By Reggie Reyes, BKin and
Mike Carrera, MSc.

March break has always been a wonderful time for families to get away from the hustle and bustle of their busy lives. If you were really fortunate, you got on a plane, landed in a foreign country and basked in the sun for six or seven days on a sandy beach, eating and drinking to your heart’s content.

There’s no arguing that it is important for your mental and physical health to let your regular healthy routine fall to the wayside once in a while—that’s what vacations are for! However, as many of you may have experienced, reality sets in quickly. It’s unbelievable how easy it is for some of us to put on a couple of extra pounds! If you who feel like you’ve set yourself back remember, there’s always light at the end of the tunnel, as long as you make the necessary adjustments.

You CAN have your cake and eat it too
Follow these simple tips and suggestions and you’ll have your pre-vacation body back in no time.

Nutrition
During your first week back, it’s especially important to keep a strict eye on the foods you eat. If you drank a lot of pina coladas or alcoholic and caffeinated beverages on vacation, drink lots of water to rehydrate—at least eight glasses a day. Also, drink a lot of green tea as it gives you an energy boost without excess caffeine and has health benefits such as cancer-fighting and weight loss promoting properties. For a personalized, healthy, tasty and easy-to-follow meal plan, complete the Truestar Nutrition Profile. Also, have a look at Green Light, Red Light Foods to help you make healthy and informed food choices.

Summary tips:

• Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Eat lean proteins such as fish, skinless chicken, soy and legumes.
• Drink 8 to 10 glasses of fresh water a day.
• Drink 1 to 2 cups of green tea a day.

Exercise
As many of you already know, losing weight boils down to burning more calories than you consume on a daily basis. To give your body the boost it needs to quickly tackle the extra pounds gained on your vacation, you need to exercise daily for the first week back. Perform alternating days of aerobic and resistance training at a medium to high intensity. Since you are increasing the number of training days per week, limit the workout time to a maximum of 45 minutes to an hour each day.

After the first week, include one or two rest days in your weekly regimen. Remember, too much exercise can be dangerous to your health. Recovery is just as important as the workout itself. For a personalized complete and effective workout routine, complete the Truestar Exercise Profile. For those days when you are really pressed for time any days of the week, try a full-body 20-minute program.

Summary tips:

• Alternate days with aerobic training or a full-body circuit training resistance workout.
• Exercises should be performed with a medium to high intensity.
• Perform a stretching routine before and after every workout to reduce your risk of injury and muscle soreness.
• Increase the amount of physical activity in your daily routine. For example, go for a walk during lunch or take the stairs instead of the elevator.

Vitamins and supplements
Vitamins and supplements can be a great help when trying to quickly get your body back to normal. Not only will they help naturally rid the body of the waste products lurking around from your vacation, but they will also aid your recovery from the increased amount of physical activity. To find out more about the vitamins and supplements that best suit your needs, complete the Vitamin and Supplement Profile.

Summary tips:

• Take a multivitamin with a good vitamin B-complex to replenish what you depleted during your vacation and to ensure your body meets its daily requirements.
• Take antioxidants such as vitamins C and E to help your body physically and mentally recover.
• Take milk thistle for detoxifying the liver.

Following these simple and effective tips and techniques will give you the quick boost you need to recover from your vacation and, in many cases, even surpass your previous health and fitness levels.