Going on a holiday?
If you are like most women, you strive to shape up before you pack your bags so you can be more relaxed with your food choices while still looking fantastic in the photos. So there you are on holiday indulging in all forms of food and drink and throwing caution to the wind as far as fitness is concerned because really, who exercises on holiday?
Then you return to your daily wardrobe and realise to your horror that you have gained every single bit of weight you worked so hard to lose, and perhaps even more! From then on your holidays seemed destined to be a rollercoaster of pre-holiday dieting, holiday bingeing and post-holiday regrets.
Is it all bad news, then? Not at all. I assure you that you can keep to your pre-holiday weight without going on a health retreat or detox upon your return. As long as you make a firm decision that you will not gain weight during your holiday.
A decision does not hinge on a hope. Nor is it about sheer willpower because that generally has a maximum run time of two weeks. It is not about denial either and it’s definitely not about forcing yourself to do anything.
A decision is a fixed contract with yourself to establish and abide by a set of simple but practical strategies and guidelines that your mind can understand and follow. And your strategies should not only ensure you do not gain weight but that you also have a fabulous holiday!
Here are three such strategies:
Strategy #1:
Write up a non-negotiable set of food rules before your holiday and stick to it diligently.
Carefully plan your non-negotiable food rules before your holiday. These are the standards that you promise to uphold under all circumstances and could range from zero carbs or fried food to no snacking between meals or a dry vacation. Sound severe? Maybe but that is exactly what a non-negotiable is!
No matter where you are and no matter what you are doing, do not deviate from this set of rules. Remember you created this list so stick by it!
Strategy #2:
Decide on the treats you really want during this holiday and strike off the rest.
It is so much better to look forward to enjoying what you really want and foregoing what you would like but can do without. And the bonus is that you will not be pricked by guilt later.
In other words if you feel your holiday enjoyment is dependant on a glass of wine with dinner, then by all means go ahead. You do not have to give it up. But if you are only having that glass so your partner is not drinking alone, then those extra calories are completely unnecessary. Decide which “naughty” calories you really want and which you can do without.
Strategy #3:
Start every single day with exercise.
A stroll on the beach does not cut it! Having an extra glass of wine and or going for seconds at the dessert table means having to work hard every morning to rev up your metabolism. You need to break a sweat by shocking your system into doing exercises it does not normally do.
And then – and this is key – eat your breakfast as soon as possible after your workout when your metabolism is operating at its highest. It is at this point that you can give your body natural sugars like fresh fruit.
You will find that by the end of your holiday, you would not only have kept the extra weight off but perhaps even toned up, lost weight and had a fantastic time!