How to Get Back Into a Workout Routine After Vacation | Sam Shoe Fitness
Vacation and Holidays are time to relax and enjoy the time away from your typical everyday activities and stress with family and friends. Sometimes, our workouts are part of those activities that we need a break from. Almost everyone falls out of their exercise routine during vacation. This is normal.
In this article, I will be discussing ways that as a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach, I would approach getting back into working out and eating right after taking some time away.
Don't Try to "Make Up" for Vacation
The #1 mistake that I see clients make after returning from vacation is thinking that they need to make up for the good habits that were missed on vacation. This, often, looks like starting a crash diet the day you return home. I never advocate for this method. There is a good chance that this could lead you to binge eating and falling even farther away from your original routine because you tried to dig out of your hole too quickly.
Crash diets are rarely a good long-term solution. They require rules that are too strict and not easy to implement into your everyday life. They frequently lead to burnout and away from the idea of consistency. Getting back to your regular diet you were following before your vacation is what I would suggest. You know that this is already a routine that works for you and our health goals are long-term. You will get back to where you were quicker than you may think.
Another common “make up” act that I see when getting home after vacation is working out way too much, too quickly. Don't spend two hours in the gym on Day 1. If you're worried you need to spend hours in the gym after vacation, you don't. As I explain in my article Do You Need to Work Out Every Day to Lose Weight?, two or three quality workouts each week are enough for most beginners. Again, your goal should be to get back to where you were before you started your trip. And you don’t need to get there all in one workout.
Start Smaller Than You Think
Getting back to making progress in the gym means getting back to where you were before you started your vacation or holiday. This needs to be an incremental process, just like progressive overload during your workouts. Make small increases and these will lead to big changes.
If you were working out for 45 minutes for each session before vacation, start back with a 20-minute workout session. Literally, cut your workout in half. The next week, add 5 minutes, and then 5 the next week, and then 5 the next week. Pretty soon, you are back to making the same progress that you were before you left.
Make sure to be incorporating full-body strength sessions into your workout routine. This can look as simple as bodyweight squats, push-ups and core exercises. It can look as complicated as Barbell back squats and Smith machine incline press. But never neglect strength! It provides you with what you need to do the things that you love to do, in all areas of your life. If you’re interested in a strength program for your specifics desires, you can visit the Programs page to find one that works for you or contact me directly for a personalized workout plan!
I would also suggest implementing some more frequent walking into your daily routine, especially if you do not want to jump back head first into cardio. Walking is a great step in the right direction. Start by waking up 10 minutes earlier and going for a walk outside before beginning your day. Over days and weeks, make a little more time for a 10 minute walk after dinner in the evening. This is great for getting your body and mind ready to move again at the pace it was before vacation.
Focus on Nutrition First
When we’re on vacation we want to enjoy the things we love. And yes, we love delicious food. In excess. A lot. Unfortunately for us, delicious food is often times not what we need to be eating in excess every day. So, when vacation is over, it signals the time to snap back into it. But it doesn’t have to be as tricky as you may think.
Just like when jumping back into your exercise, start small. Switch regular soda for diet soda, and make sure you're drinking more water. It will help you level out after a vacation of potentially binge eating and drinking. When my clients begin to drink more water, they begin to feel better in and out of the gym, physically and mentally.
Get back to including protein in every meal. When I am on vacation, I tend to overindulge in donuts and pancakes. This is great for the soul every now and then. But, when I get home, I make sure to start building my meals around protein again. Eggs in the morning, lean meats in the afternoon and Greek yogurt in the evening. If you are interested in a comprehensive nutrition guide that works for your goals, check out the Programs page.
Expect Some Soreness
Taking time away from the gym is a good thing for everyone. It gives our bodies and minds time to cool off, repair, recover. It helps to bring us back to a point where our bodies are truly ready to put in hard work again.
However, time away from the gym will almost certainly lead to one thing when you return to working out with some intensity. That is soreness and fatigue. Maybe even soreness that you haven’t felt since you first started exercising. You need to remember that this soreness is a good indicator that you are working hard. You’re working the muscles that you are intending to and they are breaking down, adapting, and building back up stronger because of it.
Excess soreness will not last forever. It is as temporary as it was when you first began your fitness journey. Do not let it deter you from staying consistent in the gym. Make sure to let those muscles recover when they are sore so that you limit your risk of injury, but also make sure not to give into the soreness and quit.
Feel excited that you’re putting in real, hard work and that your body is able to let you know. It will subside and you will be better for it.
Schedule Your Workouts
It will benefit you greatly in the present and the future if you start treating your workouts like appointments. Your health and your body are a high priority, that’s why you make doctor’s appointments and you arrive to them on time, almost every time. This is how I would suggest you treat your workouts, because they mean just as much to your health.
Aim and plan for specific times on specific days, especially in your first week back to the gym. Mark them in your calendar if you need to. This will help to start back on the right foot. The hardest workout is always the first one. It only gets easier to achieve from there.
That being said, I would strongly suggest that you continue to always plan for specific times on specific days to exercise, as it will help you stay consistent and keep you from missing sessions down the road.
Conclusion
We all love our vacations, as we should! And we do not have to view vacation as the start of the end. Vacation didn't erase your progress. It allows you to recover and reset.
Take it easy when you return. You have plenty of time to ramp back up to where you were before you left, so don’t rush it. You will get there. One workout won't fix everything, but it starts the habit again. Getting back into your rhythm will allow you to continue to chase your goals that you set long before your vacation.
Sometimes getting back there can feel like starting over but it doesn’t have to. If you're ready to get back on track but aren't sure where to begin, download my free 7-Day Fat Loss Kickstart Guide or contact me for personalized coaching. I'll help you build a realistic fitness and nutrition plan that fits your schedule and keeps you progressing long after vacation is over.
Continue working so that you can look forward to your next vacation!
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to get back into shape after vacation?
For most people, it takes one to three weeks to feel comfortable again if they return to regular exercise and healthy eating.
Should I work out every day after vacation?
No. Two or three quality workouts during your first week back are often enough to rebuild momentum.
Should I diet after vacation?
Rather than following a crash diet, return to your normal eating routine and focus on consistency.
Sam Shoe is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Nutrition Coach who helps busy adults lose weight and build sustainable habits through realistic fitness and nutrition coaching.
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