5 Tips To Get Back On Track After Vacation

Even though I live and promote a healthy lifestyle which is practiced year round and even on vacation, sometimes I do relax more and exercise less… It’s called balance.
This year I was traveling in the US for 2 weeks in July, but even after coming back to Dubai, I’ve kinda still been in vacation mode… Going out or ordering take out 1-2 times every day, having a glass of wine or a chocolate bar every evening, skipping too many workouts… And I know I’m not the only one!  It’s time for most of us to return to school & work, and many of us have also decided to get “back on track” with our diets and workouts.

When you want to get back on track after vacation, it can be overwhelming if you allow it to. Many make the mistake of going directly on a strict diet and do 2-hour workouts at the gym whilst cutting out all alcohol, carbs, sugar, and caffeine. That’s too much of a contrast from the carefree summer days of ice cream, beach sunsets, and rosé, and even if you manage to stick with it without becoming an anti-social hermit who hates her life, it won’t be sustainable in the long run.

The key to a healthy lifestyle is to find a balance you can be happy with for the rest of your life, not a short-term”crash-diet” that’s unsustainable for more than a few weeks or months. That’s why getting back on track should rather be a soft transition to making slightly healthier choices.

My 5 Tips To Get Back “On Track” After Vacation:

1. Don’t punish yourself
   There’s no reason to beat yourself up over how you should have done things differently. You don’t need to “work off” what you ate and you don’t need to do 2-hour cardio sessions or ct out all carbs. Absolutely no good will come off that. Always talk positively about yourself, be grateful for the mental and physical break you’ve had, appreciate how quickly your body will look and feel like it used to if you just return to your old habits and do nothing else.
2. Schedule your exercise
   Having a schedule for how to train can help ensure that you give your body what it needs without accidentally over-exercising and under-eating. It will give you peace of mind knowing that you’re doing exactly what you need to be doing to help your body and mind be it’s healthiest and feel it’s best. Going to the gym (or doing a home workout) with a clear direction will help you get back into the habit and reach your goals. If you need a new plan, I’m here to help!
3. Plan your meals and eat homemade food
   On vacation, we tend to eat out a lot more. When eating out you don’t know how much salt, sugar or oil the chef uses and it’s easy to get a side of fries or finish with something sweet. I have a massive sweet tooth and know better than anyone how hard it is to say “no” when the waiter asks if you want dessert. When you plan your meals and prepare them at home you know exactly what you’re eating and the temptations aren’t there in the same way.
4. Drink more water
   If you’ve gained weight on vacation, chances are a lot of it is water weight from having an increased amount of sodium and carbs. When you go back to eating your normal diet the water will be flushed out in a few days, and you can help this process by staying well-hydrated. If you’re craving something other than plain water, try adding slices of lemon & cucumber to your water or you can even try making my refreshing and detoxifying Lemon & Apple Cider Vinegar Lemonade.
5. Eat vegetables at every meal
   When adjusting from vacation mode to regular life it’s easy to focus on all the things you want to take away from your current diet, but instead, I advise that you focus on adding additional good things instead. Don’t worry about cutting out all carbs or fats or sugars from your diet, instead just try adding 200-300 g. of vegetables to each of your meals. They’ll fill you u so you’ll automatically eat less of all the other stuff. Plus they’ll supply your body with much-needed nutrients and fiber, helping you to look and feel your best.