Column Rocio Dos Santos Arenas
Is it the finish line?
We made it all the way here! Congratulations on your success, I am proud of you! Goals have been achieved, moral is high, summer is here, vacation is on the line and endorphins are quickly roaming around …
Do you want to know how to keep up the good work whilst on holidays? How to achieve a cheat day balance? Keep reading.
During the holidays you feel as if you can finally breathe and leave behind all the extra work, bills, chores, to-do lists and overall stress. Relaxation makes our body enter a very much needed parasympathetic state and things start working for us instead of against us.
Free-Photos from Pixabay
As we relax, we tend to indulge and tell ourselves that it is ok, we are on holidays.
Not wanting to be the devil’s advocate here but let me paint a different picture for you.
All that hard work sweat and tears, early mornings or late evenings, pain and soreness until you managed to find a workout routine that you liked, until your body was strong enough to endure the pain. The new habits you created, recipes you learned and cravings that you kept at bay. Are you really going to throw all that away just because you are “on holidays”?
It is possible to keep a balance, it is all described in that one word, balance. You have worked towards creating a lifestyle, a bunch of habits that no matter what will be something that you stand for, do not let that go away. Instead, take the reins and be the bigger person. It is ok to have a cheat meal here and there, try to fit at least a 20-minute workout every day, a walk every day and some brain stimulation. Do not become this person that works in a yo-yo fashion bouncing from holiday mind and body to post holiday mind and body, repeat.
Rocio running – credit photo Rocio dos Santos Arenas
It is possible to do it all and have it all, you are the one who can make it happen, so own it!
Regardless of where you are and how relaxed you feel, there is always time each day to feel even better, remember that exercise releases our happy hormones? You are going to benefit your mood, so move! With regards to food, you know what the do’s and don’ts are and what works and doesn’t, do not cross the line, that’s it. Don’t live in this constant fear or constant battle.
Send $5 for cancer treatment PLEASE. PLEASE. PLEASE 🙏 from Pixabay
Here are the tips
- Prioritize yourself above anything else, you have worked hard these past five weeks to achieve where you are at right now so don’t throw that down the drain, keep going further.
- 20 minutes a day is all you need, think of it as exercise for your heart, your brain, your future self, do your future body a favour and find that time.
- Go on a meatless Monday whilst on vacation or an alcohol-free Tuesday. Better than nothing at all, small changes are what makes it.
- Say no to bread, chips and cheese at dinner, you do not need the extra empty nutrient items.
- Keep the pizzas, gyros and burgers for lunch so there is more time for your body to process it.
- Open water swims can be your new thing if you are by the beach or lake.
- Took your dog on holidays with you? Go out for longer walks.
- Prepare your gym clothes, as in take them out of the suitcase and lay them out some place you will see them and that way, they are ready to be used.
- Keep it fresh, add greens, fruits, salads to your meals. Even if they are only a side dish it will help you keep up the good work.
- Hold off on excess salt, instead try to up your water intake. Heat makes us sweat more thus losing minerals through our pores, our bodies make us crave salt in order to replenish those minerals however it will become counteractive if proper hydration is not maintained. First water, then salt.
Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay
All that I have been promoting since the start is for you to spend some time listening to your body, pinpointing the areas you must work on and educating yourself about nutrition. Make it all become a lifestyle and say goodbye to diets and trends, you want to become a healthier and more active version of yourself so keep up the good work and if you have just joined us now, start today! There has never been a better time.
I am attaching a link to a DIY in shower moisturizer, a way to combat the heat of the summer and still have silky smooth skin, a way to stop spending extra money on creams and lotions and a way to control what goes on to your skin.
You can apply this lotion whilst being in the shower, allow it to work for a couple of minutes and then rinse it off with water. You will leave hydrated and smelling amazingly!
https://youtu.be/C4Hh1Sm7taU
Hoping you have learned new things, trialled some of them out and challenged yourself these past weeks. I am here to support you from a holistic perspective to achieve those health and fitness goals you have been dreaming of.
See you soon! Happy Holidays!
About the author:
Rocio Dos Santos Arenas is an Holistic Health Coach specialized in gut health conditions and food intolerances and is a trained Pilates and Yoga instructor and movement enthusiast. She is currently living in the French part of Switzerland spreading knowledge and awareness about the importance of a healthy body and a healthy mind and transforming people through an active lifestyle with group classes, courses, workshops, retreats. She recently found her company Activ Wellness to provide you with the guidance, tools and support you need and bring changes and so you become stronger, healthier and more focused.
