A FREE Guide to

Slimming and Keeping fit for Summer

www.vitalityhealthandfitness.co.uk

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1. Introduction

If you think you’ve left it too late to shed those unwanted lbs before your summer

holidays, the fact is – you haven’t!

Or maybe you’ve worked hard to get slim and trim for the summer, and don’t want to put

it all back on whilst on holiday.

The team at Vitality has come up with hints and tips to ensure you keep the weight and

maintain a fitness regime and still enjoy your holiday.

2. 10 Ways to Keep Fit on Holiday

Keeping fit and looking fantastic whilst on holiday is simple if

you take your gym with you. Check out these top 10 tips to

keep fit on holiday:

i) Be creative

Think outside the box of your normal exercise routine. Try to remember exercises,

stretches and routines that you do each week in a gym or class and do these on your own.

Learn from your current routine at home so you can take it away and mix and match while

you are travelling. Try new things!

ii) Pack light

If you’re going away for the weekend, pack your running

shoes and at least one suitable outfit. If you’re going away

for longer take a skipping rope and do a couple of sessions

on the beach or pool first thing in the morning (particularly

if you are in a hot climate). Alternatively, ask to borrow a

yoga mat from your hotel or just put on your shoes and

head out the door to explore the city, coast or the

countryside. Hire equipment, like a surfboard, bike or

stand-up paddle board. You’ll be working out without

knowing it!

iii) Discover the area on foot or by bike

Swap heels for trainers and see the sites. Even if you’re on

a shopping weekend, you can get up a bit earlier or take time during the afternoon to

walk the city. Explore the shops before they open to know your way around. The best way

to get a feel for the place you are staying is to discover it on foot or by bicycle.

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iv. Use core workouts

Or express sessions if you have limited time for example:

» 15-minute Express Session: Quick walk or jog followed

by a superset of 25 push-ups, 25 crunches, 25 tricep dips

and 25 prisoner squats. Finish with three yoga poses to

stretch; for example, downward dog, triangle pose and a

classic forward bend.

» Island Fit Express Session: Jetty run or skip, ocean

swim, sunrise stretch, water sports for most of the day

then a sunset stretch or core session.

v. Pack some light resistance bands

These are light and easy to pack and will enable you to train on the spot for just 15

minutes a day, or longer combined with cardio.

vi. Skip your way fit

Lightweight and super easy to pack, a skipping rope will

roll up and fit in your shoe. Skip as a warm-up and cool-

down at different tempos, then add your core work and

body weight exercises in between. You’ll be surprised

how effective skipping is for agility and cardio

condition.

vii. Use nature as your gym

Embrace the surroundings. If you are on an island or beach holiday, head to the water for

your workouts. In the countryside or even in a city that has amazing parks, explore by

hiking, running, walking, biking or even look at

horse riding for a more adventurous twist. Try

surfing, stand-up paddle boarding, snorkelling,

windsurfing or kite surfing to get some fresh air and

wake up some muscles you may never have known

you had.

viii. Use the gym or hotel pool

Research where you are staying and what facilities

they have on site. Pack your swim goggles and

squeeze in a few laps between meals and other activities. Swimming is a refreshing way to

get fit if you are not into running and great if you are dealing with niggling injuries, to

provide rehab and toning.

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ix. If you are a gym bunny

Look at getting a 10-pass session for a local gym, spin or Pilates class – it’s an amazing way

to meet new people and be inspired by different instructors and places to work out. Going

shopping in a cool, new city? Chances are they have incredible boutique gyms and studios

with single entry passes. Do your research, ask people who may live in the area.

x. Save articles and workouts

All articles that feature body weight exercises are

perfect takeaway fitness solutions. Load up your ipad

with exercise videos you’ve downloaded or take a

snapshot of the exercises on your phone if you can’t

take a mag with you. Also get back to basics and go for

some functional fitness while you are away. Download

yoga videos or apps that have a variety of exercises.

