Summer of fitness
Summer breaks are synonymous with vacations, family reunions, scrumptious food, afternoon siestas and laziness. All of these lead to a common result — weight gain. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. With a little planning, you can utilise your holiday to initiate a healthy diet and fitness routine.
Plan your meals: It is always better to work out where you are likely to eat, and when. If you’re planning a long, leisurely lunch, then aim to have a light dinner, and vice versa.
Follow some rules: Avoid fried food and gorge on fresh fruits and vegetables. Keep fatty and sugary foods to a minimum.
Stay active: Do some light exercises, such as push-ups and sit-ups. You can do 15 minutes of these in your room, when you wake up, and before you go to bed. Even better, pick up a physical activity while you are on vacation.
Don’t starve yourself: One of the most common mistakes people make is going hungry all day, so that they can afford the calories later on. But, you should never skip meals, as you will end up eating more than you normally do.
Drink plenty of water: This will help you avoid hunger pangs, and will also keep you from feeling tired.
Skip the extras: Feel tempted to try in-flight meals? This time, give the butter for the roll a miss, avoid the cheese, and don’t add the salad dressing, if it’s in a separate sachet.
Know your weak foods: Love pizzas, burgers and pastries? Avoid junk food cravings by drinking more water, eating more veggies and going for walks.
Holiday drinking: If you can’t resist a few cocktails, avoid those made with cream-based liqueur, coconut milk and syrupy fruit purees. Instead, choose drinks made using low-calorie ingredients like fresh fruits, lime juice or tomato juice.