Did you know that almost 60% of vacationers end up gaining weight and falling prey to creeping obesity every year? Let’s face it! Vacation is the time to indulge. From late-night dinners and alcohol to lack of exercise during the day, there is a good chance that you’ll pack on a few extra kilos as souvenirs the next time you return from your vacation. However, by following the tips mentioned below, you can keep from letting your healthy eating habits fall to the wayside and avoid vacation weight gain.
Eating two meals a day
According to studies, weight gain is roughly 80% dependent on your diet—if not more. If you cannot afford to keep up with your regular workout while on vacation, simply opt for being more conscious about your eating choices. While indulging in the rare delicacies or feasting at the famous restaurants of your destination is normal! Just don’t splurge at every meal if you want to avoid vacation weight gain.
As a rule of thumb, limit yourself to only two meals daily. Start with a healthy breakfast packed with proteins to keep you energized during the day, and allow yourself to enjoy the evening meal with whatever pleases you. Following a simple two meals, a day mantra is easy to remember. It keeps you from worrying about gaining weight during vacations.
Practice intermittent fasting
While you may be disciplined about your eating habits daily, one of the quickest ways to gain weight during vacation is by eating late-night meals and snacks. To counteract this, try practicing an intermittent fast for 12 hours. For instance, if you had your last meal at 10 pm, avoid eating until 10 am the next morning.
Practicing intermittent fasting is a proven technique for losing weight. It helps regulate and balance your hormones while keeping your blood sugar in check. Moreover, intermittent fasting is equally effective in increasing your metabolic rate, speeding up fat burning, and aiding digestion. So twelve hours between meals is all you need to avoid vacation weight gain.
Always carry snack bags
Whether you are about to board the plane or have a long day planned ahead for you in a new city, preparing snack bags ahead of time is a great way to keep a lid on those unwanted calories. While preparing snack bags, try choosing ones filled with fiber and proteins. Nuts, trail mix, granola, protein bars, and even sandwiches are all great snack options to keep you filled and energized while helping you steer clear of junk or fast food.
Also, if you cannot prepare snack bags in advance, then simply research online for local grocery stores and markets near your hotel. Make a quick run and stock up on healthy food as soon as you arrive at your travel destination. If your hotel room has a refrigerator, you can enjoy local fruits, cheese, and vegetables. Remember! The idea is to enjoy the destination and the fun-filled activities it offers instead of overindulging in food.
Engage in fun-filled activities
The whole purpose of going on a vacation is to take a break from the daily grind. In doing so, no one wants to wake up at 5 am and hit the gym when they could enjoy a sunrise at the beach or go sky diving instead. That said, staying active is key to having a happier fun-filled vacation. So as part of your vacation experience, try and look for fun new ways to move around and remain active.
If you are near the mountains, try enjoying a day hike, or if you are exploring a new city, simply rent a bike. The key is to include fun-filled activities that keep you active and helps you to avoid vacation weight gain.
Remember! While we all have fitness goals and targets, there are 52 weeks in a year. Surely taking one of those weeks and instead of focusing on building muscle, just remembering to move around is enough to maintain your current weight.
Eat before going to a party
One of the
biggest contributors to vacation weight gain is that people will go to a party
starving, making them want to eat everything the moment they step inside. If
you want to avoid vacation weight gain, you must ensure
you do not go to a party hungry.
Eating a
healthy meal before leaving keeps you from attacking the food table, which will
keep your waistline from expanding and your clothes from getting tighter.
Remember, parties are for more than just eating and drinking, but for
socializing and making friends while enjoying the new culture.
Practice the subtle art of relaxation
The whole purpose of going on a vacation is to relax and de-stress from the fast-paced lives, hectic daily routine, and responsibilities. But isn’t getting stressed about gaining weight on your vacation defeating the purpose of taking a vacation altogether? So allow yourself to relax. Guess what? It is completely ok to leave your diet and let go of your workout routine for a week.
If you generally eat the same foods every day, switching up your diet and even including less-than-healthy foods can be exactly what your body needs, especially if you regularly restrict your diet and calories. As far as worrying about losing muscle is concerned, studies indicate that it actually takes about three weeks of inactivity before you begin to lose muscle, not one week of vacation. Remember! You are on vacation, so just relax already!
The bottom line
Trying
to avoid vacation weight gain is an art many have
not yet mastered. As a result, we end up packing on a few pounds during
vacations that we worked so hard to avoid. However, this year can be different.
With proper knowledge and planning ahead of time, there are ways that you can
still have fun vacationing without worrying about putting on weight.
Valerie Young
Valerie Young writes for Find Compare and is a writer and editor in London.
