May 6, 2015 (Updated February 1, 2023)

How to Get Over Jet Lag Quickly

by Anne Mauney, MPH, RD

23 comments

Hey friends! I’m officially back in DC after a whirlwind long weekend out west! (If you missed my recap, check it out: Colorado Springs Adventures.)

I didn’t sleep amazingly well last night due to jetlag, but I figured the best way to get back on east coast time quickly was to get up and out for an early morning workout. Urban Athletic Club it was!

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I met up with my friend Chelsea and her boyfriend Fabio for their 7 a.m. class. I felt a little sluggish but the class was great as always – tough but fun! I’m hoping now I’ll sleep well tonight. 🙂

In related news, I’m really excited because Urban Athletic Club just started back up their OutRun weekend outdoor workout classes. I’ve written about them a ton in the past (Urban Athletic Club used to be called Roam Fitness), but basically it’s like a run club + boot camp combined. So fun! I already signed up for this Saturday’s OutRun via ClassPass – can’t wait. (Pssst: want to try Urban Athletic Club’s classes out yourself and not on ClassPass? I share an Urban Athletic Club coupon code for your first class/package purchase in this post.)

As for my post-workout breakfast, I had homemade banana walnut bread!

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Matt was randomly feeling domestic over the weekend and whipped this up – I’m not complaining! Apparently he “winged it” and used a combination of sweet potato flour we picked up awhile ago from Union Market and normal whole wheat pastry flour. Whatever he did, it was delicious! He also texted me a series of funny photos of Zara eyeing it when it came out of the oven on Sunday… lol! (Also, that’s the table we always try to stop her from sitting on… sigh. She thinks our placemats are her bed, apparently.)

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Aaaanyway – I enjoyed some this morning with a side of cottage cheese for a little protein and some sliced banana and berries. Delicious! I always pair baked goods with Greek yogurt or cottage cheese for protein – holds me over so much longer than the bread alone!

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As for dinner last night, I was craving lots of veggies after all my traveling yesterday so Matt made us a chicken and veggie stir fry while I unpacked. We didn’t have any rice so we had (unpictured) roasted potatoes on the side instead. 🙂

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I’m working from downtown today and it’s back to work for me – lots to catch up on after being away! Have a wonderful day, my friends!

What’s your best tip for getting over jet lag quickly?

p.s. Gearing up for summer marathon training and want to make sure you are fueling and training smart? Check out my Nutrition for Runners Program – I co-authored it with a running coach, and in addition to an extensive meal guide and recipe section (including “real food” running fuel), you’ll also get training plans, expert interviews, and more. If you’re not ready to commit but would still like to start learning more about nutrition for runners, check out this free running nutrition Q&A video in which my co-author Jason and I discuss the following questions:

  • How do I balance running with not snacking on unhealthy food?
  • What’s the best way to refuel after a tough workout?
  • I have no appetite after a workout but know I need to fuel. Help!
  • How can I eat enough to fuel my runs but still maintain my goal weight?
  • The top myths about calorie counting, scoring, and tracking percentages
Breakfast + Brunch
- anne

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23 comments
  • Victoria
    Anything is a potential cat bed, let's be honest. My tip for getting over jetlag is to, if you can, stick to your "home" time zone if you won't be away for very long. Ask me about my 6:30 pm bedtime in San Francisco :).
    Reply
    • Anne
      Lol, so true. Especially if you don't want it to be a cat bed - research (very officially done by me) shows that that increases the odds it will become a cat bed by at least 110%.
      Reply
    • Anne
      Woo! So glad you're back in the game!
      Reply
  • Regan @ The Healthy Aperture Blog
    Will I sound like a druggie if I say my best jetlag tip is a little melatonin when I return from the West Coast? I don't do any sleep meds if I stay in the U.S., but I do like to use a few drops of melatonin when I get back to the East Coast. I think it really, really helps reduce the number of those nights where it's like 11pm and my body feels like I should be out to dinner with friends :)
    Reply
    • Anne
      Lol you don't sound like a druggie. I've never tried melatonin before - interesting!
      Reply
  • Carly
    I'm with you - I try to get up early (at my normal time) and workout immediately - force my body into the schedule I want it to be on! Here's an interesting article (http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/pill-could-put-an-end-to-jet-lag-canadian-study-1.2198682), sounds like there could be a pill in the future! Knowing how awful some jet lag has been for me, I can't even imagine being a shift worker and dealing with those symptoms all the time.
    Reply
    • Anne
      Oh my gosh, I know! I don't think I'd be able to do it...
      Reply
  • Erin @ Erin's Inside Job
    I just wrote an article about getting back on track after vacation. It's not exactly about jetlag, but the principles are the same. Just get up and back into your normal routine as soon as you can in order to avoid postponing those vacation habits!
    Reply
    • Anne
      Yeah, agreed! Getting up early the first day is key for me so then I can fall asleep at a normal hour that night -- if I let myself sleep in I'd never get back on track!
      Reply
  • Amanda @ Slimplify Life
    I just hop back into my normal routine as fast as possible. And as unhealthy as it is, I feel like my sleep fluctuates a good 2 - 3 hours some nights, so maybe my life is a perpetual jetlag?!?!?!
    Reply
  • Carmen
    That homemade banana walnut bread looks delicious :) I guess the secret for creating the perfect cat bed is making a cat bed that doesn't look like a cat bed :D Melatonin also helps me with my sleep problems. Wouldn't it be nice if vacation routine would be the normal routine ?
    Reply
    • Anne
      So true - the only time we tried giving her a real cat bed she wouldn't go anywhere near it! We gave up, lol.
      Reply
  • Miranda
    Random tip about your cats - I spent so much time trying to stop my two from trying to hop up on the bench, table - basically anywhere. I keep a small spray bottle filled with water in my kitchen and squirt them when I catch them somewhere they're not supposed to be. Now, they know not to get up on the bench or table. Well, they've at least learned not to do it when I'm looking!
    Reply
    • Anne
      We got a spray bottle and do that sometimes, too - mostly for the dining room table which is a big no-no. We probably need to get another one -- the problem with our little kitchen table (that's she's on in this photo) is that's how she jumps up to her favorite window perch - so we feel bad telling her to get off it! Ohhh well. I'm hoping cat hair is adding nutrition to my meals. ;)
      Reply
      • Miranda
        Don't worry, you will get your own revenge for the cat hair! Because they'll start eating yours. Then they get their own sick revenge - I have found myself removing my own hair from my cats' butts. SO GROSS. My cats are either really dumb, or evil geniuses!
        Reply
  • Ash Diamond
    WATER & SWEAT. :) I workout and drink a TON of lemon water!!
    Reply
  • Kelly
    I've never heard of sweet potato flour but it sounds awesome! I'll be on the hunt for that. Funny how cats always have to sit on something, never just the bare floor. Ours will sit on a pile of dirty laundry before the floor. Zara's facial expression in that pic is the best!
    Reply
    • Anne
      Zara loves clean laundry in particular, of course. ;)
      Reply