Holidays are the perfect time to unwind, explore new places and cultures and take a break from your normal routine.
If you want to make the most of your holiday but not end up coming back feeling like you have to restart your healthy lifestyle from square one, here's some easy tips for you:
Before your holiday
1. Want to stay active whilst away? Look into what's available in the local area from walks, bike trails or activities, or simply find accommodation with a gym/swimming pool facilities.
2. Nothing active nearby? Pack some resistance bands, the most travel friendly gym equipment ever! 7 minute workout apps are great to fit into any routine as they are so quick and convenient. There's also some great hotel workout videos out there on the internet -check out number 10.
3. When it comes to food, a good tip is to eat before you go to the airport. It can often be hard to make healthy choices there and allows you to save your treats for all the amazing local cuisine at your destination.
Whilst your on holiday
4. If you've travelled to somewhere with a time difference, do your best to try and adapt to local time as much as possible. Stop thinking about what time it is at home and try and immediately live in the new timezone for everything, from when to sleep and when to eat.
5. Move as much as possible! Whether it's taking the stairs to your hotel room, doing 10 laps of the pool every morning or getting out there and exploring your surroundings by foot, moving your body will help you avoid that sluggish feeling of doing nothing (and you can look forward to that afternoon ice cream).
6. Beware of the buffet! If you're heading off to an all inclusive resort, try and exercise some restraint when it comes to the buffet. It's great to treat yourself every now and again, but it's unlikely that you'd ever serve yourself chips, pasta, noodles, chicken, a slice of pizza and some coleslaw on one plate at home! So try and be food aware, noting the types of foods that are on your plate and not veer too far off course from a well balanced diet. A great tip is to pick the smaller plate, science suggests it can prevent over-eating and you can always go back for more anytime!
7. Take a break from work. As tempting as it can be to check your email whilst on holiday, try and keep to pre-planned times so you are not constantly checking your phone. It's not a productive way to work or socialise, plus you miss the great new scenery. A top tip is to just leave your phone in your room during the day or set it on airplane mode if you want to use it to take photos.
Most importantly - enjoy yourself, life is about health and happiness so don't ignore one for the other!
