Getting in shape is tough, no doubt about it. But something that’s also tough but rarely discussed? Maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle ­– especially during the summer season when people are vacationing and healthy food and fitness classes aren’t as easily accessible. To help with that, Mario Garcia, an Orange Theory Fitness trainer for 14 months at the Scottsdale Mayo location, is providing AZ Foothills readers with five exercises to practice while on vacation. Oh, and to make it better, they can all be done in a hotel room. Garcia recommends a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise per day on vacation.

• Push-ups: They may be old school, but they’ve stayed around for a reason. Body weight is all a person needs to stay in shape – so drop to the ground and get going! Garcia recommends at least three sets of 12 to 15 push-ups, a little more or less depending on current health status.
• Squats: Squats are excellent because different kinds focus on many different muscles in the leg.

• Try ballet-style plié squats by turning the toes out and pushing heels forward. Be sure to get a wide stance. These squats target inner thighs.
• For a more quad-intensive and booty-focused work out, turn the toes in and squat in a parallel position. If you want to reach the booty, dip low!

• Lunges: Like squats, there are many types of lunges. Try stepping side to side, dipping low as you step out; try the traditional forward-walking lunges, dipping knees to a 90-degree angle each time; or try the more advanced lunge by jumping side to side and twisting at each stop by placing the second leg behind – this is also great for the core.
• Abdominal Variations: Remember, before seeing results in the stomach region, cutting fat is necessary. To do that, eat lean and work on the cardio. When on vacation, always try to utilize the gym treadmill if available. If unavailable, try high-intensity interval exercises (calisthenics) that get the heart rate up quickly to burn calories. For example: jumping jacks, burpees, jumping jacks in the plank position, jump rope and more. To target abs after that, practice any exercise that focuses on forward and backward motion. Crunches on the floor are solid exercises as well as the “bicycle” exercise, where the back is on the floor and the legs extend out and in (alternating) to connect to the opposite elbow.
• Chair Dips: Great for arm definition, chair dips are the easiest in-room exercise. Grab a desk chair or position yourself at the edge of the bed. Hold on to an edge, place elbows up while legs extend straight forward, and dip the body down by bending the elbows, then push up.