Since I was on vacation last week, I thought that this would be the perfect opportunity to chat about staying in tune with your goals, even while on vacation and enjoying your life. Vacations were created to help you replenish, rejuvenate and come back home feeling better than when you left. But with so many indulgences available on vacations now, it’s easy to lose sight of your longterm goals and feel like you’ve created a setback for yourself once you’ve returned home.

I use to feel this way when I was on vacation. I would come back home feeling depressed because everything I had accomplished beforehand felt completely lost. For me, I had to decide to see vacations differently. Instead of seeing it as a time to overindulge because of all the restrictions I put on my life before the vacation, I let myself enjoy my daily life so I could enjoy my vacation life even more. I stopped putting restrictions on myself and it really did make a huge difference.

So no matter when I go on vacation, I never come back feeling 100%. Even if my diet is still great and I workout, I still end up getting dehydrated just from flying alone. But there are still a few things I try to follow while on vacation in hopes of feeling good when I get home:

  1. I still workout. I think rest days are definitely important, which is why I take 2 rest days per week, but vacation time is just another week of the year. It’s an enjoyable week, but it still is a week. So I try to keep on the same workout and rest schedule that I do at home. The workouts may not be as intense, but it’s still a workout in the end!
  2. I enjoy some cocktails when I’m feeling like it, but I try to drink mostly water and soda water. The more cocktails I have, the worse I feel when I get back so I try not to indulge in too many. And the water not only helps me pee out the lovely poison I’m drinking, but also keeps me from feeling too bloated later on!
  3. I try not to overeat. Which doesn’t always happen, obviously. But if I stay away from gluten, alcohol and sugar, it’s much easier. But when I do overeat, I don’t put myself down because of it. Vacation is for enjoying the things that you don’t usually get to enjoy, which for me is overeating and overindulging in those extra delicious things!
  4. I stay active. Other than my normal workouts, I feel my best when I’m doing things that keep me moving and keep the endorphins going.
  5. When I get home, I get right back to business. I go grocery shopping, I make a meal that I know will help hit the reset button, I chug lots of water and I get to bed early. The quicker I can get back to my routine, the quicker I will feel back to myself.

I just got back yesterday from vacation and I’m not feeling totally like myself yet, but I enjoyed every moment of time in Phoenix and I cannot wait to have another fun vacation. Until then, I’ll be working hard in my day-to-day life, eating my best and working out regularly, so I can get to that next vacation and not feel guilty about any moment during it! So if you’re heading on vacation soon, don’t forget to enjoy every moment while respecting your goals and keeping those in mind throughout!

And don’t forget to sign up for the chance to win a pair of Coalition Snow skis or snowboard! Sign up here ASAP because the giveaway is almost over!

Sunday – Rest Day

Monday – see workout here

4 rounds:

5 strict pull ups

~30ft handstand walk

40 bench switch jumps (total)

10 bupree pops

20 sit box jumps

10 alternating pistols with 3 pulses each time

Tuesday 

Every 3 minutes for 12 minutes:

15/12 calories on bike

15 dips

25 ab mat sit ups

Then –

13 min AMRAP Of:

35 Cal Row

35 Wall Ball

35 Power Cleans (135/95) – I used 55#

100 DU

I got 1 round + 88 reps

Wednesday – Rest day

Thursday – Workout in gym at Hotel Valley Ho – see workout here

Buy in -30 Crossfit style burpees 

25-20-15-10-5

Dumbbell Russian swings 

Dumbbell reverse flies

Reverse lunge into one legged deadlift (right leg)

Banded glute (right leg)

Reverse lunge into one legged deadlift (left leg)

Banded glute (left leg)

Dumbbell push press 

Buy out – 30 Crossfit style burpees *i used 20# dumbbells for the swings and push press and 10# dumbbells for the flies and lunges and a medium band (go fit brand)

Friday – Yoga at Hotel Valley Ho

Saturday – Workout in gym at Hyatt Regency Scottsdale – see workout here

3 rounds: 

5 Push ups to 5 pike push ups x 3

30 Weighted russian twists

3 rounds: 

15 Dumbbell thrusters 

20 tuck jumps 

3 rounds:

Dumbbell row to fly on both sides to 5 sprawlers jumps x 5

20 Candlesticks 

Then after – 6×45 sec sprints with 30 sec rest between

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Free Instagram Workout:

Tuesdays Workout

Free Travel Workout:

25-20-15-10-5:

Dumbbell Thrusters

Burpees

Tricep Dips

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What I Ate in a Day on Vacation:

While staying at the Hotel Valley Ho in Arizona, I started my day off with half of a latte, 3 sausage, a few tomato slices, and some berries before heading to yoga.

For lunch, we ate at Flower Child and I had the madras curry and we all shared some side dishes that included their sweet potatoes, cauliflower and brussels sprouts. We also shared some Juby True juices!

In the afternoon, we were welcome to our room at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale with snacks which included nuts, dried apricots and some cured meats. I snacked on some of that and then they brought wine so I had a couple sips of wine. 

