Airport lounges are making me LAZY (confession time)

Hello Reader,​
✉️ Monday Momentum #28

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Heya Fit Travel Tribe,​
Okay, I need to confess something in this week's Monday Momentum...something that's been bugging me for weeks...

🛋️ Airport lounges are making me lazy (& I love them anyway) 🛋️

Here's the thing: I've been to so many airport lounges in the past 1.5 years that I've literally lost count. Munich, Istanbul, Sofia, wherever my favorite credit card gets me in for free.

And every single time, I sink into those colorfully curated chairs, snag my double espresso, and get excited to SIT FOR HOURS and do work on my laptop before my flight.

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But here's what hit me at that recent, bougie two-story lounge in Munich: ​
​👉👉👉When was the last time I exercised at the airport?

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I haven't stopped exercising at airports because I'm shy or embarrassed. I'm used to people staring...

I get paid to workout in front of people >>> because I've been a group fitness instructor for 9+ years, of course 😅

I started my business based off of travel + exercise.

Therefore, it feels bizarre to me how I've "fallen off the rails" with doing something so routine for me.

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👋 Hello from Jersey!

In one week, I was in 3 locations in the States:​
1️⃣ Landed in DC for paperwork
2️⃣ Visited a friend in Richmond, VA (while waiting for my paperwork)
3️⃣ Then home in Jersey for Thanksgiving and visiting family

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I'm somewhat camping out in Jersey for some time to visit family and friends, run a few errands and do some Black Friday shopping, plus waiting to pull the trigger on ANOTHER last minute flight back to Sofia (for more paperwork).

I'm running hella low on Schengen days allowing me to be in Bulgaria, so I'm navigating last minute travel and though it's not fun, I'm grateful for having flexibility in my schedule and points so it's not outrageously expensive.

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Here are some notes from the trail:

• ✈️ Lost count of airport lounges since getting my Venture X card (Munich's two-story one was FANCY)
• 🧘‍♀️ Focusing on foam rolling while I use my Bodypump weights for strength training - gotta relax the muscles (haven't had a proper massage in Sofia in awhile so I'm making do)
• 🏃‍♀ Ran a 10k just for funsies because I hadn't done a longer distance like that in all of 2025 (my right hip flexor was screaming a bit)
• 🏋️‍♀️ Calculating how many dumbbells I can move in a single (FREE) checked bag from my New Jersey home to my Sofia home (it might seem crazy, but I have VERY specific Les Mills weights that are VERY expensive)
• 💻 Bought a new laptop for Black Friday! (Yes, I used my new credit card so I can earn another signup bonus- aka a massive pile of points for free flights) (if you want this new card, email me for a referral link please!)
• 👟 Snagged an amazing discount on sprinting performance sneakers (regular running shoes don't have the correct padding for my sprint sessions; just hope they fit because I have big, wide feet)

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Staying at my sister's house in Jersey. She has many cats, but this is one of my favorites.

Enjoying stability in a kitchen to cook healthy meals (kale, sweet potato, chicken meatballs, & cottage cheese with honey and red pepper flakes). Also, re-watching Scandal on Netflix.

Cats + boxes = always adorable

Love having access to my Les Mills bar and weight plates to get in some solid Bodypump sessions.

Central New Brunswick. It's much harder to "get in my steps" since I'm not walking around as much, like I am normally in Sofia. Trying my best to barely get 10k a day.

10k run in a favorite riverside park and got to pass the Rutgers stadium. In undergrad I was here for EVERY home football game since I was in the marching band.

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👉 Honestly, I'm unsure if I'll still be in Jersey, Sofia, or "somewhere else" in two weeks for my next edition. Only time will tell!

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💪My Complete Travel Fitness Equipment Guide (Just Updated!)

A few months ago I got a new "fitness toy" (aka workout equipment) for when I travel. I realized recently that I needed to update my portable equipment guide to include it!

​Inside this UPDATED guide:​

• The 3 pieces of equipment I now pack for every trip
• My actual travel yoga mat that folds easily into my backpack compartment
• The new "fitness toy" I'm obsessed with (#3 on the list)

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Will some items surprise you? Yes! ​
​Are they actually small & portable? For sure!

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I cover 11 items plus answer the big questions:​
⏩Can you build muscle with bands?
⏩What about using everyday items instead?
⏩How do you pack it all without adding bulk?

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📍 Airport Terminals --- where 5am martinis and yoga in the terminal coexist ✈️💪

Real talk: I've been slacking on airport fitness.

The second I walk into a Priority Pass lounge (thanks to my Capital One Venture X card), fitness mode = OFF

It's the vibe.

Lounges scream "business" and "relax" and "have another mini croissant."

Even though my literal business IS fitness, I can't bring myself to break a sweat in there. Would staff even give me the side-eye for standing stretches?

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👉 So what does this mean? ​
​I need to flip my routine:

Exercise FIRST in the terminal, THEN hit the lounge.

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The terminal is your gym. Nobody cares what you do out there.

Gate stretches? Fair game.

Walking lunges past Duty Free? Totally normal (in my world).

Yoga mat session near an empty gate? Chef's kiss.

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Want to be "that person" who goes the extra mile and spends a few minutes of movement before the long-haul flight?

⬇ ⬇ ⬇

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I have a long-haul flight to Sofia in December.

My promise to you all: I'm pulling out my travel yoga mat and doing 30 minutes of stretching in the terminal.

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Will people stare? Probably.
Will my body thank me? Absolutely.
Will I still hit the lounge after? You bet.

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Be my accountability buddy. ​
Reply and tell me you're doing this too. Or tell me I'm insane. Either way, I want to hear from you.

📖 My travel best yoga mat and gear guides (here, for your inspiration)

✈ Airport Lounge Access Without Breaking the Bank

I still love lounges, so let's talk about how to get access!

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Look, Priority Pass memberships are expensive if you buy them outright. But here's how I get lounge access for basically free:

💳 Capital One Venture X Card - My ride-or-die for lounge access

• Unlimited Priority Pass lounge access (worth $469/year alone)
• $300 travel credit annually (set aside for you to spend on yourself)
• 10,000 anniversary bonus miles
• Price match + price drop (so you always get the best deal)
• Annual fee: $395 (worth it? YES - see below)
  ​

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I'll add another quick confession for today's edition...

At first glance, I DID NOT WANT this card.

Why? ​
​I didn't want to pay $395 for a card.

Let me be clear....

You're "setting aside" $300 for the year to travel. It's money you spend on yourself; it's not lost.

So if you'll spend at least $300 on travel each year, then the card only costs $95 for the lounge access + other perks.
​This makes it WELL worth it!

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Besides lounge access...want to learn more about how you can earn free flights + hotel stays? CLICK HERE!​

Always on my mind: More money for more travel! 💸

“ The only workout you regret is the one you didn't do. ​​ ​ — (Unknown) But especially true before a 10-hour flight

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Happy travels and healthy living,

Heidi​
​Heidirunsabroad.com​

Note: Some images and GIFs sourced from Unsplash and Giphy.