Eat Well, Live Well - Have a healthy (and happy!) holiday

Clotted cream in a Cornish tea-room, fresh fish in a Greek taverna, a glorious glass of full-bodied Italian red on your hotel balcony – let’s face it, holidays and diets just don’t mix. After all, it’s those memories of local fare that make a holiday so special. And what’s the point of having time away without treating yourself? Luckily, it’s perfectly possible to feel healthy on holiday without ever feeling deprived – so you really can have your cake and eat it. Here’s how…

Pick quality over quantity when it comes to holiday food and drink.
It’s tempting, if you’re in an all-inclusive resort, to gorge yourself on the all-you-can-eat buffets, then collapse by the pool for the rest of the day. But these tend to serve unimaginative, poor-quality fare. Look a little further afield and you’ll not only find local cafes, restaurants or even street stalls which serve fresh, local produce, you’ll also see more of your holiday destination. Picking a few glasses of decent local wine over free sugary, sticky cocktails is also a much better choice health-wise – and is less likely to give you a shocking hangover the next day.

Make exercise part of your holiday.
It’s hardly surprising that many of us find swimming in our grotty local pool or pounding a treadmill in a dank gym something of a chore. But taking a morning dip in a glorious clear blue sea seems far too much fun to be exercise! The same goes for long walks along the beach at sunset, hikes into shady pine forests, or even strolling through a local market. Again, it’s a great excuse to get out and about and make the most of your surroundings. Trying something new on holiday could well inspire you to keep it up once you get back home.

Remember healthy doesn’t mean boring.
Of course, you want to enjoy yourself on holiday. But the best holiday food isn’t always the high-fat, high-calorie option, and picking the nutritious choice isn’t depriving yourself. Take the Mediterranean diet, both healthy and delicious – olive oil, white meat, fresh fish, fruit and veg, cheese and wine. Just choose chicken or fish over red meat like beef, go for steamed or baked options rather than fried, and alternate creamy puddings with fresh fruit, or local cheeses. You’ll still be able to enjoy the full range of tastes, and you might also discover something new and delicious.

Eat like a local.
Finding out where the locals eat will guarantee you a delicious night out – but it’s also worth watching just how they eat, as well. There’s a good reason why people take a siesta after lunch in a hot country, for example. You’ll miss the hottest part of the day and be refreshed and happy for the evening. Eating smaller, more frequent meals in a hot climate will stop you feeling bloated and listless. And sitting down and taking your time over a meal, rather than grabbing a quick burger on the beach, will leave you feeling fuller, more satisfied, and less likely to snack.

Ditch the beach-body diet.
Many pre-holiday diets are designed for very rapid weight loss, which is impossible to sustain, and will just go straight back on once you stop the diet. Trying to reach impossible weight loss or size goals just because you’re going on holiday is setting yourself up for failure. It’s how you feel on holiday that’s important, not how you look – and it’s hard to feel relaxed and happy when you’re frantically counting calories and wondering if you’ll fit into that tiny bikini. Confidence and happiness are remarkably attractive traits. So forget extreme eating plans and have a little of what you fancy. It really will do you good!