Staying Healthy on Holiday

Holidays are a time for relaxation, adventure, and a break from the usual routine. While it’s a wonderful opportunity to unwind, it can also present challenges in maintaining healthy eating habits and staying on track with your health goals. With some planning and mindful choices, you can enjoy your holiday without compromising your progress and health. This article offers practical tips to help you navigate holidays, maintain flexibility, stay healthy, understand weight fluctuations, and get back on track after your holiday.

Navigating your food & drink choices

Adapt your plan

• Adapt your eating plan to fit the situation rather than stressing about sticking to a rigid diet. Remember that it’s of the relax the rules from time to time, and this flexibility makes things more sustainable in the long run.
• Allow yourself to enjoy local treats and cuisines in moderation, balancing them with healthy choices in your other meals.

Plan ahead

• Before you travel, look up healthy dining options at your destination. Many restaurants now offer nutrition information online so it’s worth researching in advance..
• Bring healthy snacks like nuts and fruit to avoid reaching for unhealthy options while on the go and feeling hungry.

Moderation 

• When dining out, consider sharing meals, making swaps such as salad for chips, and aiming to stick with one or two courses as opposed to three. 
• Focus on enjoying your food by eating slowly and paying attention to hunger and fullness cues. Our mindful eating article provides some great tips with this.

Hydration

• Carry a water bottle with you to stay hydrated throughout the day, especially in hot climates where the risk of dehydration is higher.
• Opt for water, herbal teas, or sparkling water instead of sugary fizzy drinks and juices. If you fancy something sweet, diet and zero drinks are a better option than sugary drinks..

Alcohol 

• Alcohol itself is high in calories, and alcoholic drinks like beer, wine and cocktails are even higher in calories because of the sugar which is in the drinks. Alcohol can therefore also raise blood sugar levels, which as a result impacts food choices too.
• Try to minimise the impact of alcohol by choosing low calorie drinks, drinking water or soft drinks in between alcoholic drinks, and stretch alcoholic drinks out (i.e. adding soda to win and drinking sugar-free shandys).

Other strategies for staying healthy

Keep moving

• Find ways to stay active, whether it’s a morning walk on the beach, a short gym session, a scenic hike, or a swim in the pool.
• Engage in physical activities such as team sports with family and friends. This can be a fun way to bond and stay active.

Prioritise sleep

• Holidays can disrupt your sleep schedule. Keep aiming for 7-9 hours of sleep per night to help maintain your energy levels and recharge those batteries!
• Try to keep a consistent sleep schedule and practice sleep hygiene, even while on holiday.

De-stress

• Practise relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or yoga to help relieve the stresses from life outside of holidays.
• Engage in activities that you find relaxing and stimulating too, this can help to avoid feeling ‘overindulged’ after a holiday of pure relaxation.

Post-Holiday Tips

Expect fluctuations: 

• It’s normal for your weight to fluctuate, especially during holiday. Factors like changes in diet, activity level, and hydration can all contribute to temporary weight changes.
• Instead of fixating on short-term weight changes, focus on the long-term trajectory and the healthy habits that will gradually guide you to your goals..

Reflect and learn

• Reflect on what went well and what challenges you faced during your holiday. Use this insight to improve your strategies for future trips.
• Recap on previous notes from clinician meetings, and review relevant content in Explore to help get back in the right mindset.
• If you need help getting back on track, consider consulting with your mentor, group or clinician via the Roczen app.

Reset and re-focus

• After your holiday, try to get back to your regular eating and exercise routines as soon as possible, even if this means starting small with a healthy meal or first gym session.
• Use the post-holiday period as an opportunity to set new health and nutrition goals - perhaps continuing something that you found positive on holiday,

Stay positive

• Remember that a short break from your routine won’t ruin your progress. Be kind to yourself and stay positive about your journey.
• Acknowledge and celebrate your successes so far, and remember that the holiday was only a small period in the grand scheme of things. Getting back to consistency will soon make up for the flexibility you allowed yourself on holiday.

Summary:

By planning ahead, maintaining flexibility, and adopting some of our healthy strategies, you can enjoy your holiday without compromising your health goals. Remember, it’s not about perfection but about making mindful choices that support your health and well-being.