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Holiday Diet & Fitness Tips

What to avoid whilst on & before going on holiday if you’re looking to lose weight or are currently on a diet.

• Avoid heavy morning fry ups & breads, go for scrambled eggs on a piece of granary toast &/or some dried / berry fruit on oats with yoghurt.
•  Try to prepare your own food instead of buying poor quality foods for a higher premium (especially in airports). I’ve known a friend to spend over £20.00 on junk food with in an airport. I could’ve gone to Marks & Spencer’s & fed a family of 4 with a great meal for that cost!
• Drink plenty of water (bottled) especially within foreign countries where the mineral content is far higher in their tap water, which could lead to be an irritable stomach on holiday.
• Drink water to keep hydrated; it’s ok to drink coffee, teas, juices etc on holiday. Drinking alcohol can cause tiredness & de-hydration levels to increase especially in warmer climates.
• Keep alcohol down to a minimum if you’re on a strict diet, regular intake of drink over 2 units per day &/or binging isn’t good for weight loss either. I know many individuals who are happy to binge drink down over 6000 calories in alcohol in 1 night, consuming more calories through drink than what your body can burn up isn’t good for you! Hence why the UK has had an increase in obesity levels since the binge culture started!
• If yourself catering on holiday try to pack healthy lunches for when you go on excursions. Having hams, cheeses, fresh fruit & nuts is a good start. If you do decide to eat out at restaurants try to consume protein &/ or vegetables instead of to many carbohydrates from breads, pasta & potatoes (especially if you wish to keep the waistline down).
• Eating out is great, however be aware of hygiene standards & make sure both meats & veg are cooked properly; (after all it’s not good to be ill on holiday). Sometimes looking at the cheaper evening meal option isn’t always the better option. Higher standards & better quality foods cost more, its fact.
• Eat fresh fruit & veg & ensure both are washed properly.
• Try to avoid eating out too late. Yes it’s very difficult whist on holiday not to, however the later you eat the more likely you’re going to store more body fat!
• Keep your evening meals lean & healthy, chicken & fish is usually a safe bet with a veg dish or salad. Too much bread or refined cards such as pasta, rice etc can aid fat/ weight gain.
• Try to avoid heavy snacking, especially on chocolate, crisps & cakes, it’s easy to let go of all of your hard efforts on holiday; however have you heard of the word moderation?? Just because you’re on holiday doesn’t mean you have to eat junk food and binge all week.
• Avoid snacking on the late night feast i.e. burger or kebabs &/or chips, if you wish to put bad fat weight on then you’ll be going the right way about it! This binging late at night before bed rest is prime time for weight gain!

Fitness Tips whilst on holiday

• Swimming / lengths of a hotel pool or safely in a sea environment.
• Walking / Hiking / Mountaineering – Walking at a medium intensity on a flat or hill especially in warm to hot environments is good for low impact & fat burning.
• Cycling – hire a safe bike & for your own safety wear a crash helmet!! ‘A friend of mine wouldn’t be here today if he hadn’t worn one!
• Water sports – be careful where you choose to take part in these activities, speak to a rep from the holiday company & ask other holiday makers for good references. Be sure that you have the right insurances / possible qualifications & / or knowledge before taking part. There is no point putting yourself for a 10m dive with a diving company if you don’t know what a BCD or respirator is, & / or you don’t have a license. Kayaking, canoeing, diving, sailing, water skiing are all great water sports.
• Use a local or hotel gym. Gym’s in most destinations can be of a poor standard, UN supervised, poorly serviced & often or not carry few &/or many hazards. By being aware of how a normal gym operates, you should be able to distinguish this difference with good or basic knowledge. If you have a personal trainer, I would suggest asking for a holiday program suited for your needs & they should inform you of any dangers foreign gyms may have.
• Rock climbing, abseiling, adventure activities – again these types of activities have great risks, so I would strongly recommend researching companies prior to going on holiday or speak to your holiday reps.
• Running / Roller blading – Great cardiovascular training, if you’re new to running, holidays aren’t the time, or the place to start.
• Winter sports – Ice skating, skiing, snowboarding are all great fitness sports however they are enjoyed more if you have experience & the right body conditioning. I would advise any novice who was going to go on a ski or snowboard holiday to have multiple lessons in a snow dome before the holiday so that the experience is more enjoyable!

Thank you for reading

Gavin Townsend

www.GTPT.co.uk

 

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