Holidays are meant to be enjoyable and fun. We use this time to chill out and let our hair down. This helps us recharge and come back to normal life full of vigour and energy.

As humans we tend to take an all or nothing approach to anything, including holiday’s. Who hasn’t eaten and drunk too much over a holiday and regretted it? 

Its our chimp-like brain that’s telling us “go on its alright you’re on holiday, you can have what the heck you want for the next 10 days”.

I’m not telling you that there’s anything wrong with that as I’ve done this more times than I’d like to admit 😬

The problem starts when you come home feeling 3 stone overweight, tired and guilty!

Could there be a way to enjoy your holiday and not put much weight on, all while still relaxing and eating what you want?

I say yes, as its something my clients and myself have done many times now.

I want you to be able to enjoy your food while away on holiday and choose whatever foods you want. 

Here’s some survival tips to keep that bulge at bay

Holiday Survival Tip 1: Eat slowly and to “satisfied” instead of “stuffed”

One of the most powerful habits anyone can build is eating slowly and stopping when satisfied at each meal

Even if you eat the most calorific meals eating slowly and stopping before “stuffed” could save you 1000’s of calories over a holiday.

This helps for two reasons

• One: It takes around 15-20 minutes for your stomach to let your brain know that you’re satisfied. Slowing down at meal times will allow that to happen before you overeat.

• Two: Slowing down helps you savour your food and actually enjoy the meal. Feeling content with much less food.

You can eat all the foods you want, taste each flavour all while never feeling stuffed.

Holiday Survival Tip 2: Use your very own portion sizes 

When at home you’re able to decide how much you want on your plate. Holidays are far from the case. If you’re like me I want value for money so tend to expect a full plate of food when I order. 

Using portion sizes can help with the first tip (eating slowly and stopping before stuffed) by eating what your body needs in the way of calories. 

When helping clients understand how much food they need I use their hands as a guide. 

Why hands? 

Well, they’re your hands, so perfectly formed for you. Smaller hands means a smaller person so less food. You can guess what bigger hands mean (get your mind out of the gutter, you know what I mean 😜). Bigger hands usually means a bigger person so more food.

This tip is especially great for buffets as you now can gauge how much food is just enough.

Here’s a quick guide

Men:

• 2 palms of protein dense foods at each meal

• 2 fists of vegetables at each meal

• 2 cupped handfuls of carb dense foods at each meal

• 2 thumb of fat dense foods at each meal

Women:

• 1 palms of protein dense foods at each meal

• 1 fists of vegetables at each meal

• 1 cupped handfuls of carb dense foods at each meal

• 1 thumb of fat dense foods at each meal

To put it visually you can download my portion guide size HERE for free.

Holiday Survival Tip 3: Take snacks for the flight and when travelling

Meals while travelling can rack up some very high calorie foods over a holiday.

You’re in a rush, tired, unprepared and not thinking about healthier food choices. 

One thing I encourage clients to do is buy healthier snacks for flights and travelling before they go. If choose your favourite healthy snacks beforehand when you’re not stressed or rushed there is more chance you’ll eat better.

Here’s a list of some of my favourites:

• Nuts (maybe not on the plane)

• Home made snacks (Click HERE for some of my favourites).

• Dried fruits 

• Protein bars - aim for ones that have lower fat/carbs. I love Grenades “Carb Killa’s”.

Holiday Survival Tip 4: Decide where you want to spend your calories

Just because you’re giving yourself a pass to eat and drink whatever you like doesn’t mean you should.

How many times have you eaten a meal and thought “I didn’t enjoy that”. I know I have many times.

Before you go make a list of the foods you love and really enjoy. Then make a list of the foods you eat but really don’t like that much.

Here’s some of mine

Foods I love 😍

• Good quality Chocolate (Hotel Chocolat)

• Anything thats a stodgy dessert like sticky toffee pudding, apple crumble etc.

• Good quality Whisky 

• Biscuits (chocolate ones from M&S are lush)

• Crisps

Foods I’m not fussed on 🤢

• Any other low quality chocolate

• Most takeaway foods

• Sweets that are just made of flavoured sugar like - Haribo, Jelly Babies etc.

• Most other alcohol

These lists could go on but hopefully you get the point. If I’m presented with the foods I’m not that fussed on I just say “no I don’t like it”. I’ve already made the decision before I see the food. No willpower needed.

This works really well away from the holiday environment too. Imagine you’re made the lists and a work colleague asks if you want a jelly donut. If you’re like me and hate those jam donuts. Without a thought you’ve just made that decision super easy.

“No thanks I don’t like donuts”

Or 

“No, I’m ok thanks I don’t eat those donuts”

Saying the word “don’t” doesn’t give any room for movement. Saying “can’t” on the other hand means you could be persuaded by your colleague or even yourself.

Using these tips can cut 1000’s of calories off your food intake during your holiday, all without you feeling you’ve restricted yourself. 

See you can have your cake and eat it 😜