I have just returned from a fabulous time away on our honeymoon, that included a lot richer food and more alcohol than I would usually consume. I'm happily at a place where I am good with enjoying holiday indulgence, and this is not something I stress about. I enjoy myself, try to eat to my appetite, and get back to basics when I'm back. I know for many people a holiday or eating and drinking more than normal can trigger wanting to go on a diet or do a cleanse, so I thought I'd put together my tips for pulling the reins back in after holiday indulgence. Next holiday, have a try of these tips instead of starting your next diet.

1. Pay attention to hunger and satiety cues - I try to do this most of the time, but especially after a time of indulgence this is something I pay attention to. Often I will be less hungry than usual and I will be craving fresh foods. I take this into account when working out what and how much I will eat. However, I still want to make sure I am eating regularly, having mostly balanced meals and not skipping meals. For example, this week I have really been craving lots of veggies, so on Sunday I did the shopping and bought heaps of fruit and veggies, then prepared a big salad for the fridge and cooked a dish with lots of veggies, so they have been the easy choice for meals this week. This leads me on to my next point...

2. Eat plenty of veggies - Often when we are away, vegetable consumption falls, and so this is something I will naturally crave. Make an effort to include an extra serve of veggies at lunch and dinner. Plan your meals and buy heaps of veggies, then wash and cut some up so they are ready to go for your next meal. Same goes for fruit - have plenty of interesting fruit in your fridge ready for your next snack.

3. Eat a balanced breakfast - Often when we overindulge it leads us to restricting our food intake, perhaps skipping breakfast, but this doesn’t lead you in the direction that you want to go in. Everyone is different, and some people find not eating breakfast works for them but I think that it’s a good idea to be prepared with some healthy options for when you get hungry in the morning instead of winding up at the vending machine come 3pm. Some good options might include prepping a batch of bircher, or boiling some eggs to have with a grainy piece of toast and some avocado. Making sure we have a balanced breakfast, or first meal of the day, is a good way to help us feel satisfied and stabilise our blood sugars for the rest of the day.

4. Get back in to exercise - I’m generally not as active on holidays as normal, especially this last one, so getting back into exercise everyday has been really good. It doesn’t have to be crazy, even committing to a 20 - 30 min walk each morning is a good place to start.

5. Have a break from alcohol - Especially if you’ve overdone the alcohol, this is a good idea. Cut back, and perhaps even have a complete break for a while to give your body a bit of a break. Less alcohol can also help with making better food choices, getting in to more exercise and improved sleep quality, so it’s a win all round!

I’d love to know, what’s helpful for you to get back in to a healthy routine after holidays?

As a dietitian and nutritionist in Canberra, I work with people to help them achieve their health goals, and equip them with the knowledge and skills to help them make the best decisions for them. If you would like support and guidance with making changes to your eating patterns and health outcomes, get in touch! I'd love to hear from you.

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