Coming back from a trip and getting yourself back into sync with your normal routine is tricky as it is, particularly if you’re suffering from jet lag, but what about getting back on track with your fitness and nutrition? Some of you may have never stepped off the health wagon despite being surrounded by holiday treats for the past week or so – but many of us do, and while that’s totally ok – there comes a point where our bodies can’t take any more of the breakfast buffet, constant flow of cocktails and inactive days spent horizontally with a good book on a sun lounger. (Well, maybe some can.) PUT A STOP TO THE HOLIDAY DIET Eat good to feel good, it’s as simple as that. If you need to ease yourself back in gradually then by all means do so, but the longer you continue the ‘holiday diet’ – consisting of foods that are far from your usual healthy choices – the longer it’s going to take you to get back to feeling your best. Keep those favourite foods in your diet in moderation of course, but let’s be honest, alcoholic beverages all day every day and plates piled high with indulgent cuisine isn’t really the norm. We don’t encourage a drastic Detox, but be sure to get plenty of water, fruits, veg, protein, and wholesome grains and carbs into your body. GET BACK INTO TRAINING If you managed to get a few workouts in on holiday then you won’t feel like you’ve fallen out of the swing of things too much – but if you didn’t, which is completely normal by the way – it’s time to get back to your cardio, weight training and stretching. That awful pre-holiday pressure to look 10/10 that a lot of us endure is now old news, so you can relax a little and get back to the training you truly enjoy. Focus on your health and strength more than your body image, and you’ll be itching to get back in the zone to feel your best again. GET YOUR SLEEP IN ORDER Sleep is so important, as we all know, and after a holiday it can be so difficult to get back to normal – especially if your body is adjusting to its usual time zone once again. Jet lag can be a pain (understatement), but aim to get to bed around 10pm and set your alarm for 6am the next morning to make sure you’re getting a good eight hours sleep, at least. Even if you’re still tossing and turning at 12am, don’t pick up your phone. Instead try to just rest. Rest is better than aimlessly scrolling Instagram, even if it isn’t as good as actual sleep! SET NEW GOALS It’s nice to have a break, but we all need goals in place to push us and help us make progress. They don’t have to be anything huge, but little goals for a few months down the line will give you something to focus on. It’s easy to return home and feel somewhat flat with no direction when it comes to fitness, so picking yourself up and striving for a new challenge is the best way to become focused once again. Stuck for motivation? Well you could always book another holiday… Blow those holiday blues out of the water with a new training plan, a new and improved diet, and a clearer mind-set and you’ll be able to pick up where you left off in no time at all.