BY JESSICA BARBER
You just got back from an amazing vacation full of delicious treats, laid back chill time with family and friends and zero agenda to head to the gym. Any vacation should be a time of rejuvenation and downtime but what happens when you get back and reality sets in? You know what I am talking about – a few pounds heavier, out of your routine and less motivation to get back on track. Trust me, we have all been there at least once, but I am here to talk about settling back in at home.
So many people get out of routine and spend days, even weeks, trying to get back on track with workouts, nutrition and having the goal-driven mindset. It’s a by-product of most all vacations but I want to give you four tips to get back on track.
- Write out your weekly goals in the categories of mindset, fitness, and nutrition.
By writing out your goals for the week, you start shifting your mindset back to your specific goals. Stating weekly goals out loud and writing them down is a way of declaring that it will happen. You are ten times more likely to complete a task if you say it out loud or write it down, so start shifting your mindset as soon as you get home by grabbing some paper and hanging it up where you will see it daily.
- Meal prep at least three days.
Nothing is worse than getting back on a Sunday from vacation, getting so caught up in the laundry and settling back in that you neglect a grocery store visit for the next day. Swing by the grocery store and grab essentials for at least three days of healthy meals. Prep some quick grab containers for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. This ensures you will be prepared for the rough start of your week when reality is setting back in.
- Start moving right away.
Action creates action. I know the last thing I want to do when I get back home from vacation is to start working out. I’m a little bit salty at the idea of getting up for work the next day after a week of sleeping in and taking it easy. I also don’t want to face the reality that it’s over, but such is life, and it must go on. So should you. Do yoga for 10 minutes, go for a walk, play basketball with your kids outside or garden your flowers. Just start moving in any way you can.
- Take 5 min to reflect and meditate on your goals.
We state out loud our goals and write them down, but there is even more progress to come from visualization. It is the number one tool used by professional athletes when injured or out of the game. Visualization can provide a clear insight to “being the goal” you want to become. You see it in your mind, you sense it in your body and feel what it would be like to reach your goals. This is crucial to believing you can reach your goals and that you are capable.
Remember, just because you had an amazing vacation doesn’t mean that it is at the expense of your fitness goals. You can get back on track and start reaching your goals in no time!
