5 Ways to Get Back on Track After Vacation
June 11, 2019
By Mairead Rodgers, RD PHEc
We’ve all been there. We have an amazing vacation or even just a weekend away, and feel super relaxed coming back, but also just feel like we’re lagging more than a little bit. Your body doesn’t feel it’s normal healthy shiny self and you want to get back to that! Heading into summer, you might be needing to feel like yourself again after a longer family vacation, a weekend out of town for a wedding, or even just a couple nights at the cottage. Either way, try some of these tips to get back to your normal YOU in no time!
- Drink some water. This is by far the easiest place to start. You know how plants perk right up after you’ve watered them? People can be the same. When we’re traveling, we’re not in our normal habit of getting enough water to drink, whether it’s because you’re driving and don’t want to stop all the time or because you’ve found tastier things to drink. Start by getting in some water as soon as you get home. Then as you go about your day the next day, make a special effort to drink enough; try carrying your water bottle with you, or track your water to make sure you hit at least 2 liters. You’ll be feeling better soon.
- Pack in the fruits and veggies! Do you eat as much fruits and vegetables when you’re traveling as you do when you’re home? I’m willing to bet that even if you did your absolute best, you still might not have your normal amount. So let’s get back to that! Make a special effort to start getting fruit and vegetables back into your normal food right away. Not “one more night of junk food and we’ll start tomorrow”. While we’re not likely to develop a deficiency of most of our vitamins and minerals in a matter of days, they are still important. So is fibre! Getting your GI system back to it’s “regular” self will definitely help you feel better too!
- Pair your carbs with protein and fat. Get off that roller coaster of eating something and then being hungry an hour later. By adding some protein and fat to your meals or snacks, you’re going to be better able to get back to your normal eating routine. Try cheese with your apple or crackers, some hummus with your veggies, half a peanut butter sandwich, Greek yogurt with a bit of cereal…. anything that’s going to help you stay full a little bit longer and not be crashing after an hour or two.
- Get organized! If you get home and the fridge has absolutely no fruits and vegetables in it, how likely are you to eat them? If it takes more work to make a healthy meal and you’re tired from unpacking or your first day back at work, how likely are you to order pizza instead? So with any energy you can muster, do a super quick grocery run for your normal foods that make you feel good. Take 5 minutes while dinner cooks or the laundry is in to chop up some fruits and veggies, or get tomorrow’s breakfast organized. Future you will thank you.
- Get moving! If your body is used to moving regularly and you stop, often you might start to feel more sluggish. Also, nothing keeps the post-vacation blues at bay like some workout-induced endorphins. The longer you wait to get back in the gym after vacation, the harder it is. So don’t want another 2 days or a week, which often turns into two weeks or a month. Do what you can to get moving the next day, even if it’s not a perfect workout or your best effort. Your body will still thank you. And every CrossFit-er in our gym knows that your first workout back is always the worst, and then it gets better, but the longer you put it off, the worse it’s going to feel.
More nutrition questions popping up as the seasons change? Email maireadrodgers@
Written By: Mairead, Registered Dietitian We've all seen food prices continue to rise over the last few years. It can be stressful to be paying more for groceries and bringing home less! Fortunately, there are ways to help your food budget go a little bit further! 1. Use your freezer! Whether you have just the small freezer attached to your fridge, or a full separate deep freeze, there are lots of ways to put your freezer to work. So many foods can be frozen! If your budget allows, try stocking up proteins when they are a good price and saving them for later. Frozen fruits and veggies are often cheaper than fresh, and will last longer. Or if there's a good deal on fresh options, try freezing them yourself! To avoid throwing out leftovers, put them in a freezer-safe container and stash them away for another day. You never know when having that half can of black beans or cup of cooked rice will come to the rescue! 2. Lean on beans! Beans are a great source of protein and fibre, and are much cheaper than meat or poultry. Planning meals that make beans the main protein, like vegetarian chilis, soups, or burritos can help cut back your spending on meat. Or if you'd like to keep the meat and stretch it further, try adding beans to your meat-based dishes. Beans can even be combined with ground meat in many recipes to add bulk and nutrition! 3. Meal plan! One of the best ways to reduce your grocery spending is to have a plan. Having a meal plan allows you to purchase what you will actually use, and then make sure you do actually use it. Meal planning doesn't have to be complicated - start with just deciding what's for dinner today and tomorrow. Many people find meal planning to be useful when done a couple times a week, weekly, or even monthly if you want to get it all out of the way! 4. Use what you have! The food that's stored in your pantry, fridge, and freezer has already cost you money. Don't let it go to waste by forgetting to eat it! Take stock of items that need to be used up and make a plan to eat them. Maybe go as far as to do a "pantry challenge", where you try to "shop" as much as you can from your own kitchen before buying anything else. You might be amazed what you already have! Looking for more personalized nutrition advice? Let's chat! Email mairead@degreefitnessseaforth.com for more information about our Nutrition Programs, or click HERE to book your FREE Bite-Sized Nutrition Chat!