Finally, listen to your body. If you are tired, rest, relax

and eat healthily to recharge and rejuvenate. Find

exercise while you are away that seamlessly fits into your day, creates a moment to switch

off and helps you to explore your new environment – whether it’s cityscapes, seascapes or

stunning landscapes!

Remember: regular short, quality exercise sessions also create lasting change. Health and

fitness is a lifestyle and a daily practice no matter where you may be.

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3. Enjoy your holiday and still stay slim and trim

3.1 Meal plan

Try to distribute your food intake evenly throughout the day

with three main meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) plus some

healthy snacks between meals. This will keep your energy

levels up and avoid you getting cravings/temptations to eat

bad snacks.

If you can, try and make your lunchtime your main meal – this

allows your body to digest it properly and avoid you feeling

bloated and uncomfortable.

There is always a huge selection of tempting foods to choose from. Enjoy the opportunity

and try to consider the following tips when selecting what to eat.

• Eat Fresh – Fresh is best:

Eat as much fresh fruit and vegetables as you can. They contain plenty of fibre, nutrients,

antioxidants, enzymes and vitamins. Eating them raw preserves all their nutrients. Light

steam or boil them if necessary to retain as much of their goodness as possible.

• Eat colourful:

The more colour on your plate, the healthier is the food you’re

eating. Colourful food is usually in season, fully ripe,

unprocessed and tends to be high in nutrients, vitamins and

antioxidants. Therefore, cover your plate with a lot of different

colours.

• Choose lean proteins

You are bound to have a huge selection of proteins so rather opt for lean sources of

protein such as white meat (pork fillet), poultry, fish (both white and oily fish), seafood

and eggs. Fish is always a good choice – it is very lean and

known for beneficial oils (Omega 3) especially sardines,

mackerel, salmon, tuna and white fish like sea bass, bream,

monkfish, john dory and sole. Avoid frying (especially deep

fried) because it adds extra fat and the excess heating turns fat

bad. Rather choose roasted, grilled, steamed or lightly fried

food.

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• Choose good fats:

Some fats are essential for our bodies and helps avoid dry skin while promoting healthy

hair and nails. Therefore, select foods rich in essential oils such as nuts, seeds, avocadoes,

oil and especially fish (omega 3). Avoid fatty foods and processed snacks and crisps – they

are full of bad trans and hydrogenated fats.

• Go for good carbs:

Ditch the white refined sugars and starches – rather choose whole

grain pastas/breads/cereals/brown rice/rye/spelt. Go for pulses

and beans which are high in protein, low in GI and keep you

feeling fuller for longer. Try chickpeas, lentils, butter beans or

split peas.

• Have a snack:

It is important to have a snack to help stabilize your flagging blood sugar levels between

meals. The snack allows you to maintain energy levels, stabilize moods but most

importantly it stops you craving those sugary top ups. Therefore, have a healthy, protein-

rich snack such as fruits, seeds, nuts, cheese, low fat Greek yogurt, olives, avocadoes

etc...

• Fluids:

It is essential to keep hydrated (especially in the hot summer)

and you should drink at least 2 litres (up to 8 glasses) of water

spread evenly throughout the day. It can have a dramatic effect

on your diet. Not enough water and your body will dehydrate

which slows down the fat burning process. Alcohol also tends to

dehydrate your body so make sure you drink extra water. Try to

cut down on fizzy drinks – they carry a lot of unwanted calories

and leave you feeling gassy and bloated.

• Exercise:

Exercise is very good for maintaining your weight and

keeping you slim and trim. It raises your metabolism and

speeds up the burning of your fat reserves and tones up your

muscles. Your exercise does not need to be excessive – any

exercise will help. Try taking a walk after your main meal.

This will encourage relaxation, help ease indigestion and

bloating and stabilize your blood sugar levels.

• Healthy gut – Healthy body:

It is important to maintain a healthy gut – we have billions of bacteria in our gut which

help us digest our food, make vitamins and supports our defences against illness.

