1 Stay active
Holidays can be a surprising package on the fitness front. All the swimming,
beach-walking and water sports can leave you in better shape than you were
beforehand. At home, though, it is easy to let activity levels slip. So how
do you stay on track? By far the greatest barrier to improving the body
through exercise is the mind. Setting unrealistic goals - “I want Madonna's
biceps, Michael Phelps's physique” - too early on is the most common reason
why workout regimes stumble to a halt before they really get started.
Of course, you may need that dream body in mind to keep you motivated. But
accept that smaller hurdles need to be jumped en route to your ultimate aim.
Start with the goal of running a mile rather than a marathon, shedding two
pounds before a stone. Better to inch your way to fitness than go hell for
leather but stall after a week.
Peta Bee, Fitness writer
2 Eat colourfully
One thing about summer food is that it is beautifully bright and colourful.
Not only do the vibrant hues of strawberries, raspberries, corn on the cob,
radishes and peppers (to name a few) give your mood a natural lift simply
from seeing them on your plate, but they are light to eat and full to the
brim with powerful vitamins and super-nutrients that boost antioxidant
levels in your blood soon after eating. Add beautiful red strawberries to
your breakfast, snack on deep crimson cherries, add crunchy orange pepper
sticks and fennel to lunchtime salads and dine on colour-drenched stir-fries
full of everything from bright orange carrots to rich yellow mini sweetcorns
and deep green broccoli florets to keep up that summer feeling.
Amanda Ursell, nutritionist and dietician
3 Get more sleep
What's behind that rejuvenated, end-of-holiday feeling? The pool, the sunshine
and the local wine all helped, of course. But a key factor is that you've
had enough sleep. Life's hectic pace means that our shut-eye can become more
of a blink - and chronic sleep deprivation leads to irritability,
depression, impaired memory, poor concentration, reduced motivation and,
possibly, weight gain.
So resolve to keep up your newfound sleep habits. Stick to a sensible routine
with adequate sleeping hours, and don't “catch up” with daytime naps or
weekend lie-ins. And avoid late-night stimulants such as scary films or
caffeine - then you can have sweet dreams about your next holiday.
Dr Keith Hopcroft, GP
4 Get organised in the kitchen
Whether you spent your holiday shivering over a Cornish pasty or chilling with
moussaka and Greek salad, coming home is a new beginning. Make it a good
excuse to clear out the food cupboard. Take a fresh look at how you organise
your catering and think of ways to make it easier and more fun. Take the
stress out of midweek suppers by planning ahead. Alternate quick dishes with
long, slow stews or roasts that require minimal attention once the initial
work is done. Eat seasonally. Use leftovers. Buy good bread. Get into the
habit of making stock from the chicken carcass, freeze it for risotto and
soup. Cook for the freezer with seasonal gluts. Install a cooking rota so
everyone gets to cook and eat something they love.
Lindsey Bareham, food writer
5 Do a fun run
Set yourself a goal. Rather than think: “That's it, summer's over”, set
yourself something to look forward to, such as a fun run. I aim to exercise
four times a week, and to keep motivated I do a variety of things - being
flexible is key. Sometimes I wake up and really want to go for a run, but if
the kids are playing up, I'll do something in the house. If I'm watching
telly I might do sit-ups and dumbbells. Even if it's only 10 or 15 minutes,
I feel much better than if I did nothing. I've learnt to go with what's
happening.
Sally Gunnell OBE, former Olympic athlete
6 Take a break from your worries
A holiday gives you a sense of timelessness, space, and freedom from everyday
pressures. If you want to take a holiday from yourself, practise where you
position your mind. It's about creating space.
Consciously choose not to take on tension and pressure. Learn to take those
five minutes out: take power breaks, practise breathing, or go to the park.
Pay attention to yourself and cultivate your joy and wellbeing. Be
interested in your life, rather than acting mechanically. And to support all
that, eat and rest well. You need to master your own individual universe
rather than the universe mastering you.
Fiona Arrigo; www.fiona-arrigo.com
7 Try the Alexander Technique
For most people, tension is habitual and the Alexander Technique teaches us
how not to hold so much muscular tension. Think about that holiday feeling:
being relaxed, more open and less tense. When you feel yourself begin to get
tense, stop. Stopping is critical. Breathe rhythmically, feeling your
ribcage go up and down and expanding sideways too. Now look straight ahead,
but start to see what's in your peripheral vision. You'll notice that you
can look around you without moving your eyes. Stay looking like this for a
minute or two. Before you carry on with what you're doing, stop again and
experience another moment of calmness of the mind. You'll find this is very
relaxing.
Caroline Dale, Alexander Technique teacher; www.alexanderatwork.co.uk
8 Meditate
Meditation reduces the stresses and strains of modern life. Try the
Preparatory Technique: sit comfortably in a chair with your back supported
and your hands together on your lap, lightly touching. Your eyes should be
gently closed. Focus your attention on breathing. A lot of thoughts will
come into your mind; don't follow them, let them be like pictures on a
television screen. We regard thoughts as stress coming out. Do this for
about 20 minutes, then open your eyes. You can also try this lying on the
floor.
Peter Moore, instructor, British Meditation Society; www.britishmeditationsociety.org
9 Cook your favourite holiday meals
Travel has been my main inspiration for cooking from infancy, starting with a
plate of sun-dried Kalamata olives, aged 2 in Skyros, until this year when I
was taught how to make caramelised rice and sour lime fish curry by a royal
chef in Qatar.
Wanting to recreate the exotic smells and flavours of foreign shores at home
always drove me to explore and stretch my cooking skills. A taste of a
holiday meal can transport you straight back there. Think of a steaming bowl
of Tom Yum soup - it fills your home with wafts of lemongrass and kaffir
lime and the chilli and garlic will strengthen your immune system for the
winter months.
So do some research and get cooking. It's one of life's lasting pleasures.
Sophie Michell, chef and author of Fabulous Food: Sexy Recipes for
Healthy Living
10 Figure out a fitness plan
On holiday we may eat too much, or see people out and about in bikinis, and
decide to get fit when we get back. But there's no “one size fits all”
package. A good personal trainer will look at your goals and lifestyle and
get you in the right direction. Even if you just have a few sessions, they
will give you lots of ideas. You might want to get off the bus a few stops
early and walk the rest of the way. If you hate running, try something
different, such as rowing.
Graeme Hilditch, fitness trainer and author of Is It Just Me or are
Sit-Ups a Waste of Time?
