Beware baggage: Don’t gain vacation weight
The food scenes in the movie “Eat, Pray, Love” are mouthwatering. Julia Roberts, playing author Elizabeth Gilbert, munches her way through Italy, eating pizza after pasta. And Roberts didn’t leave the eating to stunt doubles; she gained 10 pounds during the four months of filming.
One recent study followed over 100 adults before and after they went on a one- to threeweek vacation, finding that people gained an average of 2.2 pounds. Interestingly, they also exercised more on vacation, leading researchers to conclude the weight gain came from eating more.
When you travel, you’re outside your normal routine and food options are everywhere. So here are a few tips to keep the travel weight off this summer:
• Pack healthy snacks like low-fat yogurt, fruits and veggies or nuts for time spent in the car, on the train or at the beach. Staying full of the good stuff will keep energy up and digestion regular.
• Stay away from alcohol drinks loaded with sugar. A 16-ounce pina colada has 450 calories from sugar alone.
• Plan family excursions like walking tours, which require physical activity.
• Get enough sleep. Being sleep deprived is linked to overeating.
Fruit vs. juice
According to a new study in The BMJ, when researchers looked at the health records of thousands of people, they found that eating two or more servings a week of blueberries, as well as grapes, raisins, prunes, apples and pears, can slash your risk for Type 2 diabetes by around 23 percent. And eating those nutrient- and fiber-filled fruits put you way ahead of folks who are more likely to drink fruit juices. Having a daily dose of fruit juice increases your chance of developing Type 2 diabetes by around 21 percent.
It’s likely the fiber and polyphenols in whole fruits are what help control blood glucose levels, keep your gut biome healthy and improve your heart health. Remember, lots of nutrients are packed into the skin and rind, so don’t peel that apple! They provide prebiotics to help your microbiome. The Department of Agriculture says a medium-size apple with its skin serves up 4.4 grams of fiber; without skin, 2.1 grams. Good core values!
Q: I’ve been exercising regularly for years, and my friend, who I used to run with, wants to get back into it. But I think her excess weight is keeping her on the sidelines. What can I tell her to get her back out there?
Kerry Q., Austin
A: A new study has uncovered information that should inspire her. It seems that people who are obese and get back to, or start, exercising, build stronger bones by burning fat that’s accumulated in their bone marrow. (Who knew you could have fat bones?)
Researchers from University of North Carolina School of Medicine have found that when obese people start exercising, the bone marrow fat they burn not only improves the strength, quality and even quantity of their bones, but it happens pretty quickly. They can see measurable results in weeks.
For more inspiration, remind your friend about how she used to enjoy exercising. She has the memories, so she knows how good exercise can make her feel. Also, tell her that there’s research proving there’s a link between regular exercise and stress reduction, easing of depression and happiness. And she’ll be helping you stick with it if she joins you!
While that is true for everybody, research shows that focusing on exercise that makes you happy is especially motivating for women — and helps them keep exercising. Misguided motivation (“I am exercising because I should, and it is virtuous”) is why 67 percent of gym memberships are never used.
So help your friend pick out a new set of really good running/walking shoes; get her doing preworkout stretches with you; then start out slowly. Mix up what you try — maybe interval walking and a back-tothe-beginning yoga class. Help your friend re-find the fun in working out.
Tip: So you don’t cut back on your regular exercise routine, do part or all of you usual workout before joining your friend as a workout buddy.