Maintaining your usual exercise routine and healthy meal plans over the summer holidays can seem near impossible.
Between parties and lazy afternoon BBQs (with free-flowing booze and delicious and abundant treats), it’s normal to slip a little – and even healthy to loosen the reigns on your carefully crafted wellness routine once in a while.
But going overboard on the holiday treats and ‘forgetting’ to exercise can derail the hard work you’ve put in all year to feel and look your best.
This doesn’t mean you need to keep up your five-times-a-week gym schedule and pass on social invitations, just be mindful of a few things.
1) Get some sleep
The summer holidays are a fantastic time to catch up on some much needed snoozing. If possible, try to get between seven to nine hours of sleep per night.
While it may seem tricky to balance social occasions, kids and sleep, according to the American Sleep Association the benefits of turning in early in favour of some shut-eye far out way the cons.
Not getting an adequate amount of sleep has been linked to an increased risk of diabetes, deficits in memory and attention, increased hunger, moodiness and increased risk of obesity.
Go on, enjoying a few alarm-free days of sleep will surely help you feel more rested when its time to go back to work.
2) Maintain healthy food and exercise habits
Exercise doesn’t need to be synonymous with the gym, and it needn’t be punishing either – exercise should be fun!
If you need some gym-free exercise ideas for the summer holidays why not try:
Going for a night of intense dancing with your friends (and don’t you dare hold back from shuffling – it may be so 2011 but it’s also great cardio).
Head to the pool or beach with the kids and go for a swim.
Go on a hike or long walk in the bush – look for animals and flora, you’ll forget you’re actually training your glutes and thighs.
Go to the park with your kids and try some pull-ups on the monkey bars or tricep dips on the park benches.
Take the dog on a long walk.
Dance around and sing while doing the housework.
Just like exercise, our healthy eating habits can slip from ‘just a salad please’ to ‘yes, I’ll have a third serving of chocolate pudding.’
Even when on holiday, try to remember the 80/20 rule – 80 per cent of what you eat should be nutritious and 20 per cent ‘sometimes’ food.
So when approaching a food buffet, try to ensure there’s a lot of salad and vegetables visible on your plate.
3) Look after your body
Our bodies take a big hit over summer so it’s important to nourish it when you can.
Remember to:
1. Keep up your skincare routine
Just because you’re busier than normal, doesn’t mean you don’t have time to wash your face – just imagine the dried sweat in your pores!
Aim to cleanse your face morning and night with a product that caters to your skin concerns (oiliness, dryness, anti-ageing). And each morning, apply a serum (you can choose one for fine lines, pigmentation or acne, among other concerns) and follow with a hydrating moisturiser.
Goodness’ Every Morning Moisturiser SPF15 is a good pick (pun intended) – it contains SPF15 so you’ll get some protection from the sun’s harmful UVA/UVB rays.
Apply the lightweight moisturiser under your make-up each day – 20 minutes before you know you’ll be in the sun – and it’ll leave your skin deeply nourished and hydrated. The product also contains organic chia seed oil and is vegan friendly.
Be sure to pair this with a hat and sunnies.
2. Apply sunscreen and embrace the shade
We know you apply a sunscreen or sunblock liberally, but don’t use this as an excuse to sunbathe in direct sunlight for hours on end.
New Zealand has the highest rates of melanoma skin cancer in the world, be mindful of this and aim to enjoy the warm weather in the shade when possible.
3. Re-hydrate your body
Keep up your fluids – not alcohol and coffee, water – your body is 60 per cent water, it needs this to function optimally.
Goodness Natural Beauty Lab products are available in stores now.
