8 Ways to Stop the Holiday (or Weekend!) Messing Up Your Fat Loss

     Holidays (I'm English, so we call vacations holidays!) can cause serious weight gain, if we let them.

I spent a recent camping trip being pretty healthy - sticking to my usual healthy eating with a few little extras sprinkled in here and there, along with plenty of activity windsurfing and surfing - but I still came back a couple of kilos heavier than when I left!

Some of this is fluid retention that usually goes in a couple of days (which is why I know it's fluid as fat won't shift that quickly!) but I think a kilo I can attribute to fat weight - and this was by no-means an indulgent trip!

Most of us experience this with every major holiday or even long weekend.

Despite being 'good' most of the time, the cumulative effect of these indulgent periods will really make a huge impact on the waistline if some action is not taken to immediately get back on track. This is one of the big reasons why people gain weight each year - without getting back to where you were previously you can easily keep gaining and gaining weight without even realising it.

It's a good idea to develop healthier holiday habits: a holiday is a treat in itself but all too often we think we need to eat loads of the wrong things in order to enjoy ourselves! But if you can make the healthier choices while on holiday you can actually enjoy the treats all the more.

How many times have you looked through your holiday snaps to see photographic evidence of the weight gain?

Some tips:

- Drink plenty of water: You will dehydrate much quicker in the heat and we often mistake thirst for hunger.

- Avoid liquid calories: That 'virgin' cocktail is still choc-full of sugar! Juices may seem tempting but you are better off having a glass of water and a piece of fruit.

- Set yourself a 'beer o'clock' time: Alcohol does massively impact weight loss and will cause weight gain very quickly. If you skip lunchtime drinking you can save a load of calories, plus you will feel much better for it. Keep the alcohol to a pre-dinner drink and then while you are eating.

- Alternate water with alcoholic drinks: You will thank me for it when you wake up feeling fresh and able to enjoy your precious vacation! Plus you will halve the calories you take in.

And we haven't even got to the food!

- Choose lean protein and fruit and veg first: If you have access to a buffet breakfast you are onto a winner: fill up on the good stuff first then if you must add the starchy carbs keep them to a small treat afterwards. You will still enjoy the taste but won't need as much. If you don't have time to make omelette and veggies at home you can 'treat' yourself to this when someone else is cooking!

- Enjoy new foods: Try a new fruit and vegetable each day!

- Have healthy snacks to hand: Buy fruit and unsalted, unroasted nuts to have as snacks throughout the day. If you are unprepared you will be more tempted to eat the treats that are everywhere.

- Enjoy the treats: Savour every last mouthful of the things you wouldn't normally have: there's no need to eat ice cream all day but make sure you fully appreciate it when you do!

- Think of it as 'damage limitation' so you can enjoy yourself without feeling deprived whilst also coming back from your holiday looking even better than when you left.

- Make sure you get straight back on track as soon as you get home, too. Consider a few weeks of extra-focussed nutrition and training to reverse any weight gain, or even to boost your results even further.

You often find that after a week off, or a period of 'maintenance' (holidays are usually a little over maintenance) you actually lose at a faster rate, so make the most of this turbo-charged window of opportunity!

Copyright (c) 2010 Caroline Radway

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