Guys! I am in my post-vacay funk. Except this down does not come from being back home and getting back to the predictable 'day-to-day' routines. I work for myself and was working every day while we were away so that isn't a factor. No, this down comes from looking at myself in the mirror and seeing those indulgent family meals and aaaaalllllll that wine reflected right back at me! Now, I could do what I honestly feel like doing (staying in bed and wallowing in my own self-pity) but I have a different strategy in mind.
Since losing weight, I have had this huge fear of gaining it back and becoming that girl again; the girl that was miserable, insecure, weak. This fear has spawned me to create a post-indulgence, 'get back to my best' game plan that I always turn to at times like this.
* No matter how unmotivated and icky you feel, get back to your regular workout routine immediately. Check! I was lifting in the gym and doing my daily HIIT workout the morning after we landed.
This is equally about cementing a 'progress' mindset as it is about the physical impact of exercise. You want to do everything you can to counteract those 'I'm back to square one' thoughts that tend to stampede your mind.
* Regardless of how good those meals were, get back to your meal plan/daily diet routine ASAP. Check! I adjusted my Intermittent Fasting windows according to the time zone change and prepped our meals for the week the very next day.
Again, this is about establishing your routine. Don't think of it as 'back to boring' but rather adopt the attitude of feeding your body with the nutrients it needs to be it's best. When we eat well we tend to feel well so it's vital to counteract the blood sugar spikes that happen when we indulge in less than healthy foods with whole food nutritious goodness.
* Drink all the water. Check!
Increasing your fluid intake not only hydrates your body in ways that are very necessary after air travel, it also helps to flush toxins from your system and clear your mind for the tasks ahead. Adequate hydration is also essential for quality sleep, which leads me to...
* Catch so many z's. Check, check, check! We allowed ourselves to go to bed earlier than we normally would on the day we landed so that we could get a few more hours of sleep than we usually would.
Jet-lag is a thing and it can be awful! Ease yourself back into your local time zone (if applicable) by allowing yourself 10+ hours in bed for the first few nights back at home. This will help your body recharge and counteract the effects of jet lag as, even if you are waking up in the early hours of the morning due to the time change, you will still be getting 8+ hours of sleep every night. I cannot stress this enough - sleep is vital for weight control and performance enhancement.
* Practice self-compassion. Ahhhh...erm....it's a process!
Give yourself a break. The extra lbs didn't arrive after one indulgent meal or because you missed one workout so how can you expect them to disappear because you are back onto your regular routine for one day? That's not a realistic expectation and it is only going to have negative repercussions on your state of mind. I read once that it takes twice as long to lose the weight as it did to gain it and it proved pretty accurate for me so I've used this as a guideline ever since. That means two weeks from now, I'll be feeling like me again. This lifestyle is a journey that ebbs and flows as life itself happens so I'll take it!
I hope you noticed how simple and pretty 'duh' all of these pointers are! I want to highligh that because I want you to know that you already know everything you need to know! There's no magic solution/pill/powder/wrap that will 'fix' this. It takes consistency, commitment and doing the work, work that you are more than capable of doing. Remind yourself of the things you want to achieve and, no matter how much you want to disappear into yourself and 'not', keep showing up. That's all.
Sabs xxx
