Though laundry would certainly top this list, I’m focusing more on steps I take to beat that post-vacation bloat. Somehow between salty sea air, French fries, and afternoon beers I left the beach feeling a little puffy. Even though I don’t throw all healthy eating out the door on vacation (I just feel better if I stick with eating some vegetables and such), I still usually feel ready to clean things up a bit by the time I return home.
Strict detoxes and extremes are not for me, nor is feeling any guilt about letting loose and enjoying myself. However there are 5 things I always do after vacation to feel back on track.
Stock up on clean/real foods.
I don’t waste time getting to the grocery store and I think that’s what helps nix vacation eating in the bud. On the way home from Hilton Head on Sunday, we stopped at Whole Foods for me to grab a few items. It wasn’t a full haul, but enough to get us through a couple days until I had my feet back under me. Salmon parchment packs for dinner, fresh fruits and vegetables, a couple lean proteins, and kombucha would last us at least 3 days.
Getting real food back in me and honestly just making food at home helps me feel back to normal in no time.
Give Alcohol a Rest.
I love a good glass of wine in the evening and am not opposed to having one on weeknights (#momlife), but post vacation, I like to take at least a few days off. Throughout our beach getaway, I enjoyed several margaritas (though we ordered them as a shot of tequila, a shot of triple sec, a shot of lime juice, with a splash of soda water because super sweet drink mixes kill my stomach), a couple beers, and even a glass or two of wine. Stocking the fridge post vacation means sticking in some non-alcoholic options to sip and enjoy during the evenings instead of pouring a glass of pinot.
Hydrate.
That puffiness isn’t going to get rid of itself! If I’m being honest, I kind of suck at remembering to drink water, but I put in an extra effort after vacation to combat dehydration and water retention. Things that help me stick with it are drinking a large glass first thing right when I get out of bed, using a larger water bottle, and adding a fresh squeeze of lemon.
Get some decent sleep.
Vacation always throws off my sleep. The first day I woke up at 4:00 am and couldn’t go back to sleep. The last night it was close to the same. There is nothing quite like a solid night’s sleep to help me feel back on track. For me, that means in bed close to 9:30 and “lights out” by 10:00. If I sleep in until 6:00, that’s a solid 8 hours, which is pretty much my minimum. What can I say, I need my sleep!
[Tweet “5 Things to do Post-Vacation to Beat the Bloat via @ahealthyslice “]
Exercise.
I’m sure I’ve only mentioned it a few hundred times, but I’m not usually a person that craves exercise. It’s a very intentional part of my life that makes me feel fantastic, but if I were to skip 2 weeks of true/intense exercise, I’d be a-ok. However, I know how amazing I feel after sweating it out, so I make it a priority to jump right back in. Yesterday my morning was booked, so I forced myself to make it to the 4:30 Burn Bootcamp class. Afternoon workouts are harder to get myself going for, but after 45 minutes of strength and cardio, I was riding that endorphin wave!
Vacations for me are all about letting loose and doing whatever feels good at the time, whether it’s an afternoon nap or a long walk on the beach. Maybe it’s peel and eat shrimp or maybe it’s French fries and beer. It’s a time to focus on the experience and the people. Getting back to my normal habits once I arrive home helps me to avoid any big change in my fitness level and I’m usually excited to cook up some new things too. It’s all about balance baby!
Do you stick to your healthy habits on vacation or let loose?
What helps you feel back on track once your back home?
Ashlee says
I’m definitely someone who likes to workout in the mornings while on vacation.. I just find it a great way to jumpstart my endorphins. That being said, I totally indulge more than normal too in cocktails and foods I wouldn’t normally eat. When I get home from vacation, I immediately get back to my healthy routine. Sometimes my subconscious will tease me into “one more day or week of unhealthy nutrition won’t hurt….” But that can snowball!! Just jumping right back into healthy living is the best bet for me. I also try to eliminate alcohol for however many days I drank alcohol (at least sometimes more).
Welcome back from vacation!
Brittany Dixon says
I do like to exercise on vacations when I can, like on girls trips! I agree, it makes those specialty cocktails taste even better 😉 I haven’t quite found the right rhythm to be able to exercise on family vacations yet, but long walks on the beach are a nice substitute 🙂
jennifer says
I mentioned in a comment yesterday that we had jut returned from a 2.5 week vacation in Nicaragua. The thing that has helped me most to get back on track was getting together a meal plan and going to the grocery store rather quickly. Although the laundry is not completely done and put away… my food is my rock 😉
Brittany Dixon says
Food is my rock too. Laundry can wait; my hungry stomach can’t 😉
Jessica says
Great tips! I try not to completely fall off the boat while on vacation. Honestly a lot of times it depends who I’m with and where we are. If we have a house and can cook I do well. If we are eating out the whole time I struggle. 🙂
Christina says
It always helps me to have a healthy meal (or two) in the freezer for the first day back from vacation.That way we don’t resort to ordering pizza on our first night home, after a week of indulgent food!
Brittany Dixon says
Oh what a fabulous idea!! I usually grab the Mediterranean salmon parchment packs to avoid the same pizza/take out dinner trap, but putting a meal in the freezer ahead of time is just plain smart!
gena @ sober life victory says
These are great tips! I totally indulge on vacation. I just try to get unpacked and prepped for the week as soon as I get back. And I love to have lots of green juice.
Brittany Dixon says
Mmm… that makes me want to hit up my friends’ juice bar! Green juice would totally hit the spot!
Julie says
Like you, I happily indulge while on vacation w/ no guilt! Typically I’m still pretty active while on vacation, although I rarely make a conscious effort to fit in a workout per se. I also still usually have a bit of a mix of healthy choices & indulgences so I don’t feel like total crap while I’m on vacay. My body is usually ready to get back into a healthy routine of eating & exercise when we return home – it’s like it craves the good stuff (thank goodness!). Same thing when I indulge over the wknd. Like you said, it’s all about balance.
Heather says
I try not to go too overboard when on vacation just because I know how difficult it is for me to get back on track. I always tend to need a vacation from vacation anyway, so the more I stick to my routine on vacation the better. Ha ha! Don’t get me wrong, though, there is typically more drinking and dessert eating and snacking while on vacation. One of my favorite parts of vacationing is eating out at new restaurants and trying new things.
Freya says
I had a habit of “cheating” during vacation… but I learned the hard way. My first stage of adjustment was difficult… I had to avoid taking vacations for almost a year!