Vacations are a must for relaxation and rejuvenation because they provide a break from the monotony of life. There are also tons of studies that support how time off can increase human productivity at work. However, vacations also tend to be tricky for those trying to adopt a better lifestyle in terms of dietary choices. And more often than not, people tend to treat vacation as an indulgent period where diets are abandoned and food and drinks are consumed in excess. However, there's a way to avoid this overindulgence and not fall into the trap of post-vacation detox diets supposedly meant to offset all the extra calories consumed.
In essence, more cheat days lead to an increased adverse impact on insulin levels, making it harder for the body to recover in a short period. On average, people consume 1,500-2,000 calories per day. When on vacation, the amount of calories per day shoots above 3,000. This leads to insulin imbalance and creates an imbalance in other important hormones affecting hunger and satiety. It also makes it difficult to return to a regular healthy routine once the holiday is over.
Hence Rohit Shelatkar, Fitness & Nutrition Expert, shares some tips to consider:
- Most of us opt for lavish breakfast spreads at hotels and resorts. To tackle overeating at such buffet spreads, try eating an apple first. This will help keep the stomach full and contain fewer calories. In addition, opting for freshly prepared eggs or dosas rather than carbohydrate-rich bread, pancakes, and croissants is always advisable. And lastly, avoid juices at buffet stations as they are generally canned, contain high sugar levels, and are not freshly pressed.
- Skipping one of any three meals a day is another way to ensure that you don’t go overboard with calories and can enjoy your favourite food items. Also, it is highly advisable to limit alcohol intake to one serving or drink every alternate day as alcoholic beverages are high in calories.
- Generally, all hotels or resorts do have gyms. It is, thus, advisable to use this facility for about 30-40 minutes every day. However, instead of pushing it to the end of the day, gym time can be planned carefully just before the day’s sightseeing activities begin to ensure it isn’t missed.
- Another easy fix to help control hunger pangs is to drink 1 tsp Isabgol (Psyllium husk) in one glass of water before bed. This helps control blood sugar spikes, and the fibre present keeps the stomach feeling full until the next meal. Additionally, it also helps to clear the digestive tract.
- Also, avoid travelling in private cars and walk as much as possible to reach a daily step count target of 8,000-10,000 steps.
- Diet and exercise routines require consistency and commitment for them to yield results. Hence, it is advisable to not wholly abandon all caution when on vacation and balance out indulgence with healthy choices.
