So you went away, saw a new part of the world, and now you’re back. You ate, you drank, you relaxed, and then you ate some more.  And now it’s time to face the music.

As you wake up on Monday morning after your week of less-than-healthy eating… Your body is puffy and bloated. Your joints are achy. Your clothes feel tight.

Maybe you are feeling that way right now.

Here are 5 steps to get you back on the fitness fast track after your trip.

Step One: Focus

Your vacation happened. You ate things from the “never eat these” list, you drank more that you should have…but now it’s over.

Draw a line in the sand. You’re back home so the bad eating stops now.

If you’re serious about your fitness goals, then your vacation was the exception, and not the rule. Don’t beat yourself up for letting loose on your trip. Simply get back up, dust yourself off and get focused.

Step Two: Hydrate

While travel days can take on many forms, the end result is most often dehydration and water retention. The only way to restore your balance is to get hydrated.

Your first priority in getting back on track is to drink plenty of water throughout your first few days home. Start with a tall glass of water in the morning, and carry a water bottle with you to sip throughout the day.

Don’t add any artificial sweeteners or stimulants to your water – these will sabotage your hydration efforts. For flavor, add sliced fresh fruit, herbs or vegetables to your water, just like at the spa.

Step Three: Cleanse

For your first few days home I need you to be extra picky about what you eat. Stick with only whole, real foods like fruits, vegetables and lean meats. Whole, real foods will help to restore balance and block out cravings.

Don’t eat any packaged foods for the next few days. This means no snack foods, processed meat slices, dairy, baked goods or alcohol.

Try the recipe for Quick Chicken Stir Fry below – this is a wonderful, whole food dish.

Step Four: Rest

As relaxing as vacation days are, most end with the feeling of exhaustion. Make catching up on sleep a priority over the next few days.

When your body is low on sleep, it becomes easier to make poor eating choices. You’re also less likely to get back into your workouts if you don’t give your body a chance to rest.

Aim for getting a full 8 hours of sleep each night.

Step Five: Exercise

It’s time to sweat out all those vacation indulgences. So lace up your shoes and put on your favorite gym clothes. When you start your first workout, ease in slowly. Take the time to warm up and stretch your muscles before powering up to a solid 30-minute routine.

I have just the exercise plan for you – one that will not only help you recover from your vacation, but will help keep you motivated and going strong in the future.

If you haven’t joined yet, now is the perfect time for you to start. Together we will get you to your goals with my results-driven method.

Simply call or email me today to set up your first workout.

Get Back At It
You may feel tempted to skip your workout the day after you return home from vacation, but be warned that it’s a slippery slope. After all you’re tired, you have unpacking to do and you’re stiff from the ride home. That day slides into the next day and the next day. Before you know it you’ve been home for a week and still haven’t gotten in a workout.

Jump into your workouts immediately once you return home. Sure, you’re going to feel a little rusty on that first day back, but remember that the sooner you get back into the swing of your routine the better. You can do it!

Quick Chicken Stir Fry
This recipe meets all the requirements for a healthy dinner. By baking the chicken and using cauliflower for rice, this recipe has half of the calories and 80% less fat than a traditional stir fried chicken meal.

Servings: 4

Here’s what you need…
•    1 head cauliflower
•    ¼ cup coconut aminos
•    ¼ cup mirin (sweet rice wine)
•    1 Tablespoon coconut nectar
•    1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
•    2 Tablespoons organic chicken broth
•    3 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
•    1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
•    8 ounces snow peas, halved lengthwise diagonally
•    1 bunch green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
1.    Wash cauliflower, discard the leaves, and chop into small pieces. Grate the pieces with a food processor. In a large skillet heat the coconut oil over medium. Add the shredded cauliflower. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until tender. Season with salt and pepper. Serve as you would traditional rice.
2.    Combine coconut aminos, mirin, coconut nectar, apple cider vinegar and chicken broth in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
3.    Heat a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add chicken breasts to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Transfer to a cutting board; cool slightly. Cut into 1-inch slices.
4.    Return pan to medium-high heat; add remaining 1teaspoon toasted sesame oil to pan. Add snow peas and onions; sauté 2 minutes. Add coconut amino mixture and chicken to pan; cook 2 minutes or until liquid is syrupy and chicken is thoroughly heated, stirring frequently. Place 1 cup rice in each of 4 shallow bowls; top each serving with 1 cup chicken mixture.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 256 calories, 6g fat, 621mg sodium, 25g carbohydrate, 6g fiber, and 28g protein.