Like every summer, alcohol was flowing during vacation celebrations, sorbets and ice cream punctuated sunny afternoons, and you accepted every invitation to enjoy a barbecue with friends.
It seems that you’re still carrying your overindulgence around. The pounds have settled in, and to top it all off, you look a bit drained! How do you get back on track now that vacation is over?
Everyone is talking about it this fall. Here are the steps to follow to get back on your feet.
Instructions for post-vacation recovery
1. Getting back into a healthy rhythm for fall
Ideally, vacations are meant to be a time for rest, but usually, we just want to enjoy ourselves and have fun. That’s great, but now you’re feeling worn out for fall.
- Solution: At least three days before you go back to school or work, go to bed and get up at a more acceptable time to get back to your usual sleep cycle. Aim for 7 to 8 hours of sleep.
This is very important to help your body find its bearings. Falling asleep and waking up on schedule will then become more natural when you return to your routine.
Maintain this habit after the first week back, so that you can enjoy all the benefits of night-time regeneration, including less stress, less fatigue, weight loss, and more energy.
2. Hydration: the key to eliminating toxins
Most of the time, we are tired because we are dehydrated. When our body is dehydrated, the heart beats faster because our blood (being 80% water) is thicker.
Although we’ve all heard this advice before, too few of us actually follow it. Drinking water is simply the best thing you can do for your body. Water thins the blood, which makes it easier to eliminate toxins (via our excretory system), improve digestion, prevent water retention, and reduce bloating, among other things. Simply put, water is a great way to get back on track after your vacation and more!
- Solution: Drink at least 1.5 liters of water per day. Increase the amount if it’s hot or if you are physically active. If you aren’t drinking enough, try to drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up and before each meal. This will help you drink the first liter quite easily.
Tip: To track my water needs, I use the Fitness Coach app, rather than a traditional tracker, because it saves me from having too many apps on my smartphone, and most importantly, it determines my water needs based on MY body and MY physical activity. As soon as I drink a glass of water, I click the glass, and the app calculates how much I still need to drink. It’s so easy!
3. Get back on track without depriving yourself
Whatever you do, don’t go on a diet to get rid of that vacation gut. Big mistake!
Typically, you don’t actually gain much weight. It’s water retention, which causes a bloated stomach and swelling, sometimes also in the legs.
- Solution: Get back to a healthier lifestyle. Put down the snack foods and opt for healthier options (fruit, cottage cheese, etc.). Don’t have pastries or cakes after EVERY meal, but just occasionally. Consider having green vegetables, at lunch and dinner. But don’t give up starchy foods (pasta, rice, potatoes, etc.), which are essential for keeping trim.
If nutrition isn’t your thing, or you never know what to eat or how to create a balanced meal, download the Nutricoach app. It walks you through how to eat healthy (recipes, menu ideas, and more).
4. Get back to regular physical activity
No need to go to the gym every day! To get back on track, the goal is to engage in regular physical activity to avoid storing fat and stay in shape.
- Solution: Establish a regular pattern of exercising once or twice a week. It is better to do a little on a regular basis than a lot only now and then!
What exercises should you do? How should you plan your workouts? The good news is that the Fitness Coach app tells you everything you need to know! Its coaches give you a personalized training program based on your needs and availability.
8 effective exercice for weight loss
Thank you so much for the beautiful articles and I will start following them.