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 take 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 to 7 pounds.
Nearly all of it fat!
Now, obviously this isn't great. We all like to think of
our holidays as being a rejuvenating experience, not one
which will leave us fatter and less energetic than before
we left for the sun, but what can we do to avoid piling on
the pounds whilst still having the holiday experience we're
hoping for?
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 are 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 2 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 onto 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 fried
in polyunsaturated oils that have been found to contribute
to numerous medical conditions including obesity and some
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 to ice cream and even the beer, wine or
cocktails that you drink around the pool are predominantly
made up of carbohydrate.
It has been proven that excessive ingestion of
carbohydrates, particularly those with high glycemic 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:
1.Determine your biochemical individuality to find out how
much or little carbohydrate you should include in your diet
(See accompanying article)
2.Cut back on all high glycemic index carbs opting instead
for those that release their sugars more slowly.
3.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, still too many people are
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
bodyweight, so if you're ten stones (140lb) 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! Wouldn't that be great?
See you on the beach!
----------------------------------------------------
Dax Moy is a performance enhancement specialist and master
personal trainer with studios in and around London.
Voted one of the UK's leading fitness experts, Dax is a
regular guest on TV, radio and print publications on the
subject of health, fitness and the performance mindset
To download a free copy of Dax's Elimination Diet which has
been downloaded by over 24,000 people visit
http://www.daxmoy-pts.co.uk/elimination.asp
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