Trips don’t always go according to plan, and if something unexpected should happen while you’re traveling, travel insurance can provide a much-needed safety net. In the event your flight is canceled or delayed, for example, or you experience a medical emergency during transit, travel insurance can help. Additionally, travel insurance can offer reimbursement for certain incurred travel costs as well as provide 24/7 travel assistance and emergency medical help if needed. Plus, with options such as Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR), you are able to book travel with the confidence that even if you need to cancel your trip--for any reason--you can recoup some travel costs. 

Ketanga Fitness Retreats highly recommends that each participant purchases a comprehensive travel insurance policy. 

A travel insurance policy can provide trip cancelation coverage in the case that you or a traveling companion test positive before your trip and are required to quarantine. Similarly, if a non-traveling family member is diagnosed and requires your care, you may be eligible for coverage. Please note that all policies and providers are different, and you must read through your policy for exact coverage details.

If you or a travel partner contracts Covid while on your trip, you could be eligible for trip interruption, trip delay, emergency medical, and medical evacuation coverage:

• Trip interruption provides coverage for the unused portion of your prepaid non-refundable expenses as well as any additional transportation expenses you may incur to return home or re-join your trip.
• Trip delay provides coverage for any additional expenses you may incur, such as hotel and meals, if a physician orders you to physically quarantine while on a trip and you are delayed by it.
• Emergency medical and evacuation provides coverage for medical expenses incurred while treating the coronavirus and emergency evacuation if medically necessary.

Also, if you test positive while traveling, travel assistance can help you make arrangements for lodging and bookings to extend your stay as well as helping to refer you to a local clinic or medical facility if you are experiencing symptoms.

It is important to note that travel insurance does not cover FEAR of contracting coronavirus. If you are concerned that this may become an issue or that you. may have un-covered reasons for cancelation, it is highly recommended to purchase a Cancel For Any Reason policy upgrade!

CFAR is a great option for anyone who is concerned that they may need to cancel their trip for any reason. Many insurance providers offer a CFAR upgrade. With Travelex in particular, a CFAR upgrade is available on a Select Plan. You will have up to 48 hours before the start of your trip to cancel for any reason, and you can be reimbursed up to 50% of your nonrefundable trip costs. Note that In order to be eligible for reimbursement with this optional upgrade, you will need to insure all non-refundable trip costs within your policy at the time of purchase. Additionally, the Cancel For Any Reason upgrade must be purchased with your initial plan and within 15 days of the initial payment made for your trip.

I assume you refer to the difference between flight insurance and travel insurance in general. Generally, flight insurance provides basic coverage for situations like flight delay and cancellation (due to reasons out of your control), lost/stolen/delayed luggage, medical emergencies, etc. Travel insurance covers all the situations covered by flight insurance and many more, for higher amounts and a wider variety of reasons/causes. 

So depending on your personal needs and concerns, you may not be fully protected with flight insurance alone.

Hands down to floor, jump back to plank, lower body to the ground, and push up as you hop your feet forward and jump up. (Step your feet in and out and remove the jump for a low-impact option).

Standing with your feet about hip width apart, lower hips down into a squat aiming for hip crease below knees, then press down through feet to stand up, cross right leg back at an angle (cross your thighs) and lower down into a curtsy. Stand up coming back to squat stance, squat and then curtsy on other side.

Start by laying on the ground with arms and legs extended. Lift arms and legs squeezing into your back and glutes then release. Bring hands to sides of chest and press up to high plank, lower down onto one elbow, then the next, then press back up to your hands one at a time. With control lower your body back down to the floor to repeat.

Stand with feet under hips, step back with right leg and gently lower knee down to floor, then push back up to standing position, switch to left leg. From there, step out to your right side, bending right leg and keeping left leg straight, knees and toes pointing forward. Push off right leg to come back to center and switch to left side. Then repeat sequence.

Laying on your back, inhale as you extend arms and legs long. As you exhale, crunch up using your core and bring right hand to tap left leg, lower and repeat on other side. Keep alternating.

Get to know Coach Amanda at amandabutlerfitness.com or on Instagram @amandabutlernyc.

Join Amanda's Recharge & Reconnect Retreat April 27-May 1, 2022 in Costa Rica!

Instead of taking a hop-on hop-off bus tour, try a bike tour! This is a great way to explore new territory and cover a lot of miles in a short amount of time. It’s a budget friendly activity that keeps you moving without being stuck in a gym or on public transportation. I would recommend booking an organized tour through a quick google search or check out Airbnb Experiences. A local guide will be able to show you all the best spots in town and you might meet some other travelers along the way. We have included bike tours on many Ketanga Fitness Retreats in the past (Mallorca, Montauk, Cape Cod, and Nashville to name a few!) Check out Ketanga’s recent trip to Nashville, and some of the photos from our bike tour here!

