Sticking to a healthy regime can be tough at the best of times, and holidays tend to present more temptations than ever, so try these healthy holiday hacks from Kathryn Brierley, from sun lounger yoga to a virtual workout
Virtual workouts
Horrified at the idea of missing your usual gym class? You can still squeeze in a customised workout with apps such as FitStar and Sworkit which provide on-the-go personal trainers, allowing you to train wherever you are in the world. These free apps guide you through video exercises demonstrated by professional PTs to ensure you get the best workout in the shortest time. After your workout, apps like Nike Training Club allow users to create a profile and share fabulous fitness-focused holiday snaps.
Sunlounger Yoga Nidra
Download a few Yoga Nidra recordings from iTunes (I recommend Rod Stryker) and listen to them whilst relaxing on your cushioned sunlounger. Yoga Nidra is ‘yogic sleep’ and invites the deepest state of rest possible while remaining awake and aware, bringing profound relaxation benefits that are more mentally beneficial than a 30 minute cat nap.
Cycle routes and buddies
Ditch the hire car for a couple of days and explore the area on two wheels instead. Cycling is a great way to workout whilst sightseeing and allows you to visit areas that a car may not be able to reach (as well as providing some pretty Instagram snaps). For a fun and easy way to track your rides by time, distance, speed and calories burned, download free app Strava. You can create a profile, connect with a community of like-minded cyclers, set personal records and compete for titles such as the fastest journey or the best photos snapped mid-ride.
Take time to breathe
Taking just five minutes out of your day to stop and focus on your breathing can really help relax your mind and reduce stress and anxiety. Find a quiet spot where you won’t be disturbed and sit with your back straight and your hands face down on your thighs. Inhale deeply through your nose and out through your mouth, holding each breath for a couple seconds. Take this time to focus on the here and now and let any worries melt away — they can wait until home time!
Tablet yoga
You’ll never have to manage without your regular yoga classes again whilst away. The Healthy Holiday Company has teamed up with Movement for Modern Life who stream meditation and yoga classes direct to your tablet wherever you are in the world. Whether you’re looking for a simple guide to yoga posing, yoga for stress management or chanting to induce deep relaxation and sleep, there are options to suit everyone. Sign up now for a 14-day free trial.
Allergy app
If you or your family suffer from food allergies, you know how hard it can be to eat out, especially when the language barrier makes it hard to read menus and communicate to waiters what exactly you need to avoid. Cue the highly useful Allergy FT app. You can create personal profiles each with a different list of allergies, translating them into the local language. Plus once it’s been downloaded, no internet access is needed — ideal for avoiding costly roaming charges.
Skin SOS
The sun can zap your skin of the nutrients it needs to maintain a healthy glow. Rather than carting a suitcase full of expensive products with you on holiday, make your own natural face masks and exfoliator by mixing a squeeze of lemon juice with rock salt and vitamin E oil. Pile on to your skin an hour before you plan on going out — the perfect rejuvenating mixture for a healthy glow each evening.
Unplugging digital distractions
Whilst it’s great to be able to share your holiday experiences online, email overload and social media addiction is becoming a real problem. Holiday downtime should be spent relaxing and even if you think you’ve totally switched off, digital devices could be keeping you in a state of low-level stress. Try out free apps such as Freedom, which blocks all internet access on your device for up to eight hours, or Anti-Social which switches off social media altogether. Those looking for something more serious should join one of our destination yoga or in:spa retreats which encourage guests to abandon their devices at the beginning of the holiday to discover the joys of being truly disconnected.
Overdose on sleep
Being sleep deprived is a common theme in many of our lives and is not only exhausting but also extremely unhealthy. Holidays are the perfect time to take time out to unwind and with the help of The Healthy Holiday Company’s Sleep Rituals Guide, this couldn’t be easier. It gives advice to holidaymakers on how to achieve the perfect night’s kip. You can also use the Sleep Cycle app to track your sleeping habits and see whether you’re really getting as much rest as you should be. This also doubles up as an alarm clock; waking you in your lightest sleep phase so that you wake feeling rested and relaxed.
Unplugged Workouts
Try going for a run, cycle, walk or swim without any monitoring devices or any music. A holiday is the perfect time to let go of all training routines and listen to your body and enjoy the surroundings. Go for as long as you feel like, whether that’s five minutes or five hours. Freedom!
Kathryn Brierley is co-founder of The Healthy Holiday Company, which can find the very best holiday to suit your lifestyle and fitness ambitions, whether that’s a detox retreat in Mallorca, a spa and yoga break in Spain or a personalised ‘healthy villa holiday’ with a tailor-made programme centred around you, where healthy holiday experts keep you supplied with healthy flow of personal fitness training, yoga instruction, tennis coaching, surfing lessons or guided hikes
For more information, visit www.thehealthyholidaycompany.co.uk
Main image: Heidi Klein
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