Therefore it is good to take a probiotic or live yogurt to top up the healthy beneficial

bacteria. It is also recommended that you take a prebiotic supplement which supply food

for the skinny bacteria to thrive. These prebiotics promote the growth of the good

bacteria and help our immune system.

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4. Tips for Staying Healthy on Holiday

Holidays are great for your health. Most people work hard

and experience a lot of stress, so it’s important not to try

to do too much on holiday. Sleep as much as you can - get

to bed early, lie in and take naps to help your adrenal

glands recover and encourage relaxation.

Travelling can put a strain on your health and diet. Try to

avoid processed and junk food at airports and on the

flight. These will give you an immediate sugar rush,

followed quickly by an energy slump - when you’ll want to

have another sugary snack.

Plan what you’ll eat on the journey. Take a piece of fruit and a handful of nuts and seeds

for snacks as both are natural with no added sugar.

Drink plenty of water, especially when flying. All that air-conditioning and the thin air in

the sky really dehydrates your body.

When on holiday, eat a big healthy breakfast, such as fruit

and natural yoghurt followed by eggs or smoked salmon on

whole wheat toast. Eat a good lunch plus snacks in the

morning and afternoon and try to have a light dinner with

no starchy carbohydrates (pasta, potatoes or rice).

Take advantage of local and seasonal food. If you’re

staying by the sea, eat lots of fresh grilled fish. Oily fish - including sardines, fresh tuna,

salmon and mackerel - is particularly good as it’s rich in Omega 3, which keeps your skin

hydrated and encourages healthy digestion as well as weight loss.

If you do plan a boozy night out, eat plenty of protein first

and try to alternate glasses of alcohol with water. A couple

of glasses of red wine is the best option. Cava has been

found to be good for blood sugar management - it releases

its sugar slowly into the body. Cocktails are the worst due to

all the sweet mixers and sugar in them.

Try to eat a variety of different coloured fruits and vegetables – oranges, red peppers,

green courgettes, yellow sweet corn - to get a wide range of antioxidants.

Lying in the sun feels great but you only need 10 minutes of

unprotected sunshine to get your daily dose of vitamin D. After

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that you should use sunblock. As we get older, the collagen in our skin breaks down more

rapidly, leading to lines, wrinkles and discolouring.

To prevent the breaking down of collagen, eat lots of purple fruits, such as fresh

blackberries, blueberries and black grapes. One study showed that eating tomatoes

reduces your risk of turning red in the sun so have a glass of tomato juice - though it’s

much safer to use sunblock!

5. Eating Out on Holiday

Eating Healthily on Holiday can be a real struggle. Here are some guidelines to help you

to enjoy eating out whilst still maintaining a healthy and balanced diet.

It's all too easy to have more saturated fat, salt and sugar than you realise when you're not

cooking your own meal.

You can also end up eating more than you would have done if you'd served up your own

portions.

The first tip to remember is that whatever and wherever you're eating, you don't need to

clear your plate. Instead, eat slowly and stop when you are full.

5.1 Restaurants and cafes

Simple steps can help you make sure that you make healthier choices when eating out:

• Food swaps: these swaps can make your restaurant or

cafe meal healthier

• Choose chicken without the skin, or lean meats such

as ham, fish (not fried) or pulses instead of pies,

bacon and sausages

• Opt for tomato and vegetable sauces instead of sauces

based on cream and cheese

• Rice that is steamed or boiled instead of fried rice,

such as pilau rice and egg fried rice

• Potatoes that are baked or boiled without added salt

or butter instead of chips or creamy mashed potatoes

• Fruit salads, sorbets and low-fat yoghurts instead of

cakes, chocolate or creamy puddings, biscuits, sweets and ice cream

• Vegetables and salads served plain instead of served with butter, oily dressings or

mayonnaise

• Salad dressing on the side, so you can add only as much as you need.

