Holidays can definitely impede attempts to stay healthy. Whether it’s the long days, time spent on the road, a few too many cocktails or the inability to prepare your own food, you may notice your usual healthy routine falling by the wayside when on holiday. 

While this isn’t always such a terrible thing – after all holidays are meant to be enjoyed! – these changes may stall your weight loss journey. 

Here are a few ways you can feel great the next time you go on holiday, while still making healthy choices. 

1. Change your goals while on holiday

It might not be ideal to set a weight loss goal on holiday. After all, holidays are meant to be enjoyed and you may not want to be too focused on your usual exercise and diet routines while enjoying your time away. 

Instead, your goals might be to maintain your weight. By changing your focus from weight loss to weight maintenance you can mentally relax a little and enjoy some indulgences. 

Consider how you can balance some of your healthy habits and still have fun. Perhaps you can organise a walk after a big dinner, or take a family walk instead of your usual gym workout. By changing your expectations and planning ahead you can still mentally feel as though you are progressing, but doing so in a way where you can still have fun and enjoy the holiday experience. 

2. Drink plenty of water

This one is so so important! Especially if you fly. We lose more fluid from our bodies than normal when we fly and this can lead to dehydration. Being dehydrated can lead to poor concentration, fatigue and dry skin and eyes. 

Not only that but our body can confuse signals for thirst and hunger. So you may think you are hungry and eat something, but in actual fact, you are thirsty. By staying hydrated it can help reduce the amount of unnecessary food eaten.

Take a big bottle with you and ensure you have at least one and a half litres a day, more if it’s hot or you have been more active than usual. 

3. Snacks on the go

It can be tempting to just eat on the go rather than prepare food to take when you travel, but often the options available aren’t always very nutritious. Have a few packs of nuts, muesli bars, tins of tuna and crackers stored in your bag or car to ensure when hunger hits, you have something healthy on hand. 

Keep an eye out for roadside stalls in some countries that sell fresh fruit, nuts, drinking coconuts and so on which can be helpful when you don’t have access to supermarkets selling healthy snacks.

4. Pay attention when eating out

Trying new cuisines is a fantastic way to add variety to our diets, try new flavours and enjoy what the local area has to offer. However, restaurant and cafe meals can contain more calories and be larger than meals served at home, meaning we may eat more than we intended. 

It can be easier to overeat when feeling very hungry, so be sure to have a snack at least 1-2 hours before going out for a meal to help minimise the risk of overeating. 

Before and during your meal pay attention to feelings of hunger and fullness. When feelings of satisfaction replace feelings of hunger, aim to stop eating. Don’t be afraid to ask to take any leftover food home to enjoy at another meal. 

When choosing a meal, choose a dish based on a protein source such as chicken, salmon, or beef, and opt for vegetables or salad on the side. 

Opt for a tomato or vegetable based dish over a cream or cheese-based dish as they are typically lower in fat, higher in fibre and contain more vegetables. 

5. Rest up

Holidays should be a time to relax, sleep and rest up! Having said that, there can be times where sleep is hard to come by or there are a few late nights in a row, which can result in a lack of sleep. 

Not only can a lack of sleep lead to tiredness, loss of concentration and irritability but we are more likely to crave high-energy, sweet foods after a bad night's sleep. Our body is desperately trying to get some energy and boost our blood sugar levels, so it seeks food that can be easily broken down to sugar or energy – this is typically things like sugary drinks and chocolate. 

So aim for between 7-9 hours a night, and if travelling to a different time zone, ensure you allow yourself enough time to recover from jet lag. If you have been experiencing chronic lack of sleep before your holiday, use this time to catch up and rest as much as you can!

6. Get moving

Being on holiday can make it harder to get 30 minutes of activity each day, but it’s not impossible. Pack a resistance band for a portable workout aid, or spend some time each day doing body weight exercises that require no equipment. 

If you have been in the car or on a plane all day, ensure you spend extra time the day before or the day after being active to account for the low movement on these days. 

Make the most of the activities on offer - perhaps you can rent a bike to explore the area, or take a kayak out for a paddle. Or maybe the whole family can go for a walk in the morning or after dinner. Even consider smaller ways to be active such as taking the stairs instead of the lift, or parking further away from the restaurant. 

7. Focus on relaxation

High stress levels can affect weight loss in a number of ways. Stress releases a hormone called cortisol, and high levels of cortisol in the body promote weight loss around the tummy area. Not only that but feeling stressed can trigger the desire for highly processed foods such as sweets, cakes, pizzas and chips as these foods release a ‘feel good’ hormone in the brain which temporarily relieves feelings of stress.

So if you find your day to day life is resulting in high stress levels, make sure to use the holiday to focus on activities that will relax you and reduce stress levels. 

Try booking a massage, spending time each morning meditating, try a yoga class or use a journal to jot down your thoughts. By reducing your stress it can help you refocus your energy on your weight loss goal when you return from holiday. 

By planning ahead you will minimise disruptions to your normal routine and keep your mind and body as healthy  as possible. Happy travels!

Manage your weight with Rosemary Health 

The doctors and dietitians at Rosemary Health have significant experience helping people to lose weight and keep it off. They are committed to supporting you throughout your weight loss journey – from the moment you first consider losing weight through to helping you maintain a healthy weight in the long term.

Our doctor-guided weight loss program takes a comprehensive medical approach to help you achieve your weight loss goals. Arrange to speak with one of our professionals here.