Keeping healthy while on holiday
We are in the midst of the holiday season and we take vacations because we need a break from our usual work routines. Many of us take this opportunity to travel out of the country. A change of environment brings about a change in mindset. We become more relaxed and may indulge more than we usually do, abandoning healthy lifestyles and exercise regimes. This article discusses how we can still keep healthy while enjoying the fruits of our labour.
Avoid packing your itinerary
This applies to those who plan their own holidays. If you join a tour group, the itinerary is out of your hands. When planning your itinerary, factor in buffers and be prepared for unexpected delays. We should not expect transportation systems to be as predictable as in Singapore. Traffic jams, train delays and missed connections are a common occurrence in a foreign country when we are not familiar with the transportation system. Expecting the unexpected will reduce stress when travelling. Be prepared with contingency plans in case things do not go as planned.
2. Plan time to relax
Sometimes we get so carried away from visiting attractions that we forget to relax. If we do not plan time to relax, the symptom would be you feeling even more fatigued after the holiday compared to before the trip. Travelling can be particularly stressful when travelling with young children and older folks. They generally have a higher level of needs, and our needs take a backseat when we cater to their needs, in turn, leading to fatigue and stress. If you can spare pockets of time to chill and relax, your holiday will feel less like another work trip. Some resorts have a kids club where kids will be entertained and cared for. Going for a massage will give you time to unwind in peace.
3. Embed physical activity in your trip
If your holiday entails a hike, snorkelling, skiing, cycling or any form of physical activities, you are pretty much covered. This tip is for those whose default holiday predominantly revolves around eating local cuisines and buying souvenirs. Participate in tours that involve walking or doing something physical. This will help burn off some excess calories you usually accumulate during vacations.
4. Spend time in nature
Humans are meant to live in nature. Living in cities takes us away from our innate inclination to a natural environment. We are not able to live in a tree-house for practical reasons, but we can still spend time in nature periodically. For city dwellers, travelling to other countries with rural or remote locations will give us a different perspective on living and help us connect back with nature. If your vacation is to a city, you can still try to find some local parks to take a break from the hustle and bustle. When I was in Ho Chi Minh, I found a park near the hotel I was staying at - Vinhomes Central Park. A huge clean beautiful park where people can practise tai chi or yoga in the morning, or simply chill in the evening. Best of all, its free! Yes it’s true. The best things in life are free.
5. Maintain some healthy habits during your trip
It is understandable that we are not able to continue every healthy habit on vacations. We may eat at irregular hours, indulge more than usual, and have less sleep. A useful tip would be maintaining at least some healthy habits during your trip. If you are not able to control your food, at least maintain some exercise. When I was on a family trip to Penang, we did indulge in their famous local cuisines but made a point to exercise every morning. If you are not able to sleep early, maybe limit your alcohol intake so that your quality of sleep will be less compromised. This is so that when you return back to your healthy lifestyle, there will be less inertia resuming your healthy habits.
6. Return to your healthy lifestyle after your holiday
Even if you have indulged too much during your vacation, do not feel guilty about it. People naturally indulge more during the holiday seasons, even athletes take a break from strict diets and hard training during off-season. All we need to do is to get back to our healthy routines when we return. If we continue living the unhealthy holiday behaviours when we are back, it can easily become a habit and inevitably become a lifestyle and a way of life. Even though short periods of unhealthy behaviours may not hurt us in the long run, unhealthy lifestyles will definitely be detrimental. So eat healthy, move frequently, and take the next step to healthy living when you are back.
Do not let this holiday season cause you to backslide into an unhealthy lifestyle. If you need help keeping healthy, contact me and I will be happy to help.