Many vacations include visiting a body of water at some point or another. Instead of lying in your beach chair all day, try taking some snorkel gear, signing up for a surfing lesson, joining the locals in a beach volleyball game, or simply taking a walk along the coast. This little bit of blood flow can boost your energy and mood for the day. Check out our upcoming Costa Rica trip for surfing and more!

No gym? No problem. Only have 20 minutes? Don’t sweat it. A mini band is cheap, easy to pack and can provide an effective, quick workout. Ketanga Coach Sarah Gawron shared a great mini band workout with us on Instagram recently. Check it out here! Some other portable pieces of workout equipment you could easily throw in your bag include gliders, a jump rope or a resistance band!

Do as the locals do, right? Traveling to a new place often means trying new foods, navigating new terrain and getting out of your comfort zone. When I travel, I try to book at least one activity that is completely new to me. Oftentimes this is something that is active and gets me moving. Need some ideas? How about Flamenco dancing in Spain or Horseback Riding in Ireland? I also love finding a local trail or hike to connect with nature and the local area. I would suggest using MeetUp.com to find other hikers/travelers if you need a buddy!

What better way to refuel and recharge than signing up for a Ketanga Fitness Retreat? (Of course we had to throw this on the list!) Ketanga offers international and domestic retreats that combine adventure, fitness and relaxation. You can check out our full retreat line-up here and explore some of our past retreats here. If you are a studio owner or fitness instructor that would like to put on your own retreat, contact us at info@ketangafitness.com to see how we can fully customize a fitness retreat for your clients!

At the end of the day, get out and get your body moving! You will return home feeling accomplished and recharged versus exhausted and burnt out. Have other suggestions for staying active on vacation? Tell us in the comments below! 

Travel allows you to escape your everyday routine and change things up from what you are used to. It is so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day, we often lose sight of what is really important in life. “Changing our routine once in a while is a good way to reset,” says Sara. When you are in a new environment, you become more aware of your surroundings and start seeing beauty in the little things. Tired of your job? Feel like you do the same thing every weekend? Plan a trip away from home and see how travel can give you the mental reset you might need.

If there is one thing I have learned from my travels, it is that you always have to expect the unexpected. From cancelled flights and hurricane warnings to language barriers and getting lost on the metro, there will always be barriers to overcome while traveling. Facing adversity, though, will teach you to be resilient and give you a newfound confidence to take on the world. When you successfully navigate a foreign city or bargain with a salesman in another language, you are proving to yourself that you are capable. These learnings can be reapplied to your life back home and give you the confidence you need to crush a job interview or close a client negotiation. 

One of the many benefits of travel is the learning that comes from visiting a new place. Sara says, “Being exposed to different cultures, rituals, landscapes, foods, etc. can help us gain a greater appreciation for humanity and challenge our opinions, biases or world views.” Whether you are exploring the Mayan Ruins, climbing the Great Wall of China, or studying Michaelangelo’s masterpiece in the Sistine Chapel, you are no doubt learning a great deal about the history and people that make up the culture in the place you are visiting. When we experience first-hand how other people live their lives, we expand our horizons and gain a new perspective on the world. This increases curiosity and creativity, boosting happy hormones in the brain. 

"One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” – Henry Miller

It does not matter whether you are traveling alone, with friends, family, or strangers -- there are countless ways to feel connected to others while traveling. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, “social connection can lower anxiety and depression, help us regulate our emotions, lead to higher self-esteem and empathy, and actually improve our immune systems.” When you travel with others, you are experiencing new adventures together, trying foreign foods, and creating memories that will last a lifetime. On the other hand, traveling alone can feel daunting, but simply asking a local for dinner recommendations or bonding with another solo traveler can spark feelings of social connection. 

According to the Psychological Science journal, “people derive more happiness from the anticipation of experiential purchases and that waiting for an experience tends to be more pleasurable and exciting than waiting to receive a material good." Traveling is made up of experiential purchases and can come in many different forms. Want to kayak through the Wailua River in Hawaii? Take a zip lining adventure in Costa Rica? Meditate on the beaches of Mexico? Experiences like these increase gratitude and encourage us to live in the moment. As Sara describes, “practicing to decipher and stay rooted in who we are as our context changes can help us become more aware of ourselves.” Being present can decrease stress about the future and remind us what is truly important.

For anyone who wants to travel but is still feeling nervous or unsure about it, Sara recommends taking it slow. “Take your time and be compassionate with yourself. For over a year now we've been told it's dangerous to travel, so it makes sense for us to be hesitant. It can be tempting to feel like we ‘should’ travel just because we can, but there is no need to place such a burdensome expectation on ourselves. Doing necessary research and processing the impact of this previous year can help us get to a space where we are ready.” 

Get to know Sara and follow her on IG @millennial.therapist where she shares tips and content to normalize human experiences and encourage self-reflection.

