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: Coach Sienna Movement is an important aspect in our Kiddos lives and summertime offers so many opportunities for this. Check our our top 3 ways to keep your Kiddos active, happy and healthy this summer! Make Movement FUN! Movement is very important for everyone, including children. Movement can be fun, too! Make it into a game, a challenge, a race. There are so many ways that children can move their bodies that excite them such as gymnastics, dance, soccer, baseball, running etc. Making movement fun can help your kids look forward to it and even engage in these activities more often creating an active child during the summer! Lead by Example Have you heard the saying monkey see, monkey do? Children look to their peers, family and coaches for ways to act and what's seen as “right way to act”. Having an active lifestyle and including your children is such a great way to instil this habit in them. Get Involved in a Class or Camp Signing up for a class or camp creates a commitment and even interest in the class/camp itself. Children are more likely to engage in activities that they like or choose! Camps and classes normally run on a regular schedule as well which can help the children keep this movement throughout the summer and allows parents/guardians easier scheduling. Having other kids around the same age can encourage them to create a sense of community which can help greater their self efficacy for staying active as they age! - Give a couple of these ideas a shot this summer to keep your child or kids active this summer - Remember any movement is better than no movement! Did you know we offer private and small group training for Kids and Youth? Email info@degreefitnessseaforth.com to inquire!
Written By: Mairead, Registered Dietitian What comes to mind when you think of meal prep? Is it just plain chicken with rice and broccoli? If you love that as your meal prep, great! But many people don't want to be stuck eating the same thing over and over, or don't want to be assembling full meals ahead of time. Maybe you just don't know what you'll want to eat tomorrow, let alone later this week! What if we made meal prep easier? Instead of making whole meals, what if we made components of meals that could be put together in any number of different ways. This would allow us to still get healthy meals on the table fast, but not have to eat the same thing! Check out these 4 super simple ideas for meal components you can prep ahead of time! 1. Raw veggies! Most of us know we should be eating more veggies, but often they're the afterthought of a meal. Try keeping some washed and chopped raw veggies on hand to pair with your meals with little effort! Even taking a few minutes to cut up some carrot sticks can make a difference! Want to make it even easier? Choose veggies that don't need any further prep, like baby carrots, mini peppers, baby cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes. Or you can buy a pre-cut veggie tray! If the veggies are ready in the fridge, there's a better chance you'll eat them. 2. Proteins! Try cooking a bulk batch of a protein option or two that can be used in different ways. Cook chicken in your slow cooker and then use it for sandwiches, chicken salad, or stir-fry. Cook some ground meat on the stove and use it for pastas, burrito bowls, or tacos. Hard-boiled eggs can be quick snacks or top salads. Cooked beans can be used in place of any of these ideas! Want to make it even easier? Grab a cooked rotisserie chicken at the grocery store and skip having to cook it yourself! Canned beans and fish are also low-prep options. 3. Whole grains! Whole grains bring in more fibre and nutrition than their more processed counterparts, but can take a smidge more prep. Try cooking up a pot of your favourite grain, like brown rice, quinoa, or barley. Use these to make a filling salad, to pair with a stir-fry, or for a bowl-style meal! To make it even easier, check out the microwaveable options in the grocery store. There are many low-prep whole grain options out there that can be ready in minutes! 4. A fun sauce! What makes a meal more satisfying? A sauce! And when our healthy food tastes good, we're more likely to eat it. Healthy fats from our sauces actually help us absorb more of certain vitamins from our vegetables and fruit! Try whipping up a quick homemade salad dressing, salsa, peanut sauce, hummus, or veggie dip. A quick internet search will give you thousands of recipes, or you can wing it and taste as you go! Meal prep doesn't have to be fancy and take a lot of time, and it doesn't have to mean boring meals! Try one of these super simple ideas to make healthy eating easier this week! 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 So often we put off making changes in our health and fitness because it's just so overwhelming. There's so much information out there and it feels like we need to do everything at once! Making big changes like joining a gym or overhauling your diet can be intimidating, even if we know how beneficial they would be. What if instead, we just started somewhere, right now? It doesn't have to be big or flashy. What's the smallest move you could make in the right direction today? Will one small change solve all your problems? Probably not. But one small change leads to another and another. And small changes maintained over time do improve your health overall. It's always better to do something than nothing! Here's some small changes you could try today or tomorrow to get the ball rolling: Not drinking enough water? Aim for one or two glasses more today. Want to eat healthier? Add and extra serving of vegetables or fruit today. Worried about your protein intake? See if you can include a source of protein at your meals today. Want to get moving? Go for a 10 minute walk at whatever pace feels good. The point isn't to tackle everything at once. The goal is to just start moving things in the right direction as you work towards your goals! 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!