Winter vacation means time off from your usual routine.
Now that that’s over, it’s time to get back on track.
As always, I gave out guidelines to my clients outlining what to do during winter vacation. Most of the information was obvious and nothing new but it’s always helpful to have it on paper as a reminder. No matter how careful and determined one was over vacation, there were still many meals that may have resulted in some cheats. Most likely, there were several meals during the day and a lot of late-night meals.; not to mention all the tempting desserts and gourmet delicacies around when going on vacation. Even if you were home for winter vacation, the break-in routine may have thrown you off track.
I have been hearing from many people how hard it is to get back on track after “partying” and being on ‘diet vacation’ for so long so, I’ve compiled some DO’S and DON’TS to help you get back on track.
Tanya
Vacation season is winding down and it’s almost time to get back to real life and routine. An interesting thing I noticed is that some of my clients actually lost weight while away, despite eating more and exercising less. I decided to research this a bit and see why. Here is what I came up with:
1. You have lower stress levels.
When you go on vacation, you’re taking a break; not only from your health habits but also from your stress. Your adrenal glands get a breather (finally) and shut off panic mode. They allow your body to fall more in sync with your natural rhythm and your health.
Cortisol, the main stress hormone in your body, gets taken down a level in your bloodstream, which can have a positive effect on your behavior, metabolism, and overall health. Often, weight gain occurs due to increased cortisol levels in the body. So it makes sense that reducing the stress hormones racing through your body, allows those extra pounds to fall off.
2. You’re not exercising.
If you’re a frequent exerciser, taking time off from the gym can actually result in more weight loss than overdoing it will. When you rest your muscles, they recover and have time to build back up. This is why rest days are so essential.
If you’re living a fast-paced, busy lifestyle, even your rest days can be strenuous. When you’re at the beach or chilling in a cabana all day, your muscles finally get the time they’ve been craving to recover. Having larger muscles burns more fat — hence, you have a higher probability of weight loss after a relaxing break.
3. You allow yourself to eat the foods you crave.
Most people let go of all the dieting rules and just let themselves eat and drink freely on vacation. No points, no calories, no macros, and just food. This gives you a chance to let go of your usual structure and enjoy what you’ve been missing.
Just don’t forget…
A break is nice, but afterward, it’s time to get back on track. You will not keep losing weight if you continue with this lifestyle.
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