Hello again! Koko Linda has been gone for two long weeks. One was a lovely vacation with our adult children and our grandchild, the other was a week spent training new people at another club. I’m happy to be back at work in Centerville resuming my normal schedule.
On my vacation week there was very little time for working out. A two-year old never stops, except for his nap, and at that time I needed one too! I let my daughter and her husband have that few hours on the beach alone, while I sat in the cool house and watched the baby monitor. Time with him was precious since they live in NY and my husband and I weren’t going to give up a minute. Needless to say there wasn’t much time to workout that week or even on the weekends.
In addition to no time to workout, vacation brings with it all the foods and drinks we don’t normally have. There were trips to Seafood Sam’s for that yearly taste of fried fish. There were specialty mixed drinks, and of course, there were endless bottles of wine by the fire at night and spiked sparkling waters for the beach.
I enjoyed every moment of that week and can’t wait until they return on Labor Day weekend. I did not say no to any food I wanted. I totally ate a pint of popcorn shrimp all by myself. I sat and enjoyed the drinks while visiting with our children. I thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon naps while monitoring the monitor.
I often hear my members say “Oh no! I have to go on vacation and you know what that means. All I have accomplished will be lost.” Me? I didn’t think that way. My thoughts were “Bring it on! It’s finally here!” It was 10 days out of 365. Those 10-14 vacation days are not enough to hurt you. In fact, it’s why we spend the time the other 355 days following our meal plans and going to the gym 3X a week. When that vacation comes around your body will be ready for it. A few drinks and bad meals are not going to sabotage what you spent a year working on. Remember, it’s not what you do on vacation, it’s what you do every day of the rest of the year that determines your fitness and health.
August is vacation month. If you have a vacation or even a staycation planned, look forward to it. Forget the gym and the meal plan. Focus on the people you’re with. Nap by that pool or on the beach. Rest your mind from everything you do the during the year. Plan a few fancy cocktails. Pick some good restaurants to dine out in a few nights. Approach your vacation without a hint of guilt over food and exercise. Keep in mind vacations and holidays are the reason you live the way you do every other day. Your goal is to be able to keep enjoying vacations and your family well into your golden years.
And so, as another vacation goes by, it’s back to business – until Labor Day! Have a great August!
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