How adding a vacation to your exercise programs will help you lose weight, have more energy and keep you motivated!
I recently took a trip to Oregon and Washington to visit friends and family and I was supposed to be taking a break from work and my exercise program. Above is the view from my mom’s window which looks directly out onto the MaKenzie River, outside of Eugene, Oregon. Horrible, I know. My wife told me I wasn’t allowed to work on vacation, but it’s not working if you love what you do and I just had to share this with all of you.
Everyone has heard the success story in which a person goes away on vacation, loses weight and comes back with more energy and feeling really motivated. This is the same weight that they had been trying to lose for the past X amount of time, and then they go some place- relaxing, eat whatever they want, doing fun activities and POOF it melts away.
Adding some down time will not only help propel your exercise program, it will improve your life.
I recently came back from studying with my teacher, Guy Voyer and we were talking about Periodization. For the non inclined, this term simply means how to progress somebody through the different phases on an exercise programs. There is A LOT to factors to consider when you are developing and individualizing an exercise programs but the main thing to consider is “take your time” (in a french accent, of course.)
To stop and not do anything for small and big amounts of time (ie. vacation) does not mean that you are not making progress in your exercise program.
Exercise is an education to your whole being, and you’re whole being needs time to adapt to the information you just gave it. So scheduling time off will give your body time to adapt.
This is best done through three ways:
-
Cycling your workouts. If you are consistently doing the same type of workouts in your exercise program, not only will this NOT be challenging enough, but you WILL be overworking and damaging your body through repetitive movement patterns.
-
Taking time off throughout the week. Doing more, does not mean you are getting more. You must give yourself “off time” through out the week and month to let your body adapt to all the good information that you have been giving it with your exercise program. This will also allow you to track, re-assess and plan any changes needed in your exercise program.
-
And DEFINITELY, Take some vacations. You will see your body change as it now has time to relax. Your parasympathetic nervous system is involved in the repair and rejuvenation of your body and it is not used unless you get proper sleep and time to relax. An Exercise Program without this is destruction to your body and more importantly to your mind and motivation.
Anybody who knows me knows that I work hard. Anybody who REALLY knows me, knows that I also relax hard! So, if you haven’t already….plan your summer vacation, and then get back to your program.
P.S As you can see, you can still workout on vacation….just make it fun…and relaxing!!!
Get more information @
