Nutrition by Dawn - Blog

Life has thrown me some curveballs lately. The kind you don’t ever want.

And then we took a couple of weeks away to regroup. Since it’s vacation season, you may have been away too. With or without curveballs, you’re now trying to get back into your good self-care routine. You’ve had the fruity drinks, the beach walks, the family hikes, the late nights, the unstructured fun. And now? Back to your day-to-day life.

Very often, instead of easing in with intention, people fall into one of two traps:

1. Overwhelm — diving into everything all at once, burning out in the first 48 hours.
    

2. Guilt — beating themselves up for how they “slacked off” on vacation and trying to overcorrect with needless restrictions.

Neither one is serving your body, your brain, or your business.

So, let’s shift the approach. Here are a few of my favorite ways to ease back into your routine without the crash or the shame.

1. Start with the Wins

Instead of saying “I need to get back on track,” ask yourself:
👉 What went really well while I was away?

Did you stay active? Get some quality rest? Have meaningful moments with family or friends? Those things matter — and they’re part of your wellness too.

Celebrate them before you start listing the things you “need to fix.”

2. Hydrate and Fuel First

Don’t rush into restriction. One of the easiest ways to recalibrate your body post-vacation is to drink water and eat real food.

• Focus on protein and veggies.
   

• Add back your supplements.
   

• Skip the food guilt — your body isn’t punishing you, it’s asking for support.

Fuel first. Your energy will thank you.

3. Tackle One Thing at a Time

You don’t have to clean the house, catch up on email, meal prep, and hit the gym all on Day 1.

If you’re out of sorts, pick one anchor habit to come back to — like getting back to your morning routine or prioritizing movement.

Once that’s flowing, layer in the rest.

4. Set a Buffer Day (If You Can)

If you’re planning your vacation ahead of time, give yourself one “transition day” before diving back into real life.

That means:

• No meetings.

• No pressure to be productive.

• Just a quiet space to unpack, grocery shop, hydrate, and mentally shift gears.

That one day can change your entire re-entry.

5. Be Kind to Yourself

Maybe you didn’t get back into your full routine right away. That’s not a failure — it’s just reality.

You are allowed to ease in.
You are allowed to start small.
You are allowed to enjoy the re-entry, too.

Coming home from vacation doesn’t have to feel like a punishment. With a little intention, you can step back into your rhythm feeling energized, empowered, and ready for what’s next.