Eating healthily on holiday

Why do so many of us come back a few pounds heavier after our holiday? With a little thought and planning, it IS possible to avoid the calorie pile-up when abroad.

It's the last day of your holiday and, after walking around in flip-flops and a bikini for a fortnight, it's finally time to pack your case and catch a return flight back to reality. Taking stock, you're feeling pretty good about yourself. You're totally refreshed, tanned and feeling ready to face the world again. Your holiday has done you the world of good. Then reality strikes!

Changing back into your going-home clothes you notice that the waist is a fair bit tighter than before you left, your hips are bulging a bit and your thighs just about fit into your trousers. Basically, the lard monster has paid you a visit, and the likelihood is that he's going to be staying for a while!

For many women the above scenario is all too familiar. Two weeks of overindulgence and poor food choices leave the average woman with a weight gain of about 5-7lbs, nearly all of it fat

Plan, plan, plan
The main reason that so many of us put weight on during our holidays (or any other time, for that matter) is that most of us are 'reactive' eaters. We never pay much attention to what we're eating or when we're going to eat it and either wait until we're ravenous before we find food or simply eat 'because it's there' (especially on all-inclusive getaways).

Neither of these scenarios is great. Waiting too long between meals usually means that you'll overeat when you finally do sit down to a meal and the other approach is an obvious route to obesity.

If you want to win the battle of the bulge you've got to think ahead. Plan for at least three meals per day (though ideally, five or six smaller feedings work best) with a good rule of thumb being that you should not eat again within two hours, nor leave it longer than four. The result of this approach is that you are giving the body regular, yet small, quantities of food and then digesting them before you eat again, meaning that there is very little left to lay down as fat. (Note: This only works if you consume smaller quantities of food. Six pizzas will still make you fat!)

Ideally, your planning should also include WHAT you are going to eat, as well as when. This reduces the likelihood of eating rubbish or 'non-foods' as we rarely, if ever, actually plan to eat poorly, we simply eat out of a reaction to hunger and immediate availability.

Fresh is best
If you really want to avoid piling on the holiday pounds this summer, then avoid processed foods at all costs!

Laden with sodium, sugar and all manner of artificial colourings and preservatives, processed foods fall into the category of 'non-foods', meaning that they lack the vitamins and minerals that are needed in order to maintain optimal health. In addition, these foods are calorie-dense and appetite stimulants of the highest order. Eat them at your peril!

Avoid anything from a packet, jar or tin, opting instead for fresh produce, such as locally grown fruit, vegetables and meat or fish dishes.

This isn't as difficult as it may sound. Normally, you'll find that as long as you have a little meat or fish, some steamed, roasted or stir-fried vegetables and the herbs and spices that are grown in the region that you are taking your holiday in, that you'll be on to a winner. It'll be healthy and taste delicious, too.

Whatever you do, avoid the 'chips with everything' approach. Not only are most chips pre-packaged and processed mush (instead of real potato), but they're also fried in polyunsaturated oils, which some research has shown can contribute to numerous medical conditions, including obesity and certain cancers.

Mix and match
During our holidays (though it's true in day-to-day life, too) we tend to 'pad out' our plates with carbs, carbs and more carbs.Everything from bread (including croissants and pastries) to pasta, pizza, ice cream and even the beer, wine or cocktails that you drink around the pool are predominantly made up of carbohydrates.

It has been proven that excessive ingestion of carbohydrates, particularly those with high glycaemic values like potatoes, wheat, sugar and alcohol, can lead to excessive insulin output, which is known to increase fat retention, leading to obesity and diabetes.

If we want to avoid the pitfalls associated with carbohydrate consumption, there are three things we need to do:

Determine your biochemical individuality to find out how much or little carbohydrate you should include in your diet
Cut back on all high-glycaemic-index carbs, opting instead for those that release their sugars more slowly
Always eat protein and fat with your meal. This is important in reducing the effects of insulin, as well as providing a well-rounded supply of vital vitamins, minerals and amino acids that will also serve to suppress your appetite.

You need to drink more than you think
Though water consumption has just about been done to death in the media recently, too many people are still oblivious to its importance in maintaining optimal health and vitality, opting instead for fizzy drinks, fruit juice, tea, coffee and alcohol as their main sources of fluids.

The problem is that none of these fluids do the job of water and nearly all are damaging to the body. Even if you drink a couple of litres of fruit juice or lemonade, you still cannot consider yourself to be hydrated. These fluids, due to their carbohydrate content, actually require water so that they can be digested properly. They will dehydrate you.

There is simply no substitute for water. You're either drinking it or you're dehydrated.

Dehydration is bad enough back here in the UK, but add the holiday sun and the obligatory alcohol into the equation and you've got serious problems. Not only are sunburn and heat stroke going to get you, but you're more likely to put on weight, too, as the body mistakes this thirst for hunger. Found yourself incessantly snacking on holiday? This may be the reason!

So, how much should you be consuming? At least 1 litre of WATER (any other fluids do not count) for every 50lbs of body weight, so if you're 10 stone (140lbs), you'll need around 3 litres just to maintain balance. And remember, if it's particularly hot, if you sweat a lot or you're being active, you'll need a fair bit more.

Eating healthily on holiday doesn't have to be a bore or a chore that detracts from your enjoyment of the experience. You don't even have to count calories, miss out on treats or abstain from alcohol. In fact, by paying more attention to what you eat you'll find yourself more alert, energetic and able to enjoy the experience so much more.

And just think; you may even come home looking better than you did before you went away!

Get more health advice from our sister site netdoctor.co.uk