewise, I never considered myself a runner, but Aaptiv’s trainers keep me aflame with enthused company. Aaptiv always has fresh audio content coming in with over 30 new classes per week, so I’ve the option to keep up a kick or push new boundaries with an entirely different type of workout.

3. There is always a time and a place.

Since downloading Aaptiv, I seldom find myself complaining that there’s not enough hours in the day. Because the fact is that I don’t always need more hours—sometimes mere minutes will suffice.

Some of Aaptiv’s workouts and meditation sessions are just three to five minutes long. And because every minute of concentrated “me time” counts, I appreciate being able to squeeze in as much or as little of it as I feasibly can. I don’t guilt myself for falling behind; rather, I feel fulfilled solely from doing my best. I’m only human, after all, and if there’s anything travel has taught me, it’s that I only have to do what I can, when I can with what I’ve got. And Aaptiv helps me do just that.

Download Aaptiv here to start your free trial. I’m vouching that it’s worth it.