Do you always struggle with putting on weight on holiday? Here’s how to stop worrying, so you can finally go on holiday without gaining weight.
We speak to a lot of women in their 40s and 50s who are looking to drop a couple of dress sizes and tone up, but have holidays coming up over Christmas and New Year, and are worried about putting on a load of weight when they go away.
Coming back from a holiday half a stone heavier is never a nice experience. But this can be especially tough for women over 40, because it can be more difficult to lose those extra pounds with normal methods of dieting.
We can’t tell you how many women we’ve worked with who were trying all the things which worked in their 20s and 30s. But they are seeing ZERO results since turning 40!
And when you’re trying everything and not seeing any results, it can be REALLY frustrating.
So, how can you avoid gaining weight on holiday? And how can you start seeing fast and sustainable results in the mirror as a woman over 40?
In today’s blog, we’re going to reveal our top strategies to avoid holiday weight gain, which hundreds of our clients have used to see incredible results in the mirror!
What’s the best way to avoid gaining weight on holiday?
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you go on holiday, without gaining any weight.
1. Firstly, set an achievable goal
For holidays, you goal should be to maintain your current weight. It’s usually unrealistic to see weight loss when on holiday – plus, you want to enjoy yourself too!
It’s much more motivating than expecting to lose weight, which is unrealistic. This means you can still have fun and enjoy a few indulgences when away.
2. Decipher the scales
It’s very normal to come back from holiday 3lbs to 6lbs heavier than when you left. Even if you feel like you’ve been good!
This can be demoralising, and can lead to giving up altogether.
However, in reality, weight gain doesn’t mean fat gain. For example, an increase in salt intake can cause an increase in water retention. Or an increase in carb intake will lead to an increase in water retention. These can mean you easily gain a temporary few pounds.
However, it usually will come off in the next week or so, so try to stay positive and take the scales with a pinch of salt.
3. Stay active
Whilst you can’t out-exercise the wrong diet, it does help minimise the damage. So, take a resistance band with you. It packs up small and weighs next to nothing!
We give members of our Fit Over 40 program quick holiday workouts they can do with this, and their body weight.
Plus, step count… counts! Doing 1000 steps is around 40kcal burned, so try and avoid just lounging all day every day. Aim for a half an hour walk to blow away the cobwebs.
Alternatively, do fun activities when you’re on holiday! Go swimming, for a beach stroll, or hire bikes for the day. These are all great ways to see the sights, while also getting moving.
It doesn’t have to be perfect to be worth doing
All or nothing thinking can lead to “sod it” moments, which will sabotage your progress. There’s always a better choice and a worse choice available, so just try and be a little better than previous holidays.
Some simple swaps can help to avoid feeling like you’re missing out, but really minimise the damage. For example, opt for a burger without the bun. Or share your dessert with your friends!