How to avoid the ‘holiday’ half stone
Relaxing doesn’t mean you have to pile on the weight. Maria Lally offers coping strategies
Lounging in a harbourside café in the Portuguese resort of Alvor last week, David and Samantha Cameron posed for their annual “Look, we’re on holiday, relaxing” photo opportunity. But this time it was the sartorial choices of Mr Cameron, and not his wife Samantha, that were under scrutiny. Especially his footwear – a pair of FitFlops.
The 48-year-old Prime Minister has recently spoken of his “great patriotic struggle” to slim down, and wearing a shoe that promises a “workout while you walk” could well be his way of ensuring he returns from holiday without having piled on the notorious “holiday half-stone”. A study from 2011 discovered that holidaymakers gain an average of 8lb in two weeks when they visit America, 7.4lb in the Caribbean and 6.9lb in Europe. But aside from FitFlops what else can we do when away to avoid the holiday pile-on?
Prep before you go
Research shows that healthy gut bacteria can reduce bloating and influence how effectively we use food as fuel or store it as fat, says nutritionist Henrietta Norton. She recommends building up your gut flora before you go away by reducing your intake of sugary and refined foods and alcohol. “If you have a sweet tooth take a chromium supplement as it can help reduce sugar cravings,” she says. “Include fermented foods in your diet, such as Sauerkraut (fermented cabbage) and Kimchi (a spicy mixture of fermented vegetables that originates in Asia), which are rich in beneficial bacteria and enzymes which all promote good gut health.
Eat like a local
“The Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest around,” says nutritionist Amelia Freer, who helped singer Sam Smith lose two stone earlier this year. “So rather than worrying about what foods you can’t eat, focus on all the delicious ones you can – fresh, local, in-season vegetables, fresh fish, seafood and meat.” Amelia says holiday-style eating is also a good way to incorporate her nosnacking and three meals a day rule. In her book Eat. Nourish. Glow. she explains how snack habits create permanently elevated levels of the hormone insulin, which puts bodies into fat storage mode. The Academic Medical Centre Amsterdam found that snacking results in more abdominal fat than three meals, even when overall calorie intake is the same. “On holiday you don’t need to snack as you can eat a large, late breakfast which keeps you going until lunch, which then keeps you going until dinner,” she says.
Keep hydrated
Amelia says a big mistake we make on holiday is drinking too much alcohol – which we often glug because we are thirsty. “Follow a few simple rules: eat before you drink and make sure your meal includes protein, which keeps blood sugar levels steady. Drink plenty of water between alcoholic drinks as this will stop you overdrinking simply because you are thirsty.”
Rethink your exercise routine
The main reason people say they don’t exercise is because of a lack of time due to work, and lack of access to the gym – the two things that people often do have on holiday. Personal trainer Steve Mellor, who is the trainer in residence at Claridge’s in London and founder of freedom2train.com, says: “I tell clients to always pack their trainers, sports bra and a few key bits of kit (see below). If you don’t want to do anything too formal, just stay active every day. Play with your children in the pool or go for a long walk on the beach every day. It’s 2.4 times harder to walk on sand than a hard flat surface, and it works your core, calves, thighs and bottom more effectively because you have to work harder to stay upright and stable.”
Be restaurant smart
If you’re serious about not coming home half a stone heavier than before you went away, Amelia advises you to eat out wisely. “Mentally ‘pre-order’ the kind of foods you’re going to eat while you’re away; planning means better choices,” she says. “And, if you’re holidaying with a large group of friends, order first.” A study by the University of Illinois in the US found a group of diners will often take their lead from the person who orders first. “So if the first person to order opts for a cheeseburger and chips, you’re less likely to order the grilled fish and veg.”
‘Snacking results in more abdominal fat than three meals, even when overall calorie intake is the same’