Vacation Reality

05 Sep Vacation Reality

Vacation, it evokes thoughts of long meandering days with nothing more pressing than locating your next Umbrella drink and soft evenings that linger into late nights.  Days blending one into another while your body relaxes into the rhythm of uninterrupted play time.  Summer in Maine is made for vacations and this summer has been exceptional for enjoying vacation time.

The return to reality is often a harsh wakeup call as alarm clocks are reset and play clothes are turned in for the more uncomfortable daily work uniform or business attire.  There is no faster way to lose your vacation bliss than the first Monday post-vacation when you zip up those work pants and find they are squeezing in all the wrong places.   Your mind flashes back to the ice cream cones, umbrella drinks and fried yummies that made their way into your head hole during vacation and with a big sigh you power up the computer and start signing up for BarSculpt classes and researching healthy meal options to banish the results of vacation indulgence.

It doesn’t have to be this way.  Just because your regular routine is wonderfully broken up you don’t have to stop making good choices or stop moving.  You don’t have to keep up your regular fitness routine but you can move every day.  Whether you walk around that outlet mall a couple of extra times while contemplating that new designer purse, or take to the sand and walk to the sound of the waves and seagulls there is a way to maintain fitness and enjoy every moment of vacation.

We’ve put together a few tips for you to take on your next vacation in order to make the return to reality as seamless (instead of seam busting!) as possible.

• No matter where you are make time to move every day.  Aim for just 30 minutes a day.  If you are in a new city look for a BarSculpt class or power walk your way through a park.  At the beach?  Take a walk in the sand and feel those quads burn.  If you are in staycation mode; try a BarSculpt class you normally can’t make, like a morning or an evening class with a different teacher.  Don’t want to leave the house?  Throw in a BarSculpt DVD and sweat in the comfort of your own home!
• Counter those Umbrella drinks with some fresh fruits and veggies.  Summer is prime season for fruits and veggies everywhere so pair your fried clams with fresh from the garden greens.  If your vacation falls in the winter indulge your inner chef and try out some veggie heavy soup recipes or check out the web for ways to lighten even the most decadent comfort foods.
• Pick one meal a day to indulge.  Even if that meal ends up being happy hour, if you make great choices the rest of the day you can enjoy your indulgences without guilt (I refuse to give up vacation Pina Coladas, they are the very definition of vacation for me!).
• Among all the lounging activities pick a family or friend active activity to try; like Stand-up Paddle Boarding or find a local hiking/biking trail to get everyone out and moving.   Winter vacationing, get out there and find a hill to sled down (and walk back up) or if you are feeling dare devilish try a new winter sport like skiing or snowshoeing.
• Wake up and stretch!  Rolling out of bed when your body tells you to roll is one of the best feelings in the world.  Luxuriate in the lack of alarm and spend the first five minutes of your day stretching your body for the day.  Try a hanging stretch, holding on to your shins or touching the floor, a side stretch and a full body stretch to get your muscles ready for a new day of relaxation.  If you are feeling super ambitious add in a few core moves, get down for the hundreds, some toe taps and maybe some morning bridge dancing.  ALWAYS stretch first!
• Focus on relaxing!  Americans get and take the least amount of vacation in the entire world (OH my beloved UK folks, how I envy your six-week Summer vacations), so enjoy every moment.  Carve out time in even the busiest vacation schedule to unwind, either with a good book, a BarSculpt class or a healthy blank stare toward a body of water.
• Drop your shoulders, breathe deep and wiggle your toes.  It works.

Now, go plan your next vacation!

Take BarSculpt with you everywhere! Did you know we have DVDS on sale on BarSculpt.com?  BarScupt Mat is perfect for strengthening and sweating everywhere, hotels, your living room, even on the beach!  We also have BarSculpt exercise balls for sale in two sizes  and are a must-have for everyone’s home workout routine.

Note:  BarSculpt and its bloggers are not certified nutritionists, Registered Dieticians or Doctors.  Please consult with a Doctor or Nutritionist/RD for specific medical/nutritional counseling or before starting any new exercise program.  The information on this blog is meant to be informative and reflects the opinions and experience of BarSculpt and its bloggers.  We welcome feedback.  Thank you for visiting!