Since our dinner reservation wasn’t until later, we had drinks at the bar beforehand. I drank an extra dirty vodka martini then lots of soda water afterwards. Whenever I drink, I try to drink a lot of water or soda water between drinks.

We had dinner at CRUjiente tacos where we enjoyed chips and guac/salsa, a watermelon appetizer, a shrimp appetizer, and tacos! It was all SO good that it was hard to stop, we definitely were overly stuffed after this meal, but totally worth it! 

 I may be compensated through my affiliate links in this post, but all opinions are my own. This compensation helps with expenses to keep this blog up and running!

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25 Comments

  1. Kelli @ Hungry Hobby says:

    So I’m randomly scrolling through my IG stories and I saw you went to Joes Farm Grill, which is literally like a mile from my house. I had to fight all urges not to head down there to say hi, but then I realized that would make me a stalker so I refrained bahahahahahahahahah. Hope you enjoyed your time in Arizona it looks like you went to all the right places!!!!

    1. Melissa says:

      I felt the same way!!! I’m not a stalker, just an overly friendly fan!

  2. Alex M says:

    Are you going to do a recap of your trip? We have a friend in Mesa, Arizona so we’ve talked about heading that way for a short trip and I’d love to hear where you went/what you did!

    1. juli says:

      yep! on wednesday!

      1. Amber says:

        Yay! I’m in the process of booking a trip to Arizona for late April. It will be my first time there!

  3. maria Cronk says:

    Wow great tips. Love these kinds of workouts. Thanks for sharing.

  4. Kate says:

    Hope you had an awesome holiday! I used to workout on vacation but started taking a week off the gym every 4 – 6 months or so, and generally time this to be when I’m on vacation. I love working out however sometimes it’s nice to take a good break from it, and when I do return to the gym I actually come back stronger and achieve new goals. Saying that, I also like to stay active on vacation and do gentle exercise (lots of walking, hiking, biking etc) and do not overeat or drink alcohol.
    FWIW – I went on vacation for over 2 weeks last year and it was very difficult to get a workout in while I was away, unless I wanted to train in my bedroom which I didn’t have the motivation for. I continued to eat sensibly and my body didn’t change at all during that time. However any longer than that would see changes.

  5. Lori says:

    Hi Juli! How long do your workouts typically take you? I used to over exercise and now love short and intense workouts! I still have a good run once a week but have noticed more changes since doing crossfit type workouts! I love that you post workouts and would love to teach myself as you did in the beginning!

  6. Audrey says:

    Hi Juli! I was following your trip on instagram and it looked amazing! I just spent the last hour looking up vacations to Arizona 🙂

    I have a question about your workouts. Do you do any additional exercises on top of what you post here? For example, on Monday, you had the 4-round workout. Did you do any olympic lifts beforehand? Or anything after? I’ve been trying to find a balance between getting a good workout in, but not over-doing it. I’ve been trying some of the workouts you post and feel great doing them. I was just curious if you really stop at only what you post on here, or if you add in some other accessory stuff as well.

    Thanks so much for all ya do!!

    1. juli says:

      no, i literally post EXACTLY what i do every day, other than stretching or rolling out.

  7. Kateryna says:

    I love that you tried yoga! What did you think? I cant wait for your Travel post about Phoenix – your posts made me want to make the boring ass drive from Tucson so I can try the places you were trying 😉 😉

    1. juli says:

      check out my post tomorrow, i chat a little bit about it!

  8. emma says:

    Juli i love your workouts so much. Most fitness sites I have scanned have “short intense” workouts on them, but often I’ll get through barely sweating and think: “there’s no way this workout is all you fucking do.” It frustrated me until I found the workouts you list which are so fun and challenging (though i’ve yet to find a friend who thinks so…). I have a list complied actually, and I get excited when i try a new one out 🙂

    also your post about ThredUp has changed my introverted eco-conscious online shopping life. thank you.

  9. Abby says:

    Juli! Ever since I’ve started listening to your blog, you’ve motivated me to pay attention to what I’ve been eating and just make better choice! With that being said, I don’t eat 100% Paleo or gluten free but I’m trying to maintain a healthy life style! Sometimes being in the Army and going to the field/deployment for months at a time, it forces you to have to eat MRE (meals ready to eat) which is basically like a bag meal and has so many bad things for your body in them! (look them up, they are the worst! Seriously, this bag meal is “good to eat” for like 10 years, ew.) Anyways, I just wanted to thank you for making me realize and pay attention to what’s going in my body! So that when I’m not forced to eat MREs, I end up making healthier choices. You’re the best!

    1. juli says:

      MREs sound so terrible, so good for you for being aware of what you’re putting into your body, even when it’s out of your hands! so glad i could help in some small way!

  10. Kerry says:

    You were right down the road from me at the Olive Mill and I wanted to stalk too. However, I never knew where you were till after you went to each place b/c it was only posted on FB afterwards and not SC. What the heck Juli, you don’t like stalkers!?! 🙂

    1. juli says:

      hahahaha