For many active humans – particularly those with ambitious competitive goals – the thought of taking a holiday can often trigger feelings of guilt and anxiety. Concerns about missing training sessions, potential changes in body composition, and deviating from strict dietary plans can overshadow the excitement of a well-deserved break. However, holidays offer a unique opportunity to recharge, spend quality time with loved ones, and alleviate stress as well as enforce some physical downtime which is often much more needed than you recognise!
So if holidays are often accompanied by those nagging feelings of anxiety and guilt about taking time away from your usual routine, how can you properly enjoy and unwind…?
The Benefits of Taking a Holiday
It seems stupid that I even have to list the benefits of a holiday, and yet within the circles of people I work with, so many of you like the IDEA of a holiday but in reality, will struggle to actually see the benefits of taking one when it comes down to it. And I get it. You’re in the middle of solid plan to improve your fitness, your health or your results and taking a step away feels like stagnation, or worse still, accepting taking a step backward. But let’s reframe this…
- Mental and Emotional Recharge
You cannot maintain 100% focus and effort on one thing permanently. Taking a break allows you the time you NEED to re-energise yourself, reflect on progress so far and think about how you’ll move forward with even more gusto on your return. - Quality Time with Loved Ones
Let’s face it, there is life outside sport. And when you’re spending all that time working on your success, remember that no man is an island; we need the support and the human interactions from those closest to us. Taking some proper, quality time to show your appreciation to those around you and deepen those connections is only going to help you. And importantly, it’s also going to help you maintain perspective. - Stress Relief
You’re an athlete. But you’re also a worker, a parent, a sibling, a leader…etc etc. You have a life outside sport and it isn’t your full time job. You need a break from your full time job. Your life is exhausting. You need a break to physically and mentally unwind and let some water out of that bucket of stress before it overflows.
Overcoming Guilt and Anxiety
The main worry my clients have, is the self-imposed guild and anxiety about not training or enjoying some drinks or unusual foods while they’re away. This often gets blown way out of proportion and suddenly their entire athletic career seems to be hinging on this one or two weeks away. When in reality, that simply isn’t true. And instead of thinking of holidays as taking a break from training, it can be helpful to look at this form a different perspective.
I often tell my clients to think of their holiday as an essential part of their training. Recovery is the part of your training where you actually get stronger. It’s the bit when muscles are being repaired an rebuilt, where the body is physically rebuilding itself stronger than it was before, in anticipation of more of the stressors you’re laying down on it. This is literally the principle of improving fitness. So taking a slightly longer period of downtime is essential for most people and a holiday is a great place to do that!
- Shifting Mindset
View holidays as a part of your training plan, rather than a disruption. Rest and recovery are as crucial as the hard work you put into training. Embrace the idea that taking a break is beneficial for both your body and mind. - Setting Realistic Expectations
Accept that slight changes in performance and body composition are normal during a holiday. These changes are temporary and can be reversed when you resume your regular training routine, but it’s important to keep these changes in perspective and look at the benefits over the longer term so you can appreciate how important your hollibobs are in actually IMPROVING fitness and performance over bigger periods of time.
Enjoying Downtime and Indulgence
The guilt and the anxiety often get in the way of actually allowing you to enjoy your holidays and that can impact not only your own stress levels, but those of everyone around you. When it comes to the food, while you shouldn’t be pressured into over-eating or consuming foods and drinks you don’t really want to, it’s important to make sure you’re not having food anxiety and food rules hanging over yourself while you’re away trying to enjoy yourself and relax.
- Flexible Eating
Allow yourself to enjoy new foods and indulge in novel treats without guilt. Practice mindful eating by savouring each bite and listening to your body’s hunger and fullness cues. Remember, one or two weeks of less rigid eating won’t derail your overall progress and could in fact help to improve your relationship with food if you can retain some of this mindfulness and peace when you return. - Staying Active in Fun Ways
While you may not follow your regular training regimen, find enjoyable ways to stay active. Go for a hike, swim in the ocean, play a game of beach volleyball, or take a yoga class. These activities keep you moving without the pressure of structured workouts and again, may help to re-centre your mind and give you some perspective on your relationships with movement, your body and your food.
CHILL THE HELL OUT.
It’s not always possible to plan the family holiday for when it suits YOU the most. An end of season holiday can be marvellous, but sometimes it’s more important to book a break to enjoy something different – your family, your life outside of sports. Sure, it’s going to be hard to get back to those early morning gym sessions and late night swim clubs, but if you keep trying to stick to the same rigid and battering routine for too long without taking a planned break, you’ll be on the receiving end of burnout and then you won’t have a choice. Think about it.
As for the food? Smile. Eat and drink in the sun. Remember how lucky you are. Life is good. Silence your champagne problems and practice a little gratitude for the decadent life you have as a member of the developed and economically successful nations…