Get Back On Track: Recovering From Vacation
We've all been there. You took the vacation of a lifetime, tried the most amazing food, maybe had a few too many drinks, ate dessert with every meal because, hey, you're on holidays! Vacations are meant to be enjoyed to the fullest, to try new things, escape for a little while, and indulge as much as you want. You deserve it!
Then, you come back to reality. You're home and have to get back on track. Not only did you throw away your good habits, but you might be facing some post-travel blues. The excitement and good times with your favorite people is over for now and maybe you don't have much to look forward to.
So how do you get back on track after traveling? I've found it's just as important to be prepared for your trip as it is to be prepared for the few days afterwards.
Here's what to do... (Psst. Get your planner out and ready).
FIRST THINGS FIRST
I know the last thing you want to think about as you get ready to jet off is to think about your return, but before you step foot on the plane, know your schedule. I'd even suggest taking at least one day off before returning to work. It ensures you'll have time to focus on getting back to reality. Remember, you'll probably be exhausted when you first return so if it's possible give yourself some time to just relax. Be gentle with yourself. You may feel pressure to jump back into your normal, busy routine, but this will likely only lead to stress, burnout, and exhaustion.
MEAL PLAN
With your planner in hand, it's time to decide what you're going to eat for the next week. Try to choose healthy options that will make you feel good. I aim for meals that will help with bloating, be detoxifying, reduce inflammation, and give me lots of nutrition.
Here's a few examples of delicious, healthy meals you could include that will help you to resest your diet after an indulgent week on vacation:
BREAKFAST
LUNCH
DINNER
SNACKS
Watermelon
Nuts & seeds
Celery & almond butter
BUY YOUR GROCERIES & MEAL PREP
With your meal plan complete, get those groceries and set yourself up for a healthy week ahead by meal prepping what you can. If you have healthy options prepared ahead of time, you'll be more likely to make healthy decisions and stick to good habits.
WATER WATER WATER
Most likely you're dehydrated. After an indulgent vacation where water likely wasn't your first drink of choice, your body is craving it. Aim to drink at least half your weight in ounces a day. To make it as easy as possible, make sure you have a water bottle that will help you to track how much you drink and use your planner to track your progress.
EXERCISE
I'll admit, i'm not a good exerciser when I'm on vacation, I'm more focused on the site-seeing and indulgent side of a holiday. So, I know that I need to devote my days after returning to exercise. You might think I'd suggest throwing yourself into a hard workout in order to get back on track but actually I recommend going slow. Try to work out 2-3 times in the first week you're back. Choose activities like yoga, walking, or swimming to ease yourself back in.
SLEEP
You might hit a bit of jet lag, especailly if you were traveling internationally. I probably don't need to remind you of this, but get as much sleep as you need. If you find yourself struggling to sleep at your normal time, try a light yoga session, meditate, or drink some relaxing chamomile tea. I also really love Saje's sleep well oil blend to help me get a really deep, restful sleep.
TO DO LIST
This is the final step to getting back on track. Don't even think about tackling this step before the others mentioned above. If you do, I can almost guarantee this is the only step you'll actually get done and the others are just as important. Only once you've focused on your physical and mental well-being can you move on to your to do list.
There's nothing quite as motivational as a well thought out to do list to get you back on track. Write out everything you need to get done both personally and professionally. It will make you feel prepared and ready to jump back in.
Feeling better, relaxed after your vacation, and ready to get back to your normal routine? Exactly.
Those are a few things I do to reset and get myself back on track when I return from vacation. It's all about being gentle with yourself, easing back into it, and focusing on your health and wellbeing before anything else.
Thanks for reading babes!
-Emilee