Six delicious secrets to staying slim

Nobody wants to be on a diet while on vacation. Most holidaymakers claim they prefer to let themselves go for a couple of weeks and starve themselves when they get back. The good news is that you don’t have to. It’s easy, fun and delicious to avoid weight gain during your all-inclusive holiday. These six secrets are the key to staying slim or even losing a couple of pounds while having quality time.

1. Be a food snob. Don’t just chew and swallow your food; eat slowly and appreciate the texture, smell and taste of every bite. If you don’t like your food, stop eating it. Just because you paid for it doesn’t mean you have to finish your plate.

2. Savour the local food. Fast food chains have opened stores in most holiday resorts to accommodate the tastes of tourists, and hotels often have traditional English meals such as fish and chips or toad in the hole on their menu alongside the local food. The trick is to avoid these boring, unhealthy options and order the local dishes. In warm countries near the sea, traditional dishes are often based on fresh fruit, vegetables and fish. Treat yourself to the healthy local cuisine and savour every mouthful mindfully.

3. Cut down on the alcohol. Alcohol is very rich in calories, acts as a potent appetizer and increases cortisol levels. Cortisol is a hormone that directs fat to our middle. You can halve your alcohol intake by drinking a glass of water between every alcoholic beverage. Another advantage of drinking less alcohol and more water is that you’ll wake up feeling much better the next day!

4. Yes man! Say yes every time someone invites you for a swim, a hike, a game of table tennis, rafting, horse riding or another activity. Having fun is the best way to train your muscles and burn calories.

5. Relax. Stress increases levels of cortisol, which encourages your body to store fat around your waist, so don’t let anyone stress you out during your holidays! The great advantage of all-inclusive holidays is that you don’t have to worry about making dinner for your family every night. Sunbathing, Thai massages and Turkish steam baths will also reduce your waistline!

6. Guilty calories count twice. Don’t beat yourself up over it if you do let yourself go for one night. Just don’t make a habit of it.