Summer vacations are absolutely a time to let loose and allow ourselves to abandon some of the “rules” and pressures create in our everyday lives. A chance to sleep in, skip a workout, eat the ice cream, have a cocktail or heck-all of these. It’s your vacation after all! But all good things have to come to end right? How to get back on track after vacation? Read on…
How to get back on track after vacation
Jump back into your regular exercise routine
Plan your week back to hit all of your classes/runs/workouts. Sweating it out on your regular schedule feels good and comfortable.
Meal Plan
Eating all your meals out on vacation is fun and delicious but it feels great to get back to your normal eating schedule. Take a few minutes to plan out some healthy meals and snacks for the week. Stay hydrated and cut out the alcohol for a while.
Get back onto your time zone
Go to sleep at your regular bed time and attempt to wake up at your normal time. It can be rough the first few days but it helps to be on your regular schedule.
Unpack
Unpack all your bags, do your laundry and get your house back in order. No easy task when you throw in the kids’ clothes as well.
Cut yourself some slack
This one might be the hardest of them all! Give yourself a week to get back on track.
What tips do you have from recovering from your vacation and getting back on track?
Linking up with the Friday Five gals Running on Happy and Fairytales and fitness
nothing to add, this is pretty much what I always do! vacation IS vacation but because I do love being active I try to do that also while I’m away. Unpacking right away is something I learned in the last couple of years – completely empty that suitcase, start the laundry, plan/ make a grocery list and go to the store. Get right back into your training or fitness program. I do indulge on vacation but I try to remember that one ice cream is actually just as good at 10… I try to choose the right moment and then really savour it.
sounds like we would be the perfect vacation partners!
I always feel like i need a vacation after a vacation! LOL
Yes I am struggling this week but feeling like I am getting back on track
I’m totally gonna need all these tips for next week. I definitely indulged in NOLA!
Would you believe I’ve never been there?! I have learned it’s ok to indulge that’s what life is all about right?!
My best tip on getting back on track is to buy a ton of fresh fruits and veggies at the store. I personally hate wasting food and money so if I buy food that can go bad then I’ll eat it.
Yes that’s what I do too and cut them up. I put them right into the front of the fridge
have a race on your schedule. it makes you recover quicker.
Also if you run during your vacation, it is easier.
Yes it is easier if you can run during your vacation! Due to our schedule of early morning departures for tours, I only got in one run last week. But, it’s a new week!
Have, I don’t have any tips because I am horrible at getting back into a groove after vacation. It will take me another week just to unpack and another 3 weeks to get lau dry do ne… haha
I have to unpack right away or it drives me crazy!!
I am the WORST at unpacking after a trip lol. I need to make a better effort to do it- probably would mentally help me get back into a routine!
I have to unpack immediately or it just drives me crazy every time I walk by!
I think unpacking and trying to get back on schedule are key! I, for one, love the unpacking process because I can’t stand having that stuff just lay around. Even if I get home really late, I’ll still unpack – at least the toiletries and all the dirty clothes – because I need that stuff to be taken care of. haha
I also try to make a few meal plans before we leave for AFTER we get back! This helps so I don’t have to run around trying to do all the things while I’m jet lagged. Sometimes, I’ll make ahead and freeze for when we get back. All I have to do is defrost and reheat and voila! 🙂 Also, make sure to have frozen veggies available so you can still eat well before you hit the grocery store for the fresh stuff.
Brilliant idea to meal plan before you go! I am definitely doing that next time
Being home is always nice after a vacation. I find my first run back is always crap, and I give myself that run to get it out and back into the routine. I eat food I don’t normally eat, I’m busy or not, enjoying myself, and I feel it all in that first run.
my first run back was total crap! Looking for redemption this weekend
Meal planning helps so much. Usually by the end of vacation I am feeling ready to get back to my “normal” food…creature of habit I guess!
Yes me too for sure
Great tips! It can be so hard to get out of vacation mode
Definitely is for me
That salad looks amazing. I also jump back into my normal routine, but if I can, I book end at least 2 days on the back end where I am home but haven’t started work yet. That was I can unpack, grocery shop, etc. without feeling rushed.
That is a great idea!
A lot of times I try to keep myself and my workouts on track as much as possible during a vacation so that when it’s time to come home it’s not so hard to get back into the schedule.
Not always easy to do right?!
I agree, it’s best to just pick up from where you left off. Most of us have to go back to work, right? I doubt any of our bosses would want us to take our own sweet time “recovering” from vacation LOL I’d think the time-zone change would be the toughest, especially for international travel.
Yes it took me a few days to get back onto the right time zone and stop waking up all night long
I love all of these tips! Getting back on track after vacation can be hard, but it’s nice to be back in a routine!
It is always nice to be back on your regular schedule
Great tips. I think just jumping back into my routine is the easiest for me.
It was hard to get motivated the first few days but felt good!
Great tips. I like to get home from vacation on Friday or Saturday so I have at least one day to settle back in before I have to jump into my work schedule.
Yes that definitely helps
Definitely cut yourself slack. It’s hard to not jump right back into life after vaca but it takes a minute to ease back in!
I am not so good at cutting myself any slack!
I typically don’t struggle with time zone changes but flying back from Greece last summer hit us all hard. We were all wanting to hit the hay by 7pm for days! Ha!
Yes it happens- I just kept waking up all night long
Unpack…that’s funny. We still have some stuff in our suitcases from our trip to Disney at the beginning of May. I keep telling myself that I need to finish unpacking, but alas, the suitcases remain sitting in the basement outside of the laundry room door.
It gives me serious anxiety to know that things are still in my bags! 🙂
I always feel like I need vacation AFTER vacation. I really tend to let loose when vacaying. When we get home I need few days to get back on track. That’s why I love these tips.
Thanks! This time I really did feel like I needed another vacation to unwind
Unpacking and getting back in the gym help me the most! Even after flying home from Africa I was at the gym! Jet lag was WAY better then when I let being tired take over!
Yes I totally agree!
We’re leaving for vacation on Friday. Yoga and running is on the agenda but only because I love running and yoga in new places especially on the beach.
It is definitely fun to run in new cities. Have a fantastic vacation