Long, holiday weeks are what we live for. An extra day or two off of work, time spent with friends and family eating great food, and stepping out of our monotonous routine for a bit. It can be refreshing and liberating.
But we’ve all felt that guilt come Sunday night or Monday morning that we’ve had one too many drinks or went beyond our regular eating pattern, and it doesn’t feel so great.
For most, it’s a mad rush to get back into the gym where we feel ‘safe.’ The issue many have is not knowing how to recover healthily and efficiently before getting back into their fitness routine.
These steps are each important on their own, of course, but we recommend combining them all for a successful recovery from indulgence.
Here’s what we recommend doing to bounce back from a long weekend away from your gym or workout routine:
HYDRATE
You’ll need to flush out all the toxins that built up in your body over the holiday weekend. If you were surrounded by a campfire, in an airplane, out in the sun, or drinking alcohol - these all have a dehydrating effect on your body, and lack of water consumption takes a toll after a few days. Drink at least 2 liters of water every day is an essential no matter what, but you especially want to make sure you’ve rehydrated before getting back to the gym on Monday for a sweat. So, drink up!
EXERCISE
We know it’s hard sometimes to find the motivation to run five miles on the treadmill, or head to a Bikram yoga, or lift weights after a holiday. But we can’t stress enough how important it is to start exercising again. The term “sweat it out” has truth to it. When you sweat your body naturally detoxes, leaving you feeling like you just had a therapy session. And hey, maybe you need a good therapy session or detox from the weekend you just had? Use the energy you have stored in your body from those ‘long weekend’ calories to power your workout to another level. Your body will thank you for it.
STRETCH
Okay, so maybe the weekend left you totally horizontal or in a such zombie-like state on Monday that heading to the gym is out of the question. We recommend still taking some time to give your body a good stretch. Your muscles may be stiff or stagnant from a flight you were on, an unfamiliar place you slept, or whatever activity you were up to. Start with your legs and work your way up your body, holding each stretch for at least 30 seconds. You’ll feel more energetic and prepared for the new week ahead.
REST
This one is a no brainer for most. But sometimes people tend to stretch the weekend out that they skip out on sleep. The best thing you can do to regenerate your body is rest. If your body is telling you to rest, then do it! A full eight hours is needed after a weekend away from your routine. Jumping back into it without a good night’s rest will lead to brain fog or feeling lethargic. There is nothing better than a good night’s rest to rejuvenate you for your gym session tomorrow.
