Vacation Indulgences

   Taking time off of a daily routine is needed. Put bluntly, everyone needs a vacation every once and awhile. This can also mean putting yourself in a different environment which is challenging for anyone now forced to create some type of a temporary new routine. If you are someone who tries hard to balance healthy living and eating at home, this can be difficult in a new place.

Vegan Soft-Serve from Tsoynami

   I'm here to say that it's ok if things get out     of whack for a week or two. Its expected that a new place will bring new opportunities and a new routine. Vacation is all about relaxing and recharging. If you stress too much about how you are abandoning the "healthy living ship", you might end up in a worse place when you return home. The absolute worst thing you can do is return home and put your self on lock down by punishing yourself for the choices you made on vacation.

Vanilla Cupcake from WF and Fabe's Carrot Cake

   

  
 Instead, embrace the opportunity to have a little freedom. In the end, you might be reminded why you choose to lead a healthy lifestyle the other 350+ days of the year and will end up returning home ready and energized.

   It is necessary to take a break once and awhile and reflect upon what you have accomplished and where that has led. Often times it is easy to get stuck in a rut, and a complete shift in routine can help you get out. Like I said earlier, you may end up coming back more enthusiastic about the healthy choices you can make. 

  Now I'm not saying that you should throw all self control out the window, make yourself sick, feel horrible about yourself, or combination of those. Use common sense here. You can have your cake and eat it too. If it helps, maybe incorporate one thing that will make you feel like you have things under control. For example: for me it is drinking water. On a daily basis I drink a lot of water along with a diet high in fruits and veggies. On vacation, my fruit and veggie consumption goes way down and my carb, sugar, and salt intake goes way up. To compensate for this shift so I don't feel rundown and uncomfortable, I increase my water consumption. Drinking pure, clean water helps your body flush out that excess salt and any other fluids your body wants to retain. (Read more about it here.) This will help if you end up eating out at restaurants or are eating more packaged foods and less fresh produce during your vacation.
  But, it doesn't have to be water. Whatever will help you stabilize and adapt to the new temporary routine will help in an overall relaxing and recharging experience. So don't feel bad- have that lovely little cupcake, order the slightly more decadent meal. Its ok :)