Flights are booked....accommodation booked... Bikinis packed. Wait.... bikini?
I think we all may have some moments of panic when vacation time rolls around and we realize it’s time to get ourselves into that bathing suit. This is where we can really stress ourselves out with potently damaging crash diets or extreme exercise routines leading up to departure time. We all want to look and feel our best while on vacation. To me, feeling our best, is the most important. I have discovered through my own experiences, when we feel good, everything else falls into place naturally with the energy we give off!
Crash diets and extreme exercise routines may not necessarily be the best for us to prepare for a vacation. Our stress levels can sky rocket and then that stress can lead to over production of cortisol in our bodies. This process could actually backfire on us. When our bodies release too much cortisol, it sends a distress signal to our brains telling our bodies to hold on to any excess fat cells in order to survive in stressful situations. That’s the last thing anyone wants before a vacation.
Crazy diets and insane work outs may work sometimes, however, it is usually a short term result. Vacation seems to be the time we feel it’s okay to eat lots of food we might not normally eat as well as possibly drink a little more alcohol. There may also be little to no exercise. So now, we may come home feeling potentially worse than before we started out. The cycle now begins, another extreme workout routine and a different diet to fix what was possibly done over your vacation.
How can we feel great during our vacation as well as coming home from vacation? I really enjoy my food, as most of us do, and I’ve also learned that I love feeling my best. This is first and foremost. It all starts from within. Whether vacationing or not, we usually know when our bodies feel at their best. Maintaining that feeling so we can feel optimal, I believe, is key. Here are a few options of what I know to work well while being on vacation and can also be implemented before you travel: