I just got back from a mini-vacation for a wedding in Cartagena, and I was thinking on my way back how relaxed I felt (despite not getting my full 8 hours of sleep every night) and how much I really enjoyed my vacation (despite not sticking to my healthy habits as usual).
So it dawned on me that this was important information for ME, and at the same time, something important to share with you.
I find it important to inspire you to stay healthy when you travel, because it sucks to travel and get bloated, constipated, or come back and find you're a few pounds heavier and not feeling your best (after what should have been a stress-free vacation). For that I have shared tons of HEALTHY TRAVEL TIPS in the past.
So I'm usually a stickler about traveling with all my healthy snacks, supplements, finding local yoga/barre studios and juice bars, staying hydrated, and avoiding greasy foods. On this trip, while yes of course I brought some of my healthy travel staples (I never travel without them), went for one jog and walked quite a bit, but otherwise, I JUST CHILLED. I went with the flow. I enjoyed time with my family, I danced, I drank a mojito or two, and I even ate local arepas and empanadas, and a delicious thin-crust pizza with my family. Yes some of these foods were greasy and contained gluten and dairy (things I usually avoid). But I ate everything slowly, I savored these treats, and didn't overdo it.
Without overthinking it, I enjoyed the moment and the local culture. I ate lots of the local fruit (before the arepas!), and I stayed open to trying a bit of everything.
What happened? Nothing drastic. Except that I got a happy reminder that life is about BALANCE.
Staying healthy is often times more about STAYING PRESENT and enjoying the little gifts of life, than getting your daily workout and green smoothie.
When we're relaxed and tuned-in, our bodies find a way to stay healthy. While if we're stressed about that gram of gluten and obsessing over whether our belly is expanding, then our bodies react negatively; stress takes priority over digestion, and that's when we accumulate fat (not to mention the guilt overpowers our happiness).
So while I do recommend you read up on my healthy travel tips, I also want to remind you to ENJOY your vacation WITHOUT GUILT. BE PRESENT. Enjoy the company, the time with family and friends, enjoy the local scenery, local food, and make it a priority to relax. If possible, meditate in nature.
Keep this in mind as Spring Break approaches. And if you feel you need a mini-detox after your break, or some help getting back on track towards your health goals, that's ok, you know where to go!
Love and Going-with-the-flow,
Mariana
