Don’t let all your healthy habits fall apart on holiday

Plan ahead for the plane

With flight delays and cancellations on the horizon this summer, ­preparation is key to help you avoid the airport fast-food outlets, says nutritionist Susie Howe.

“It’s often hard to find healthy, nutritious snacks at airports – and especially once you are on the plane – so plan ahead. Plain popcorn, oatcakes, fruit and nuts (although you may not be allowed to eat nuts on the plane) are all good things to have in your bag. If you need to buy a snack, choose a banana, apple or fruit pots, which often come with natural yoghurt. Vegetables with hummus, a cheese portion or a snack pot with a boiled egg and spinach are other healthy options.

There are often mixed nut and seed packs, as well as dark chocolate bars – aim for more than 70 per cent cocoa content. Fruit and nut bars can often look healthy, but check the label for the sugar content [the NHS states that low sugar foods contain 5g or less of sugar per 100g], as well as the ingredients list; can you pronounce everything on the list, and do you have them in your kitchen cupboard at home? Otherwise, focus on whole foods as much as you can and grab a natural looking salad or fresh soup, if possible.”

Prioritise your sleep and take a cold shower before bed

“Sleep is the number one human performance enhancer,” says Joe ­Welstead, CEO of Motion Nutrition and former performance athlete. “It helps you lose fat, and makes you stronger, happier and healthier. Getting eight hours’ sleep a night will leave you rested and with more energy, and your body will naturally not hold onto unwanted fat.”

But, he admits, holidays can affect your sleep whether you’re going to Europe or further afield. “There are several simple techniques you can use to sleep better,” he says, “such as sticking to the hours of the time zone you are in when you land and avoiding a daytime nap, so your body acclimatises to the location.

“Holidays are a great way to escape stress, and this helps with sleep, so try to avoid things that make you anxious (such as too much caffeine) and really enjoy the break from everyday stressors.

“Try to have a holiday routine in place to help you sleep, whether that is simple breathing exercises or using a natural sleep aid. Or if you’re going somewhere hot, have a cold shower before bed. Dropping your body temperature will help you ease off into sleep, and increase calorie burning through the night, too. Unfortunately, if you have 10 hours’ sleep it doesn’t mean that you can eat or drink more. Sleeping is your body rebalancing and resetting.”

But if you don’t have enough sleep, Welstead cautions, two things could happen. “First, as you’re awake longer, your body tells itself it is hungry and requires more food than when you sleep for more time. Second, tiredness changes your food preferences, as your body tells itself it needs a stimulant. Therefore, you are more likely to opt for something sugary or packed with carbohydrates, and to exercise less.”

Try mindful eating

Breaks can be a great time to focus on the food we are eating, and provide the ideal opportunity to try a slower, more conscious time at the table.

“Many of us have an association with holidays as a time when we may have gained weight,” says weight coach Clair MacKenzie. “Typically, we tell ourselves some version of how ‘normal’ it is to indulge, but it is possible to eat mindfully on your holiday.

“Before you go, ask yourself what you want from your break – not just in terms of food, but the whole big picture. What’s important to you, what do you want your holiday to be about? Do you want adventure and ­exploration, or to create shared memories and connect with family and loved ones? Perhaps you’d prefer pure rest and relaxation?

Ask yourself how relevant food is to that bigger picture. Some will find that food has very little relevance, others will think it has a greater role. Maybe sharing a bottle of wine with your partner while eating delicious food is the most important part of the holiday for you, and that’s fine. What we’re doing here is getting intentional and aware of what’s important to us.

“Once you know that, decide what you want with regard to the ­consequences of how you eat. Perhaps you’ll decide you don’t want to put on weight, or that you’re OK with gaining a few pounds, but no more. Maybe you don’t want to eat foods that give you indigestion or make you feel sluggish, or you don’t want a hangover to take away joy from the next day. Once you know what you want, put a plan in place. The more time you spend planning, deciding and visualising how you want your holiday to go before you get there, the easier it will be to make your plans a reality.”

