How To Stay Fit On A Las Vegas Trip
Las Vegas is built to keep you up late, eating well and sitting at the tables. It is also, surprisingly, one of the easiest cities in America to stay active in, if you know how. Here is how to enjoy the casinos, shows and buffets and still come home feeling good.
The Strip is a workout in disguise
The Las Vegas Strip runs for roughly 4.2 miles (about 6.8 km) along Las Vegas Boulevard, and its resorts are enormous. A walk from your room through the casino floor, across a pedestrian bridge and into the next resort can easily be a kilometre. Visitors who explore on foot regularly log 15,000 to 20,000 steps a day without trying. Distances are deceptive, too: the resort that looks five minutes away is often twenty.
- Plan a walking route each day instead of taxis for short hops, using the indoor walkways and bridges between resorts.
- Take the stairs or escalators on foot rather than standing still.
- Wear proper shoes. Casino carpets and marble floors are hard on feet in sandals.
Respect the desert
Las Vegas is in the Mojave Desert. Summer daytime temperatures often pass 40°C (104°F), and the air is very dry, so sweat evaporates fast and you can become dehydrated without noticing. Heat exhaustion is a real risk for visitors who go running at midday.
- Exercise outdoors early in the morning or after dark.
- Carry water everywhere and drink before you feel thirsty.
- Use the air-conditioned resort walkways for long walks in summer.
- Give yourself time to acclimatise before hard outdoor exercise.
Resort gyms and hotel-room workouts
Most large Strip resorts have well-equipped fitness centres, often attached to a spa. Access policies vary: some include the gym in the resort fee, others charge a daily fee, so check before you book. If you would rather not pay, everything in our 15-minute fat burning workout fits between the bed and the window. Do it before breakfast, while the casino is at its quietest.
For something special, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area lies roughly 15 miles (about 25 km) west of the Strip, with hiking trails and a scenic loop road popular with cyclists. Go early, carry plenty of water and check trail conditions.
Casinos, sitting and the clockless room
Casinos famously have no windows and few clocks, which makes it very easy to lose track of time. An hour at a blackjack table turns into four, and dinner turns into midnight. Build movement into your gaming:
- Set a timer on your phone and stand up and walk a lap of the floor every hour.
- Choose games that move. A craps table, where players stand, is more active than a slot stool.
- Set two budgets before you start: your gambling bankroll and your bedtime. When either runs out, you are done. Our post on cheat days and meals explains why planning treats in advance works so well.
- Get morning daylight. A walk outside after waking helps reset your body clock after a late night.
Food and drink
In many casinos, drinks are complimentary for players at the tables and slots. Free does not mean calorie-free. Alternate every alcoholic drink with a glass of water, choose spirits with soda water over sugary cocktails, and remember that alcohol also loosens your betting decisions. Know your limits on both.
The famous buffets deserve their own strategy, which you will find in casino buffets: how to eat well at an all-you-can-eat. The short version: scout the room first, start with protein and vegetables, sit down between plates and stop at comfortably full. For breakfast, a protein-rich start keeps you fuller through the day, and many resorts have healthy cafés alongside the steakhouses.
A sample active day
| Time | Plan |
|---|---|
| 7:00 | 15-minute room workout or an outdoor walk while it is cool |
| 8:00 | Protein breakfast: eggs, Greek yoghurt, fruit, coffee |
| 10:00 | Pool with a few lengths of swimming, plenty of water and shade |
| 13:00 | Light lunch; walk to the next resort to explore |
| 17:00 | Rest, shower, hydrate |
| 19:00 | Dinner sitting down, then a show |
| 21:30 | Casino time with a set bankroll and a lap of the floor every hour |
| 00:30 | Bed, with an alarm for the morning |
Coming for the poker?
If you are heading to Las Vegas for a tournament, the stakes for staying fresh are higher. See poker players' fitness at long tournaments for a full playing-day routine. And if you are travelling with friends, a Vegas step challenge with a small side bet (loser buys the first round of mocktails) keeps everyone walking; more ideas in friendly wagers that work.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Check with a doctor before starting a new diet or exercise programme, especially if you have a health condition.