Written By: Mairead, Registered Dietitian When it comes for nutrition for fitness goals, many of us are concerned about protein. After all, protein helps repair and build muscles, as well as helping us feel fuller longer, and keeping our energy levels stable throughout the day. But protein foods, like meat, can be expensive! For those trying to watch your grocery budgets, or maybe just trying to include more variety in your protein sources, let's check out some less-expensive options! 1. Canned tuna! Fish is a fantastic lean protein source, and none are more convenient than canned tuna. While you can find fancy flavoured cans of individual servings, a 170g can of plain tuna is often only $2.00, meaning it's only $1.00 for a 3oz serving, with rougly 20g of protein! Plain tuna can easily be dressed up with your favourite seasonings, sauces, pickles... the list goes on! Try adding tuna to basic salads, using it as a sandwich filling, or creating rice bowls with your favourite veggies and some spicy tuna! 2. Canned beans! We all know beans pack a fibre punch, but did you know they're also a good source of protein? Canned beans can be quick and convenient - just open, drain, rinse, and go! A can of black beans can be found for only $1.79 and contains roughly three 1/2 cup servings, making each serving only $0.60, and packing in 8g of protein. Try pairing beans with whole grains like quinoa or brown rice, or use it to pump up both the fibre and protein in meat-based dishes. 3. Eggs! Eggs go way beyond breakfast! A carton of 12 eggs is $3.93, making each serving of two eggs roughly $0.66, with 12g of protein. Eggs can be an easy topping for bowl meals and salads, a convenient snack when hardboiled, or served with good old traditional toast for those who like to keep it simple. 4. Tofu! Many people claim not to like tofu, but most just don't know how to use it! Made from soybeans, tofu is a good vegan source of iron, and will take on the flavour of anything it is cooked or marinated in. A 350g package of extra-firm tofu can cost as low of $2.79, making each 85g serving $0.70, with 14g of protein. Try tofu in a flavourful stir-fry, or marinate it ahead of time for a quick protein addition for salads and bowls. 5. Edamame! Edamame are green soy beans, and are easy to find with the frozen vegetables. To use, they just need to be defrosted! A 500g bag of frozen edamame is roughly $5.00, making each 85g serving cost about $0.85, with 9g of protein, and a bonus 4g of fibre! Try adding edamame to your favourite stir fry or salad. While edamame is often used in Asian dishes, it's mild flavour makes it easy to incorporate anywhere. Did the price on any of these surprise you? Will you try a new-to-you protein idea? One of the keys to a balanced diet is variety, and including different sources of protein can help you meet your protein needs without blowing your budget! Looking for more personalized nutrition advice? Let's chat! Email mairead@degreefitnessseaforth.com to learn more about our Nutrition Programs, or click HERE to book your FREE Bite-Sized Nutrition Chat!
Written By: Mairead, Registered Dietitian Have you heard of the "Complexity Bias"? This is the idea that the more complicated something is, the more effective and accurate we perceive it to be. In terms of exercise, this could look like very complicated plans, complex movements, and fancy equipment. When it comes to nutrition, we often see this look like overly complicated food rules and diet plans. All over the internet, you can find lists of foods to eat or avoid, specific times to eat, combinations of foods you need to eat together... the variations of complicated rules can go on and on. Just because something looks fancy on paper, that doesn't mean it's actually going to be effective for your goals, or even that it's technically true! However, we are often drawn to these more complicated diet plans and rules. They can make us feel good, like we've got it "right", and give us a sense of control. If we're eating our prescribed 137.5 grams of protein, we've got to be on the right track, right? Diet plans that are too complicated can actually make it harder to reach our goals. The more complicated something is, the harder it is to keep doing, day after day, especially when things are busy or you're even slightly out of routine. While nutrition is highly complex, the important parts for most people actually boil down to the basics, which are fairly simple and not hyper-specific. Eat lots of vegetables and fruit, and aim for variety with this. Eat some sort of protein at most meals and snacks, and aim for some variety in your protein sources. Include healthy fats in your diet daily. Again, aim for some variety. Eat on a fairly consistent schedule. Come to your meals and snacks hungry enough to eat and enjoy your food, but not so ravenous that you won't even taste your food. Drink enough water. Eat pretty well most of the time, and don't sweat the occasional treat. For most normal healthy people, these habits will improve your diet quality and nutritional intake way more than any complicated rules will. Remember, for nutrition habits to work, you need to able to maintain them. And if you're going to maintain them, they can't be too complicated. Looking for more personalized nutrition help? Let's chat! Our Dietitian is now scheduling for Nutrition Programs again! Email mairead@degreefitnessseaforth.com for more info, or click HERE to book your FREE Bite-Sized Nutrition Chat!