Prioritise fibre and protein

“On holiday, you should enjoy yourself, and while you may deviate from your usual diet, prioritising fibre and protein in your meal choices is a great way to ensure you eat healthily,” says nutritionist David Wiener. “Protein and fibre-based meals are famous for their ability to fill you up for longer, and help to combat the craving for sweet foods. Not only will protein and fibre-based meals keep you feeling fuller for longer, they also help to improve your digestion and could boost your metabolism.

“Picking a fibre-based, protein-rich breakfast, such as whole grains, oats, fruit, lean meats, eggs or yoghurt, is a great idea, as it will set your day off to a good start and stop you from overeating all day and night.”
Wiener also recommends exotic fresh fruits as a good way to get that sweet fix. Containing vitamins and fibre, they’re a much healthier choice than sweets and cakes.

Pack some dark chocolate

Hormone specialist Dr Martin Kinsella cautions against letting jet lag hijack your hormones. “Cortisol is a hormone that is secreted in a circadian pattern and normally increases during the day and decreases at night,” he says. “Jet lag can result in an increase in cortisol levels and, for some people, high levels of cortisol can lead to overeating and weight gain.

“Exercise has been shown to help naturally rebalance hormone levels, reducing the likelihood of a hormone imbalance that can cause weight gain, and dark chocolate can also help. It has been found to improve mood by increasing serotonin and endorphin levels in the brain and may help lower cortisol, too. So eating it in small amounts may help to avoid piling on the pounds on holiday. High omega-3 foods, such as fatty fish, nuts and seeds, as well as bananas and pears, can also help to lower cortisol levels.” Look for dark chocolate containing more than 70 per cent cocoa.

Police the buffet

“Using smaller plates is an excellent way to help with portion control,” says David Wiener. “Make sure at least three-quarters of your plate is filled with protein and vegetables, which are great sources of fibre, vitamins and minerals and can also help with digestion.”

And wait 20 minutes before a second trip to the buffet. “Often, people go for seconds straightaway, ‘to get their money’s worth’,” he says, “but this isn’t always necessary and is sometimes detrimental. If you don’t want to pile on the pounds on holiday, wait 20 minutes, let your food digest and you will see whether your hunger is satisfied or not. Failing to do this could end up in you overeating, and feeling sick and bloated.”

Sleep naked

“The last thing anyone should be doing when on holiday is depriving themselves, particularly as this fosters a long-term negative ­relationship with food that only aids the forming of future destructive dietary patterns,” says personal trainer Ruth Stone.

“One slightly more left-field piece of advice when it comes to boosting the body’s efficiency at burning calories is to sleep naked – backed by a study by the US National Institutes of Health. Being naked keeps your body as cool as possible during your sleeping hours, which in turn boosts your metabolism. It does this through the production of brown fat that is specifically designed to keep your body warm, made possible by the passive process of burning calories to fuel this action. If you are ­holidaying somewhere warm, especially, don’t bother packing your PJs, so you can speed up that ­metabolism while you sleep.”

Visit the hotel gym

“Holidays are absolutely the time to let go a little bit, but nobody wants to come back feeling that they fell off the wagon completely,” says Kira Mahal, CEO of the women’s fitness specialist MotivatePT. “To return home feeling vibrant, healthy and with that relaxed glow, I ­recommend visiting the wellness centre at your resort. Very often when we arrive, we are asked if we want to know where it is or what the opening hours are, and so on.

But if you actually make a point of going to see the gym, you are so much more likely to use it, because many of the barriers – such as not knowing where it is, or what machines are there – are eliminated. Seeing other ­holidaymakers exercising also really boosts motivation. At the start of your holiday, carve out the slots for your training. A morning person? Go before breakfast, and hold yourself accountable by telling your partner or travel buddy.”

Have iced water to hand

Experts say the greatest – and potentially simplest – technique to stay healthy on holiday is to drink enough water. This kick-starts your metabolism and helps you feel satiated. While ice cold water has a thermogenic effect, ie the body has to heat it and therefore burns more calories, it’s most important simply to consume a good volume.

