Trying new foods is one of the most enjoyable aspects of being on holiday, but we all know that sticking to your diet on vacation is hard work. If you’re wondering “how can I eat healthy during my time off?”, you’ll want to check out our holiday diet tips for staying healthy during the holidays and how to avoid weight gain on vacation.
Plan in advance
Healthy holidays require planning! Do your research before you go on holiday to get rid of the guesswork when you’re at your destination. This is especially important if you’re travelling abroad, so you won’t need to spend time reading labels and calorie counting when you’re faced with unfamiliar food and meals.
Another tip is to contact the place where you’ll be staying and ask them about the meals they offer to see if they can accommodate your healthy eating habits. Alternatively, choose self-catering accommodation, which can make it easier to have balanced meals even if it’s just once a day.
Mindful eating during the holidays
Holidays are the perfect time to start practising mindfulness at meal times, which means making a conscious effort to focus on when, how, and what you eat. Key tips include:
- Don’t eat in a rush or standing up
Chew and savour every bite
Don’t overeat: feeling full is a sign that you don’t need to eat more.
Don’t eat while watching TV or playing on your phone
Mindfulness at meal times can help maintain a healthy weight by making us more aware of our choices and dropping unhealthy food-related habits and behaviours.
Stay active
Sure, holidays are about relaxing and disconnecting from your everyday routine, but that doesn’t mean your time off has to be completely sedentary, as this can make you gain weight.
Hotels with spa will most likely have a gym too, so you can keep active and still enjoy relaxing getaways at the same time. If gyms aren’t your thing, remember that exercise doesn’t necessarily imply following a gruelling routine. Even activities like walking can have a great impact on your health and help you maintain your ideal weight. Studies have found that brisk walking helps lose and maintain a healthy weight, as well as preserve lean muscle. Being in a new place gives you the perfect excuse to walk around, explore, and at the same time burn some calories.
What’s more, any type of physical activity can lift your mood and reduce stress. This is important because the hormones we release when we’re unhappy or stressed can trigger cravings and emotional eating.
Get enough rest
Although staying active is important, you don’t want to overdo physical activity. But at the same time, you don’t want to sit in your hotel room all day long either. A healthy dietary routine and exercise will help you maintain your weight while on holiday, but getting enough rest is just as important.
Medical studies show that poor or insufficient sleep is one of the main factors contributing to weight gain. This is so because being sleep-deprived affects some of the hormones that control our appetite. On the other hand, when you’re well rested, your brain is more likely to have control over cravings. Try to get between 7 and 9 hours of rest every night, and since you’re on holiday, you can also indulge in short naps!
