7 Tips To Get Your Body Back After Vacation

Don’t you just love vacation? Me, too! Unfortunately, vacation can really take its toll on our bodies if we’re not careful. Being away from home usually means more restaurant food and less restful sleep. And there's nothing fun about getting home five pounds heavier with low energy and bloat.

I’ve learned that making a few things non-negotiable upon return is the key to looking and feeling better quickly.

1. Make yourself a green smoothie or juice daily. 

Back from vacation or not, this would be my top tip for anyone wanting to look and feel healthier now. Green smoothies and juices flood the body with nutrients for a quick energy boost. They're also a great way to curb those cravings after eating salty restaurant food.

2. Fill up with fiber-rich foods. 

Getting our digestion back on track after vacation is essential. We need both soluble and insoluble fiber and we can get both from plant foods. Soluble fiber is liquid-absorbing and filling and some great sources include oats, chia and flax seeds, beans and berries. Insoluble fiber, which helps move things through the bowel and shuttle out the bad stuff, can be found in brown rice, wheat and vegetables.

3. Re-hydrate. 

I know, this is not news to anyone but is just so important. Flush those toxins from your body and help release the extra weight and bloat from the over-indulgence by getting plenty of water. Half your body weight in ounces is the general rule of thumb.

4. Take a break from eating for a minimum of 12 hours daily for the first week (7pm until 7am, for example). 

Dinner tends to get later when on vacation so closing the kitchen down earlier will alleviate your body from having to try to digest your food while you sleep, allowing you to…….

5. Catch up on that precious sleep. 

I don’t know about you but I generally don’t sleep as well if I’m not in my own bed. Late meals and alcohol also hinder us from getting the deep, healing sleep our bodies require. Add a bit extra each night to start catching up on those lost hours.

6. Don’t jump right on the scale when you return home. 

Give yourself a couple days to implement the strategies above and not only will you feel better (if you don’t like what the scale says) but likely it won’t be as bad as you thought.

7. Follow my “Get Your Body Back” meal plan! 

Here is it: 

6:30am: Rise and shine and drink a big glass of water with lemon.

7am: Green smoothie. My summer favorite: spinach, pineapple, banana, hemp seeds, raw coconut butter, water and ice.

10am: Big, hearty bowl of oatmeal with ground flaxseed, cinnamon, berries and a drizzle of honey or agave.

1:00pm: Large, leafy green salad with colorful veggies and low-fat dressing (try a flavored balsamic with mustard or hummus and a drizzle of olive oil). Quinoa or brown rice on the salad or warmed as a side dish.

4pm: Green juice or raw veggies.

6:30pm: Bean and rice burritos with lettuce, tomatoes, avocados and salsa on top.

7pm: Kitchen’s closed. Try peppermint or ginger tea for fending off any cravings.

10pm: Sleep like a baby.

What are your best strategies for getting back your body after vacation? I’d love to hear them in the comments below.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com

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