Owen Burton is the founder of the hydration company Fount Drinks and says: “We get hungry – we eat. We get thirsty – we grab a drink. Simple! Or maybe not. Often, we interpret symptoms of thirst as being hungry. This happens because some symptoms of thirst are similar to those of hunger (feeling sluggish, dizzy or losing focus), and also both aspects are processed by the same part of the brain, the hypothalamus. Many foods also provide us with water (normally the role of beverages) and, increasingly, many drinks provide calories and nutrients (traditionally the role of food), which complicates our physiological signalling mechanisms.”

As well as being aware of some of the classic symptoms of dehydration (dry skin or eyes, headaches, low energy, dark urine and possibly even constipation), Burton advises setting a target daily drinking goal, and that we should try to drink before we start to feel thirsty – and before eating. “Take a drink and wait 15 minutes. Then you’ll know if you just needed a drink or were actually hungry. If your symptoms have subsided, then you were just thirsty.”

Incorporate movement into your day

Even if you don’t go to the gym, commit to daily movement – walking along the beach or taking the long route to breakfast. “By incorporating low-impact daily movement on holiday (not 10-mile runs or 40-minute HIIT sessions), you can go away, relax, enjoy the meals out and the cocktails, and avoid weight gain, too,” says Stephen Price, founder of Movementum.

“The exercise doesn’t have to be overly exerting and it certainly doesn’t have to take excessive amounts of time daily. Primarily, nothing you do should have a negative impact on your holiday – in fact, it’s vital that it doesn’t. But in the same way a good book creates mental restoration, shifting your physical activity focus can have the same benefits for your body.”

Price says two simple things can keep the body moving and avoid unnecessary weight gain. “First, a short pre-breakfast mobility sequence, such as high plank walk-outs, a cat-cow stretch or downwards to upwards-facing dog repeated for eight to 10 minutes does wonders for the mind and body, too. You can get the whole family involved, kids love stretching.

“Then, explore. Checking out hidden treasures in our holiday destinations means moving, walking, even hiking. Plan ahead, look at where you want to visit and know that, on those days, you are going to get your steps in, or even book a guided walk, hike or yoga session. These are not only fun, it’s also likely you’ll forget you’re moving at all.”

Take your dog for a walk

Dog owners report better mental and physical health than their non-canine-owning counterparts, spending an average of 300 minutes a week walking their pooches (200 minutes more than the rest of the UK population), according to a landmark UK study.

It’s one reason why Célia Pronto, managing director of Love Home Swap, advises taking your pup with you when you go away. “With pet ownership at an all-time high – the latest figures show 17 million households have a domestic pet, and 33 per cent of UK homes having a pet dog – there’s never been a better time to look into a holiday home swap with fellow dog-lovers.”

The home ­swapping site has seen a 40 per cent increase in people willing to accept a dog into their home. “Home swapping is simply a really exciting way for your whole household – four-legged friends included – to enjoy a break together.”

Booze smart

Alcoholic beverages and sweet drinks in general contribute to weight gain, and on holiday, we have more opportunity to indulge in both.

“Always have something to eat before having an alcoholic drink,” says nutritionist Kim Pearson. “This will slow the release of alcohol into your bloodstream. Be mindful of how much you are drinking, too. Lower-sugar drinks are things such as dry wine and champagne, or good-quality white spirits with diet tonic or soda. Ideally, have a couple of days free from any alcohol.”

Fellow nutritionist David Wiener agrees and cautions that a mojito can contain more than 200 calories and six teaspoons of sugar.

“Try having a rum, soda water and fresh lime instead,” he says. “You’ll get the rum taste you get with a mojito, just without all the added sugars and calories. Soda water is always a great swap for traditional sugary mixers, as it contains zero calories.”

Learn a new skill

Perhaps the best souvenir you can bring home from your holiday is a new skill or hobby you really enjoy doing. “Holidays can be the perfect time to embrace new activities or forms of exercise, such as paddleboarding, kayaking, beach yoga or pilates,” says chartered ­physiotherapist Kate Cadbury. “Often, these are activities that you may not normally have access to at home or you may simply not have the time to try. Also, we can often be stuck in the same repetitive exercise routine at home.

“Giving different activities a go can not only enable you to be active on holiday, it can also allow you to try something new that you may well develop a passion for. “This initial enjoyment of a new activity while on holiday is a great way to initiate a more active lifestyle and motivate you to continue to remain active when you get home.”