Keeping fit on a holiday

The Planted Life team recently headed up north to the Sunshine Coast for a break however this wasn’t your average holiday; we were there for a triathlon & trail running training camp where late nights & cocktails were replaced with early mornings & protein smoothies.

Most folk might think we crazy but despite 10 days of non-stop swim, bike and run which included the hinterland and coastal trails and waters; we feel fitter at the end of the break than we did at the start. So, what are the golden rules when trying to keep fit & healthy on a holiday?

Wake up when the sun does

If you are not afraid of the peeping toms who stare at you through your window when you sleep, then sleeping with the curtains or blinds wide open can help you wake early to take advantage of the day ahead and if the sun doesn’t wake you the morning calls of the birds certainly will.

What was vastly noticeable when the temperatures are warmer is the call of the wildlife; a vocal bunch of native birds are generally tweeting early outside your window replacing the ever-annoying alarm clock with their sweet songs letting us know, morning has finally broken.

Get moving early

Life starts early up north, it’s what we call a lifestyle and we were more than happy to adopt this lifestyle for our holiday duration. We blended right in and it was good to be a part of the population who were out riding, running or walking generally each day before 6:30am. A rolling start or gentle jog to wake both the body and mind is more exhilarating and energy giving than a double shot espresso.

Start this new routine from Day 1; breakfast now turns into brunch but the smashed avocado or vegan chai latte tastes so much sweeter after a solid morning session of training. One of the best ways you can explore your holiday destination is to be 100% human powered; you can really go to some amazing places all the while keeping yourself active; this is moving tourism at its best.

Eat local, organic fare

Holidays mean you have more time to make mindful and conscious choices when it comes to the foods you eat and more time to connect with each meal. You are taking a break from the day to day grind however this does not mean eating out for every meal, this will leave you disconnected with your body as you have not taken the time to appreciate the energy created when making your own meals.

Take the opportunity to seek local organic produce and locally made foods; eat to the climate; hydrating foods such as seasonal fruit and make salads rich in green leaves and plant-based proteins such as beans, tofu and tempeh to help promote energy.

On arrival at your holiday home, google search your nearest grocer and stock up on staples such as:

• Nut mylks
• Sourdough bread
• Dairy free spreads
• Fruit; bananas, papaya, rockmelon and pineapple
• Baked granola
• Coconut yoghurt
• Bean burgers
• Spelt pasta
• Sugo tomato sauce
• Organic produce; lettuce, tomatoes, avocadoes, herbs, root vegetables
• Kombucha
• Raw chocolate
• Dairy free dips; hummus, beetroot, eggplant
• Corn chips

Another recommendation is to only eat when hungry. Don’t get in to the habit of eating simply because food is there. Eat when you so desire and eat to fuel for the next day of training. A few of the dishes we created in our holiday kitchen over our 10-day break included:

• Granola with fresh fruit & coconut yoghurt
• Beetroot & black bean burgers with green salad leaves and mayonnaise
• Tomato & garlic bruschetta
• Vegetable stir-fry with rice
• Tomato & broccoli pasta with garlic bread

Seek wellness therapies

Holidays are about relaxing and this means not being accountable to the clock. Training does not necessarily need to take up each hour of every day. If you start early, you will end early and this means you have the afternoon to see some wellness therapies and practices to compliment the constant movement of your body;

• Yoga
• Pilates
• Reflexology
• Daily meditation

Holidays are about finding balance and slowing down but this does not necessarily mean stopping all together. Keep challenging the mind and body and come back sharper, more focussed and motivated that when you left. Following the above really can be your life game changer and all this from taking a simple ‘fit holiday’.

Being the fit tourist

This is one of the first times we have explored a holiday environment through daily training of swim, bike and run. The scales were definitely tilted more to training than it was relaxation but this didn’t mean we didn’t find time to stop and take photos.

In our training we incorporated some key tourist must see areas such as:

• Caloundra
• Beerwah State Forest
• Glass House Mountains
• Blackall Range
• Noosa National Park
• Mt Coolum National Park
• Peregian Springs
• Montville
• Mapleton

Your choice

Would we sign up again to a holiday that incorporated daily training in near perfect weather conditions, amazing scenery, like-minded individuals and fresh local produce? Hands down we would for daily movement is part of our lifestyle along with high energy plant-based foods.