How to Stay Healthy on Holiday (Five Tips from a Certified Health Coach)

Summer is here and so is holiday season!

Whether you’re jetting off to a tropical destination or spending a cosy weekend in the English countryside, holidays provide us with some well-deserved time to rest and recharge.

However, for the health-conscious amongst us, they can also be a little conflicting. Should we stick to our healthy habits whilst away or take the opportunity to be care-free and indulgent?

Below, are my top five tips* for getting this balance right!

From regulating body temperature to aiding digestion, hydration is essential for good health. However, whether because of a hot climate, an early morning flight or pre-dinner cocktails, it is easy to become dehydrated whilst on holiday. So, it’s the perfect time to check-in with our hydration habits and give them a bit of ‘tlc’!

For me, drinking a large glass of water first thing in the morning (before my morning coffee) is a MUST whilst on holiday. I also make sure to have my reusable water bottle on hand – just like I would at home – so that I don’t forget to hydrate during the day’s adventures. If I am sweating a lot or feeling particularly dehydrated, I aim to replace lost electrolytes by, for example, drinking a glass of coconut water (a great source of minerals, such as potassium).

What I love about this habit is that it’s so easy to action, but its impact is far-reaching. When we prioritise hydration, our energy, mood and digestion (to name a few) all benefit.

Trying new cuisines, eating out and treating ourselves to a three-course meal is part of what makes holidaying so fun! I’m a strong believer that we should not pursue our health goals at the expense of these joyful moments; however, I also want my food to nourish and energise me. So how can we get the balance right?!

My favourite way to approach this is to focus on what I can add to my plate to balance the meal and boost the quality of my nutrition for the day.

• Could I eat some fruit and yoghurt alongside my morning pastry?

• Could I add some roasted vegetables to my pizza?

• Could I order a veggie-packed starter to accompany my protein-rich main course?

This way, we don’t deprive ourselves of a nutritious meal OR a joyful experience.

From boosting energy to aiding bone health, our bodies and minds greatly benefit from a healthy exercise routine. However, as many of us look to slow down whilst on holiday, our ‘usual’ exercise regimes are unlikely to be a good fit. So, I like to use this this to tune into gentler and more adaptable forms of movement.

Starting the day with a guided yoga or breathwork video, going for a post-lunch walk along the beach or ending the day with a 15-minute stretch are all great ways to keep our bodies moving. They bring numerous health benefits (think blood sugar support, stress management and improved circulation). However, importantly, are completely adaptable! We can make our movement work for us, wherever we are and whatever our day has in store.

From concealers to conditioners - so many of our modern-day toiletries contain long lists of ingredients. Many of these ingredients are chemicals, and some are toxins - with the potential to negatively impact our health.

When we're on holiday, we tend to apply more products to our skin, with lotions such as sunscreen, after-sun and bug repellent being added to the mix. So, one practice which I like to lean into during this time is trialling alternative skincare products with more natural, organic ingredients.

Importantly, this doesn’t require an ‘all or nothing’ approach. I prefer to replace my products one-by-one (which is an ongoing process), rather than overhauling all my products at once.

Health shops such as Holland & Barrett and Planet Organic stock a large variety of natural skincare products, so it’s great to have a browse and choose the right product for you.

Personally, a few products which I have enjoyed using recently are:

• Soap – Faith in Nature

• Deodorant - Wild

• Facial Sun Cream – Green People

• Day Cream - Dr Organic

• Cream Cleanser – Triology

Reducing our exposure to toxins supports both long-term and short-term health. So, as we re-stock our skincare and cosmetics pre-holiday, it’s a great time to check-in with the products we use and explore possible alternatives.

Finally, I find it helpful to remind myself of the bigger picture and what ‘being healthy’ really means...

To me, ‘being healthy’ means building a strong body and mind which will support me throughout my life. To achieve this, our habits must be sustainable; a foundation which we may ‘dial up’ or ‘dial down’ in certain moments.

Whether we are ‘healthy’ is not determined by one meal, one day or one week. It is the accumulation of small habits over years and decades.

So, whilst on holiday, let’s aim for a balance which allows us to feel good in our bodies, whilst not missing out on any of the good stuff!

If you want to have a chat about what a healthy balance might look like for YOU, book a free 30 min chat with me today (link at the top of the page).