Healthy Habits after Vacation & Getting Back on Track

I came home from vacation with a few reality checks about how we can enjoy time off without coming home feeling bloated or desperate for a detox. Stepping away from your normal routine gives you a good look at what is—and isn’t—working in your everyday life. Use it as a chance to reset. 

Trina’s Tidbits at a Glance:

Decide before you leave: Your vacation choices around food and movement matter. You can enjoy yourself without abandoning your healthy habits.

Returning home: Spend less time scrolling, sitting, spending and accumulating stuff.

Make time for movement, the outdoors, breaks, real food, connection and joy.

Stop mindless snacking: Spoiler alert, I was grazing way too much.

Do less of what drains you and more of what makes you feel good.

Being away from my normal routine gave me a different perspective.

I spent less time sitting at a computer and scrolling on my phone. There was more walking, swimming, exploring, time spent outdoors and living in the moment.

Meals were another reminder. Planning food, cooking, taking breaks and actually enjoying the day felt good.

I brought three habits on vacation with me…

1. Plan meals ahead of time (look at menus ahead of time if dining out)
2. Include protein at every meal whether dining in or out.
3. Buy healthy foods at the grocery store and keep them visible and convenient.

Meals included protein, fruit and vegetables. I skipped most deep-fried foods while still enjoying gluten-free pizza and other foods I wanted.

No complicated vacation rules—just the same habits I coach women at Fit4Females. 

Planning ahead made it easier to eat well, move my body and enjoy the vacation.

I used recipes from Trina’s Kitchen, including pages 21, 23 and 64, and packed protein powder sachets for an additional protein source while travelling.

Every morning started with a smoothie and my Superfood Capsules.

Here are some things that can help you.

1. Spend time making your own food

One of my biggest vacation realizations was:

I like making my own food.

Eating out is fun but when you cook at home, you have more control over what goes into your meals. 

You can get enough protein, add vegetables and choose foods that leave you feeling satisfied. 

Do you feel better when you’re eating more of the foods your body is used to?

Healthy eating doesn’t have to mean complicated meal prep or eating the same chicken and broccoli every day.

Buy good food. Have it available. Cook it. Eat it. Repeat.

Think protein, carbs, fat and fibre.

2. Are you snacking more at home because it’s convenient?

Here’s another realization.

I snack more when I’m bored and food is convenient.

The kitchen is steps away. Food is always available.

Vacation gave me some distance from that routine. 

So perhaps the answer isn’t more willpower. Change your environment. Keep healthy foods visible, convenient and ready to eat.

3. Movement makes the difference

Movement helps us manage stress, and strength training needs to be a priority as we age.

My strength training helped me climb stairs and carry heavy groceries in a farmer’s carry one kilometre back to our hotel in 100-degree heat. 

That’s why you need to lift.

Strength isn’t just about how your body looks. It’s about being capable of carrying your groceries, getting off the floor, climbing stairs instead of taking the elevator, travelling and doing the things you want to do.

We don’t want to simply live longer. We want to be strong enough to live.

4. Less is more

Vacation reminded me how little we actually need.

Less stuff, scrolling, screen time, sitting and spending.

You don’t need a complicated workout program, perfect meal plan or two-hour workout.

Do the things that matter consistently.

Lift. Walk. Eat nourishing food. Get enough protein. Sleep. Spend time outside.

Simple is often what we can actually sustain.

More movement, home-cooked meals, time outside, breaks, connection with family and friends, strength and joy.

5. Your vacation doesn’t automatically cause weight gain

Going on vacation does not automatically mean gaining weight.

Neither does eating at restaurants, having dessert or enjoying foods you wouldn’t normally eat at home.

What matters is what you consistently choose.

While away, enjoy vacation food while continuing to make choices that support how you want to feel.

That’s the difference between:

“I’m on vacation, so nothing matters.”

and

“I’m on vacation, so I’m going to enjoy myself while still taking care of myself.”

You don’t need to choose between having fun and being healthy.

6. No post-vacation detox needed

If you enjoyed your vacation, enjoy it.

You don’t need to starve yourself because you ate pizza or do a juice cleanse because you had dessert.

Return to your normal healthy habits. That’s it.

The goal is to keep some healthy habits in place even when you’re outside your normal routine.

Don’t wait to start over

Stop thinking you need to “get back on track” and start over.

What if you simply made a plan for where you want to go next?

You don’t need to wait until you feel motivated.

Start with three questions:

1. What do I want to add, continue or start doing?

Think daily walks, setting screen time boundaries, strength workouts, strict bedtime and wake-up routines, cooking more meals at home or eating protein first thing at breakfast. Grab a copy of my book to simplify this. 

2. What do I want to reduce or remove?

Here are some things I am working on:

• Less scrolling
• Reducing how many things I own
• Sitting so much—set a 30-minute reminder to stand and move.
• Excuses that I don’t have time
• Fewer decisions when it comes to breakfast—download these 10 Healthy Breakfast Recipes.

3. What can I realistically commit to for the next week?

Review your calendar. Schedule your workouts. Plan your meals. Get it out of your head and onto paper.

Because small habits done consistently create lasting results. Pick one and D.I.N. it—do it now.

Finish with a plan—not a punishment

You don’t need another diet or detox.

Use the things that don’t really serve you to teach you.

Decide what you want more of, what you want less of and what you’re ready to change.

Finish with a plan—not a punishment.

Ready to make your plan?

If you’ve been saying “I need to get back on track,” let’s change the conversation.

Let’s figure out what you actually need—whether that’s strength training, nutrition support, accountability or simply a realistic plan you can stick with.

Check out our Programs here.

Strong women. Healthy habits. Lasting results.

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