I always look forward to my summer holidays – they are the perfect time to relax and unwind from the stresses and cares of everyday life. But I firmly believe that taking time off for a vacation doesn’t mean taking time off from a healthy diet. Overindulging in an extra cocktail or two or opting for hamburgers and fries one too many times may seem innocent enough, but it can seriously undo months of hard work and compromise the health of both your body and your skin. By making a few smart choices, you can keep fit and energized, enjoy the occasional sweet treat, and return home without any extra baggage. Here are my five top tips for healthy holiday eating:
1. Don’t starve yourself
We all agree that overeating unhealthy foods is the main reason behind unwanted gain weight and extra body fat. The occasions to indulge in delicious but over-caloric dishes multiply on holiday, so the most logical solution to prevent our waists from swelling would be to stop eating altogether. This is a big mistake because when you starve yourself, your metabolism slows down as your body gets into survival mode and fights to keep every ounce of fat it has. On top of it, yoyo dieting is a vicious circle that sees you fasting one week and overeating the next, which only makes you put on weight faster.
2. Drink Lots Of Green Tea
In my personal opinion, there’s no better holiday drink than green tea. This refreshing beverage is rich in antioxidants that slow down cell regeneration and reduce the damage the ultraviolet radiation of the sun’s rays inflicts on our skin as we’re soaking up the sun. Green tea also detoxifies the body of harmful toxins, which in turns keep our skin free from blemishes. Finally, green tea fills you up for hours, curbing your desire for unhealthy snacks mid-afternoon.
3. Order a big salad or bowl of fruit before your entree
When you are on holiday, it is very tempting to indulge in the local culinary delicacies and neglect to eat your greens. The best way I’ve found to enjoy both is to order a big salad or bowl of fruit before an entree. When I eat my salad first, I make sure I fuel my body with the nourishment it deserves to stay healthy and strong. I also end up eating less of the main meal, which helps me to keep my weight under control.
4. Eat small portions six times a day
Ideally, we should all strive to eat small and healthy meals and snacks six times a day. By munching on an apple or sipping on a smoothie every two or three hours, you keep your metabolism running throughout the day, which in turns makes the body more likely to consume the food as energy instead of storing it as fat. Not to mention, your hunger mechanism won’t kick into gear, removing all temptations to indulge in that slice of cake.
5. Choose fish instead of red meat
Whenever possible, I skip the red meat in favor of fish, with sushi being my absolute favorite dinner choice. As delicious as a juicy steak is, read meat contains a higher amount of cholesterol and saturated fat (the bad type of fat) than fish. Cholesterol and saturated fats are very harmful to our health because they increase the risk of developing heart diseases. Fish, on the other end, is rich in omega-3 fatty acids (the good type of fat), which has many health properties that help protect the body from many diseases, including heart diseases, depression, and Alzheimer’s.
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