Holidays can be a time of mental struggle for many people. On the one hand there is a strong desire to eat everything in sight, as holiday mentality often lends itself to ‘letting go’ and indulging, though on the other hand we know that this sort of behaviour usually gives way to feelings of sluggishness and ultimately regret. My personal experience has taught me that there’s a certain balance to strike between enjoying what’s on offer and maintaining some of the rules/guidelines you would normally abide by. Here are a few habits that I like to adopt when I’m spending some time away from home:
- Eat vegetables – this can be difficult when you’re always eating on the go or at restaurants, and I know you’re more likely to think ‘I’m so excited to devour 7000 pastries in Provence’, than ‘I am shaking with anticipation of the taste of French lettuce’, but keeping your fibre intake up will reduce the risk of you becoming blocked up (bloating/gas/constipation).
- Pace yourself – don’t go overboard. Though it may be all too tempting to unleash the beast at the local patisserie, limit yourself to a couple of ‘treat’ foods per day so that you don’t find yourself in a food coma for the duration of your holiday.
- Find time for movement – as a Libran I love to maintain a sense of balance, and this means I make sure to find time to get my blood pumping even when on holiday. I tend to avoid lacklustre hotel gyms with their dusty dumbbells and rusty rowing machines. Activities that I might otherwise opt for include:
- Walking – something you can do (almost*) anywhere, and a great way to see the area you’re visiting. After all, public transport can be so confusing and useless, and usually it’s just easier to walk
- Yoga – start your day by connecting breath to movement, it’s a surefire way to get all the energy you’ll need for touristing. Yoga With Adriene is accessible to all (with WiFi) and shares sequences from a few minutes to an hour long. Oh and she also has an adorable dog.
- HIIT – this is something I might try if I’m in desperate need of an energy hit. Look for a ‘7 Minute Workout’ app to download before you go on holiday – if you’re wondering how on earth such a short workout can make a difference, your scepticism is valid, but just trust me, and articles such as this, on this one.
- Sharing is caring – before I go on holiday I make a long mental list of all the foods I want to try. For instance, my Sicily list included, but was not limited to, busiate (a Sicilian shape of pasta, pictured), tiramisu, arancini, pizza, and cannoli. If you’re travelling with a pal, order a few dishes and share them so that you can try many foods without having to finish them all yourself.
Let me clarify that these are guidelines to help me to feel good and therefore really enjoy my time on holiday. They are not there to take the fun out of life, rather to optimise how I feel in myself so that I can have the best possible time. Imposing rules and labelling foods as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ can lead to unhealthy and obsessive feelings towards food, so relish the opportunity to try new foods when travelling. Sure, you may return home with an extra inch around your waist, weighing more than you did to begin with, but you shouldn’t worry about this. Our bodies are incredibly adaptable, and once you return to your normal routine you’ll soon revert to your usual weight and size.
*Has anyone been to Doha and tried to pedestrian? What’s that about?!
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