Are you feeling inspired to plan your next trip yet? At Ketanga, we are so ready to get #BackToTravel and have been working hard on a stellar end of 2021-2022 Fitness Retreat lineup. Check out our instagram for more travel inspo @ketanga_fitness and visit our website to see upcoming retreat details. We hope to see you on a Ketanga Fitness Retreat soon!

When you need an extra boost for your workout or to stay focused at the office, it can be hard to find a sustained energy source made from only the best ingredients without any artificial preservatives or flavors. I recently came across CELSIUS Fitness Drinks, and I’m obsessed! Different from other energy drinks, CELSIUS uses energizing ingredients like green tea extract, guarana seed extract and vitamin B and is clinically proven to boost your metabolism and help burn body fat when combined with exercise. Also, it doesn’t cause the jitters! Ketanga partnered with CELSIUS on a recent retreat to the Hudson Valley where we offered guests a boost during the morning movement workouts. I wasn’t a bit surprised with the amazing feedback, even from those who do not drink energy beverages regularly! So CELSIUS had to be my #1 for this list of ways to stay energized as the seasons change. And for fall in particular, try the Sparkling Fuji Apple Pear for a seasonal and delicious flavor! Learn more at CELSIUS.com!

Sleep! It's that strange thing we don't want to do when we're out having fun in the evening but that we want more than anything else when that alarm goes off in the morning. Getting a good night's sleep is integral in being energized during the day, particularly as the seasons are changing and the darkness comes so much earlier in the day. In order to get that good, restful sleep that will energize you in the morning, keep these three things in mind:

1. ​​Maintain a consistent sleep schedule—that means set a bedtime and not just a wake-up time! Set an evening alarm to prepare you an hour before bed so you can do what you need to do to make it under the covers by your designated time.
2. Screens off! I know you've heard this one before, but have you really tried it? I like to read before bed and lately I have been reading on my phone, so that's kind of cheating... BUT it is a lot more restful than watching TV before I drift into sleep.
3. If there is something on your mind that prevents you from falling asleep such as a list of things you need to do the next day, simply write it down on a piece of paper before you go to bed. This simple technique will allow you to free your mind of the hounding thought without fear that you'll forget it in the morning since it is down on paper!

Movement is sooo important when it comes to energizing yourself, especially on those chilly, dark or rainy days when you just want to stay home. On our fitness retreats, we always like to kick off the day with some morning movement as it really sets the tone for the rest of the day whether we are headed out for adventure or staying in to relax. As the seasons change, some of my top tips to stay moving are: 

• Start your day with movement, even if it's not your actual workout! Do walking lunges to the bathroom or stroll around the block while your coffee is brewing. Once the initial shock of waking up is over, you'll find it much easier to make these little routines into healthy habits.
• Find an accountability buddy who you can sign up for virtual fitness classes with. You'll see each other (if it's on a video platform like Zoom) and you'll feel more inclined to keep the date and not cancel when someone else is involved.
• On those days when you're just feeling lazy and want to Netflix and chill, give yourself a break. While you would ideally do some physical activity each day, sometimes your mind and body need a day off, and that is ok. But before you get snuggled, do me a favor and do one workout move, let's say hold a plank for one minute. Not too bad, right? So now, roll over and do 30 crunches. Guess what, you're exercising! Once you get started (which is usually the hardest part), you'll be more motivated and energized to keep going, even if you end up doing just five minutes of core on the floor!

We all know how important it is to drink water and how crappy and unenergized we can feel when we are dehydrated. I am one of the lucky people who actually likes water (my aunt hates it, how is that even a thing?!), but I still often find myself going hours between sips. I've upped my intake by making a game of it using some clever water bottles (available on Amazon). Using marks on the bottle, I challenge myself to drink about an inch (10oz) of water every 2 hours. When I look at it that way, it's so easy to achieve my goal of 64oz per day, and I often find myself getting ahead and refilling the whole bottle. Next goal: one gallon per day!

These energy balls couldn't be easier to make, and they are really truly delicious! I make them in bulk and freeze until I'm ready to use them. They are versatile and tasty; I've had them as breakfast, a snack and even as a boost before a workout! I made up this recipe, so I hope you like it! Here's how you make them:

Ingredients:

• 2 scoops (about half a cup) of protein powder (I like to use chocolate or vanilla whey)
• 1.5 cups of oats
• 1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons (raw) honey
• 3-4 tablespoons of almond milk
• Handful of toppings like chocolate chips, chopped almonds, coconut flakes, raisins, or chia seeds (optional)

Instructions:

• Pour protein powder, oats, peanut butter and honey into a bowl and mix until well-combined.
• Add in the almond milk about a tablespoon at a time and keep mixing until you have the right consistency: sticky enough and not too liquidy to hold a ball shape. 
• Mix in the toppings of your choice!
• Roll into ping pong ball-sized balls. Pop into the fridge or freezer to harden a bit and enjoy!