I’ve spent all of my life going back and forth between Hawaii, Alaska, and California.
Alaska and California are fabulous places with lots to offer — vast, profound wilderness; abundant resources; world-class cities and restaurants; and super interesting people.
But there’s one weird thing that always happens when I’m in either of those places: I gain a ton of weight!
It doesn’t matter how much I exercise (which I do, almost daily), or how well I eat. I cannot stop packing on the pounds.
Can you guess where that sends me? Back to Hawaii, where the weight just miraculously melts off — and that’s with no change in diet or exercise.
So here’s my theory on why it’s easy to lose weight and stay in shape in Hawaii.
Sweating and hydration
Go to Hawaii or any warm and humid place and you’ll quickly discover how easy it is to sweat. Wanna sweat even more? Go exercise.
While constant sweating might feel uncomfortable, it works wonders for your body — especially when you replenish with water.
A regular sweating-hydration cycle increases circulation, cleans your bloodstream, eliminate salt and toxins, and prevents bloating.
The ocean
Having access to the ocean at all times is another major contributor to weight loss and overall vitality.
Unlike California (and let’s not even talk about Alaska), you don’t have to suit up to jump in the water in Hawaii. It’s warm and pleasant and you’re mostly naked, which allows the saltwater to act as a magical elixir.
The ocean is alive with power! It penetrates your pores, then it pulls out excess water and toxins from your body, leaving you flushed from the inside out. It also strengthens your immune systems and reduces anxiety and depression.
The ocean in Hawaii also has a great deal of power — a myriad of creatures, and deep mysteries. Dive in!
No continental gravity
It’s difficult to put this in words, but there’s a very different energy in the air in Hawaii versus other places.
You feel it as soon as you step off the airplane. Hawaii’s energy is less dense, livelier, lighter.
Your focus changes from doing and going to…being, and you begin to feel more at ease. The pace of life slows down and you are compelled to, as the expression goes, “live simply.”
On the other hand, when I’m away from Hawaii, I have a tendency to focus on 2 things: work and anti-work, which are both essentially intense forms of doing and going.
Work is exhausting, so you do anti-work — all those things you do to forget about work. Stuff like entertainment, eating out, drinking, traveling, road trips, ski trips, etc. And it’s just as exhausting as work, except your money flows in reverse!
I call this phenomena continental gravity because it actually feels like there’s more gravity, which basically translates to heaviness.
There’s no real explanation for continental gravity, but it might have to do with a combination of land energy and the collective consciousness of people.
The land on the mainland is much older and more settled, and it’s colder. Hawaii’s land is younger and more fiery, and it’s still growing — even as you read this 🌋
One the mainland, most people live to work. In Hawaii, people work to live.
We invite you to come over and experience the difference!
Photo credits: Damir Spanic, Anderson Rian, Sean Bernstein, Jelle de Gier, Jakob Owens, Moon, Conner Baker
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Need a hand with your next Maui vacation? Please contact the Sunny Maui Vacations team at info@sunnymauivacations.com or call 808-240-1311, ext. 21. We’ll find you the best vacation rental condo or rental home in South Maui and help you with any and all recommendations and activities across Maui.
Need a hand with your next Maui vacation? Please contact the Sunny Maui Vacations team at info@sunnymauivacations.com or call 808-240-1311, ext. 21. We’ll find you the best vacation rental condo or rental home in South Maui and help you with any and all recommendations and activities across Maui.
