Traveling teaches you more about yourself than any other experience. One lesson I’ve learned  is that I have an endless capacity for carbs, sweets and senses often escape me when I see a plethora of french pastries or irresistable pasta offerings in front of me. Oh, and bread is the highway to my heart.

I aim to eat healthy while traveling and in most destinations, I manage to do just that. But certain countries absolutely get the best of me (Italy, France, Spain, Turkey and the entirity of the European continent). Unbuttoning the top of my jeans is often necessary in order to finish a gelato or two…

While on vacation, it’s usually fine to delete your calorie-counting apps and simply enjoy! One of the greatest ways to experience a country is by travelling through its food culture, dish by dish, dessert by dessert. Indulging doesn’t require guilt, as you can quickly set yourself back on the healthy track once back home with an easy and tasty detox diet plan.

Here are my post-travel detox after a vacation of indulgence. Follow this detox diet plan for seven days after a trip and you’ll be feeling cleansed from all delicious toxins you consumed over the span of your vacay in no time.

Pre-Breakfast: Drink Hot Water with Lemon and Ginger

I usually do this always when I’m home as it is a gentle and detoxifying way to wake up your body’s digestive system and hydrates you before your coffee fix. Not only a boost for the immune system (which we all need after sitting in a plane), this easy concoction is also loaded with antioxidents which help bring your hair and skin back to glorious pre-travel condition.

Breakfast: Indulge in Smoothie Bowls

When not travelling, I simply need to give my body a break from savoury carb-heavy foods. Smoothie bowls in the AM is a delicious way to give your body a small dose of everything it needs — fruits, whole grains, nuts and other toppings of choice. My go-to smoothie bowl is based on frozen bananas and almond milk. I usually add flaxseed, raw cocoa, acai powder and top with granola, fruit and almonds. I could eat this all day.

Move it in the AM: Sweat

The absolute best way to combat jetlag and defeat post-travel laziness is to set the right tone from day one. I love to attend a pilates or boxing class at my local gym in the morning. When I have deadlines and no time for the gym, I go for a 30-minute run in my neighborhood with my preferred podcast-of-the-moment. Learn to appreciate exercise and the consequence of feeling amazing afterward!

Lunch: Leafy Greens and Quinoa Salad

I like to keep lunch vegetarian but high in protein. I usually toss cooked quinoa with dark leafy greens and vegetables and top with a generous spoonful of hummus (the condiment always in my fridge). Light, nutritious and easy to digest, this salad will deliver your body with a dose of healthy vitamins and minerals needed to recover from the stresses of traveling.

Drink Herbal Tea and Detox Water Endlessly

To keep my croissant cravings in check, I drink around 5-10 cups of peppermint tea per day sweetened with Stevia. Other tea flavours I love: Matcha Green Tea and Pineapple-Coconut. I also keep a giant pitcher of cucumber mint water on my desk. This is also an easy way to restore hydration levels.

Dinner: Complex Carbs and Veggies with Lean Protein

I aim to eat grilled salmon or shrimp for dinner whenever I’m at home, or even a good ceviche! I’m a huge believer that the seafood is the healthiest food, so I eat it daily when at home. If fish isn’t your thing, try lean chicken with a complex carb or hearty veggies — think sweet potatos, broccoli, buckwheat and beans. I also love to add slices of avocado to everything at dinner time, because avocados <3

Move it in the PM: Take a Walk and Stretch

It’s important to keep your body moving during the detox period! I love to take a long walk about 30 minutes after dinner and end the evening with a late-night stretch or at-home yoga session. It helps me unwind from the day and reset my mind for another healthy beginning tomorrow.

Other Detox Diet Tips

Cook at Home

It’s tempting to dial up delivery service with post-travel fatigue, but this is never a good choice. Control the ingredients and what you eat by sticking to homecooked meals for one week; it makes all the difference.

Avoid Added Sugar and Salt

Chances are you had plenty of these two ingredients while indulging abroad, so it’s important to cut back on these when detoxing. Avoiding extra salt will help you eliminate the post-vacation bloat quicker than you think.

Snack on Nuts and Dark Chocolate

The first couple days may be difficult since you’ve programmed your body to expect delicious and indulgent treats all day long! When times get difficult, I love to keep a small bowl of almonds and mini squares of dark chocolate at my desk. Both are healthy fats and keep both salty and sugary cravings under control.