Survival guide for a healthy vacation

Reading time : 5 min After a long time waiting for these dates, it may make you "uncomfortable" or even have a certain fear of leaving your day to day and that little "loss of control" will overcome you. Above all, be clear that a certain lack of control in your day to day does not have to boycott the results achieved, but rather the opposite if you have managed to internalize the concept: integral health. When you learn to manage and "surf" the circumstances of your life, you learn to identify the moments in which your body needs to pause and enjoy. I propose below a series of tools to maintain your well-being, enjoying these Christmas days without depriving yourself!

1. The benefits of lack of control

Many times we challenge our mind or our body to achieve an objective or to implement a habit in such a way that, without even realizing it, we lead our body and especially our nervous and immune systems to a permanent state of alert. Your mind is working 24/7 with the fear that a small mismatch in your plans will blur the goal set. This is not only mentally exhausting, but has its physiological impact. The immune system has priority in our survival, it is responsible for informing the brain whether or not the body is in a condition to face a change. How do you inform him? Triggering its own defense mechanisms, the most frequent are: inducing a depressive state, lowering energy levels or asking us to eat sugar (the main fuel when we are on alert). Therefore, before taking your goal to the extreme, bring the appropriate calm to your nervous system so that your immune system allows you to change. Nothing better for that, than a well-deserved vacation.

1.1. Recharge batteries this Christmas!

These are some of the practices that can help you bring calm and recharge your batteries for change. Start with the ones that are easiest for you, with the ones that resonate with your lifestyle and, little by little, you will see how the desire to integrate the rest comes organically and naturally.

• Clear your mind . It seems simple, but it is really effective and sometimes not as easy as we think. Get out of your daily routine. That conscious disconnection to reconnect with you and rethink your goal.
• De-stress your physique . Rest during these days and reserve a space for conscious movement. Walk, lead an active life and enjoy being able to move, being healthy for it. You can do sessions of weights, cardio, any sports discipline that you like.
• enjoy . Enjoy your plans, your family and friends. Take advantage of these days to give yourself a whim, later we will explain how to do it in a balanced way.

2. 7 tips for a healthy vacation

• Learn to enjoy doing NOTHING

Today's society reduces us every day to production parts. We are the only animals "busy" 24 hours a day. We have that chip so integrated that even at times when we have nothing to do we complicate the minutes with new tasks, new courses that we will never use... fleeing from our mind. This disconnection with life and with our interior is often the result of that desire to always be busy and working. Without giving space to simply observe. To be and to be.

• Before a heavy meal

One of the main mistakes is to think that since we are going to have a lot of dinner, it is better not to have breakfast or lunch or we decide to eat very little. This is a mistake. All you get is increased intake, cause anxiety and lose control. Power in the rest of the meals, vegetables and proteins . Event meals are usually rich in carbohydrates and fats, introducing protein throughout the day will calm your appetite. Don't cut protein out of your diet!

• After a heavy meal

Listen to your body the next day, if you have drunk and eaten a lot, then most likely your body is saturated and does not ask you for food. Do not eat for eating, take advantage and introduce depurative teas, warm broths and lemon juice with warm water. Whenever you can choose broths, purées, creams, homemade gazpachos, etc. The satiating effect is greater and will help you purify and balance the body. The normal thing is that we feel a little bloated after leaving your day to day. Don't despair, it's normal. In most cases it is fluid retention. Fear not, you won't get fat in one meal!

• Drinks

Alcoholic Beverages – You already know that the key to success is moderation. Do not start lunch/dinner drinking alcohol on an empty stomach, the body will use it first as a source of energy and the food will be easily stored as fat. Do not eat and drink without control : if you go to a place where the food is especially worth it, it is preferable that you moderate your alcohol intake more. Healthy alternatives:

1. Go ​altering​ the water with alcoholic beverages, you will avoid drinking more than necessary or drink sparkling water and ​benefit from its satiating effect. Its carbonates promote the regulation of blood acidity that usually appears when we exceed ourselves. Another option is to mix it with a dry white wine or Martini.
2. Avoid mixes​ with coca-cola, fanta, they bloat you and it will trigger your sugar intake.
3. What are the best? : My recommendation is that whatever you drink, do not exceed two glasses of alcohol during the meal. The best options are: Cava or Champagne brut nature , dry white wine (such as Verdejo), red wine and natural cider .

• Sweets

Whether it's polvorones, chocolate, churros, nougats, French toast or any other typical holiday treat, try to look for the healthiest alternatives , there always are. You will find millions of healthy recipes that have nothing to envy to the classic industrial confectionery. In any case, when you feel like a treat, give it to yourself! ​Eat it in small pieces, chew slowly, savor it and be aware of how good it is. But most important of all, don't feel guilty!

• Move on!

It is normal that on these dates we slow down a bit, but do not throw everything away! Keep this in mind to try to minimize the effects it may have. Find some time to move a little more that day, go for a 20-30 minute walk with your dog, family or friends. Propose plans that involve some movement, any activity that amuses you and just without realizing it you exercise.

• And now...forget everything I've told you

You can put into practice the questions that I have proposed but do not forget to put aside excess control, you have the whole year to control, to follow a schedule, a structure. Enjoy a little lack of control and you will see how your own body, in an organic and intelligent way, accompanies you in what you propose, from self-care not from a forced self-imposition ;)