Traveling teaches you more about yourself than any other experience. One lesson I’ve learned is that I have an endless capacity for croissants, wine and that my sweet-tooth only appears in Europe. Indulging doesn’t require guilt, as you can quickly set yourself back on the healthy track once back home. After trips to Paris to London, Palm Spring and Ojai my spirit needed a bit of a reset too! Here are my post-travel detox tips for combating the jetlag, bloat, post-vacation blues and getting back on track to feeling fabulous!
1. Start your day with warm water and lemon
This is a gentle and detoxifying way to wake up and hydrate your skin. It aids in digestion and aids in decreasing bloat too! Add a probiotic supplement to rebalance blood sugars and eat a clean breakfast with apple, egg whites, and a green smoothie.
2. Move your body
Take advantage of your jetlag (early rise?) and defeat post-travel fatigue on day one by going for a gentle walk, yoga or easy movement. Ease into your HIIT classes. Now is the time to be gentle with your body and the flushing out toxins feel amazing afterward.
3. Start a gratitude journal
You’re at your desk dreaming of that crazy night in Paris with 20 deadlines in front of you and your freaking out!
You are suffering from vacation come down. Create a gratitude journal to keep you in a positive place. It’s a wonderful way to reflect on your memories and helps you get excited about planning your next trip!
4. Go Green!
I’m not a fan of salads, but love downing a green juice or smoothie as a snack. I usually toss some dark leafy greens (spinach and kale) with some lemon juice, water, turmeric and minimize the fruit (to cut the sugar) then blend. You’ll deliver a solid dose of healthy vitamin and minerals and will flush out your systems. Bonus, the tumeric is an alkaline (anti-inflammatory) so watch that belly bloat say goodbye!
5. Clear your schedule and prioritize yourself
The hardest part of leaving town is coming back to thousands of emails and tasks. Clear your schedule for a bit and prioritize your self-care. Use apps like Evernote and slow make a game plan. Try to achieve three small goals for the day. Give yourself some time away with mini-breaks (walks), so you don’t get overwhelmed.
6. Try a Whole 30 diet
Since your body needs a break from carb overloading, sugar and booze and try a whole 30 diet for at least 7 days with a meal delivery plan like Model Meals. Being a busy entrepreneur, I love their pre-packaged concept which is clean, local, organic, paleo, and tastes good! Save $25 off your order here.
7. Hydrate Spa Style
Just when you thought you couldn’t drink any more water, now is the time to add those cucumber, strawberry and lemon slices to your water like at the spa. I’m not a fan of plain water but making it a cocktail helps make it palatable. I even set an alarm as a reminder to sip!
8. Meditate
Before you grab your phone in the morning, take some for yourself and practice some mindfulness. This concept may seem a bit farfetched for some of you, but centering yourself before you can serve others is essential to productivity and self-care.
Over to you, wanderlusters! What are your go-to ways to detox after a vacation? Leave your tips in the comment section below!
