After a holiday, it’s quite common to come home feeling subpar. Between the irregular eating patterns, lack of sleep and eating foods more indulgent than normal, we end up feeling a bit bloated, our skin is more prone to breakouts & overall thrown off balance. Although ‘detoxes’ have gained popularity as a solution in recent years, they carry dangerous implications. Cutting out food groups, fueling up on juices, and so forth are not sustainable and also run the risk of depriving your body of key nutrients. Fortunately there are safer ways to regain a sense of balance post-holiday which are reasonable and enjoyable.
Over the years my idea of health has transformed into one that’s more holistic. While my physical health & physique are certainly still a priority, equally so are my emotional and mental wellbeing. As a result, my definition of what it means to ‘reset’ now extends far beyond the food on my plate. After a fun and absolutely delicious few days in Dubai recently, here are a few tips which I used to reset and get back on track both mentally & physically:
1) Chant/meditate/pray/anything that enables you to clear your mind, become more mindful, and set intentions for the day ahead. Especially as a healthy mindset is essentially what fuels the choices you make all day, it’s so crucial to start your day by getting in the right mind space.
2) Move your body: Be it running, yoga, walking, lifting weights, or whatever it is you enjoy, our bodies were designed to move regularly. More than even for the calorie burn, the post-exercise endorphins are sure to put you in a natural high regardless of what the rest of the day throws at you.
3) Eat a balanced breakfast that incorporates some lean protein, complex carbs, healthy fats and fibre. Doing so will naturally enable you to control your hunger levels and cravings throughout the day. Some good options include eggs & veggies on wholemeal toast, oatmeal with nuts or a smoothie. This Peanut Butter Cup Protein Protein Smoothie is still one of my favourites!
4) Amp up your veggie intake: My digestion often goes for a toss when I travel and fortunately this helps in that department. TMI? I think not!
5) Stay hydrated: It is the most underrated way to flush out excess water and toxins from the body and can also help prevent overeating unnecessarily. Often times thirst is disguised as hunger and those ‘hunger pangs’ might actually be your body begging for a glass of H20.
6) Centre your meals around lean protein: Rather than cut out carbs completely, slightly reduce your quantity and increase your protein intake accordingly. This will naturally help with management of blood sugar levels, appetite control & overall satiety. Think beans, lentils, seafood, chicken breast, eggs, or low-fat dairy.
7) Don’t ignore sweet cravings: Especially after a period of overloading your body with more sugar than normal, it’s both tough and unnecessary to go cold turkey on all sugary foods. Be smart about your choices and opt for moderate amounts of dark chocolate with a minimum 70% cocoa content. Given its bitterness, chances are a square or 2 will be enough to satisfy your sweet tooth.
8) Sleep for a minimum of 7 hours: Sleeping too little (either in terms of quality and/or quantity) acts as a major stressor on the body. As a defense mechanism, the body starts to release excessive amounts of hormone cortisol. When this stress hormone stays elevated for an extended period of time, fat loss becomes extremely difficult.
9) Express gratitude: Our bodies are amazing and despite us going off the rails every so often, they do far more than just bounce back. They continue to thrive and serve us. Whether its towards your body or various other aspects of your life, the mere act of saying thanks can naturally help improve your physical & mental health, make you happier and reduce stress levels.
How do you reset mentally and/or physically after a holiday?
for me getting back to meal prep + moving my body helps a lot. it is a little bit of adjustment but it slowly works out..
I try to throw myself into my workouts ASAP- otherwise I find it much harder to get back into the groove!