5.2 Eating out tips

These tips can help you make healthier choices when you're eating at a restaurant or cafe:

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• Look out for dishes highlighted on the menu as healthier options. If you're not sure

why the dish is healthier, don't be afraid to ask.

• More and more restaurants are putting calories for their food and drink onto their

menus. You can use this information to help you decide which dish to have and

help you keep track of the number of calories you're eating.

• Remember, if you can't tell from the menu how a dish is cooked, you can always

ask.

• Ask for salt not to be added to your meal during cooking or preparation.

• Say no to bread or other nibbles before your meal arrives. Eating these before your

meal can make you more likely to eat too much.

• When you're ordering a variety of dishes to share, make sure you don't order too

many. Ask the staff how many dishes they would recommend.

• If your meal doesn't come with vegetables, order some as a side dish or have a

salad with your meal. This can be instead of a starter.

• Wait until you've eaten your main course before you order a pudding. When you've

finished the main course, you may be full.

• Have a glass of fruit juice or water with your meal.

5.3 Healthier puddings

If you'd like something sweet, there are healthier options:

• Fruit is an especially good choice and can count towards

your recommended five daily portions of fruit and

vegetables. Learn more in 5 A DAY.

• Fruit that is baked into puddings, such as rhubarb crumble,

also counts towards your five fruit and veg portions. For a

healthier pudding, choose fruit-based puddings instead of

puddings with cream or chocolate fillings.

• Cream and ice cream are both high in saturated fat. Instead

of having a dessert with cream or ice cream, ask staff if you

can have a sorbet, low-fat yoghurt, fruit purée, or custard made with lower-fat

milk.

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5.4 Healthy lunch out and about

Many of us like to get out and about when on holiday so it’s equally important that the

right choices can ensure your holiday lunch is healthier. If possible, make your own

lunch, then you’ll know exactly what's in your lunchbox and save you some money:

Lunch salads:

• Salad can make for a healthy, filling and tasty lunch on the go.

• Salads that contain some starchy foods such as rice, pasta, potatoes or couscous

are more filling.

• Add grilled chicken (without the skin), prawns, sardines, cottage cheese,

mozzarella or strips of lean ham for protein options lower in saturated fat.

• Then choose a variety of veg: you could add roasted peppers and courgettes,

avocado, spring onions, salad leaves, tomatoes, radishes, grated carrot or green

beans.

• Watch out for salads that contain a lot of

mayonnaise or other high-fat dressings. This

often includes coleslaw, potato salads and some

pasta salads.

• Pre-packed salads often have a nutrition

information panel on the label so you can check

how much total fat, saturated fat and salt they

contain. Go for salads that are lower in fat,

especially saturated fat and salt (or sodium).

Lunch sandwiches:

Whether you're making your own sandwiches or buying them from a shop, here are tips to

help you make healthier choices:

• Choose brown or wholemeal bread.

• When buying pre-packed sandwiches, look at the nutrition information. Choose a

sandwich that is low in fat – 3g or less per 100g, and 1.5g saturated fat per 100g.

Watch out for the salt content too – food is high in salt if it contains more than 1.5g

salt per 100g.

• Have your sandwich without butter, spread or

mayonnaise, especially if the filling is moist. Or have

a small amount and go for low-fat mayonnaise.

• Go for a sandwich with salad in it, put extra in if you

are making it yourself.

• Choose healthier sandwich fillings such as lean meats

(ham, beef, turkey and chicken without the skin),

tuna, smoked mackerel and hard-boiled egg.

• If you want cheese, go for Edam, Emmental, Gruyère, Mozzarella and low-fat

cream cheese. They are usually lower in fat than other cheeses.

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Hot food:

If you prefer hot food for lunch, you can still make healthier choices:

• Baked potatoes are a good lunchtime choice, but cut out the butter or use low-fat

spread. Healthy fillings include baked beans, cottage cheese and ratatouille. Avoid

ready-mixed fillings that contain lots of mayonnaise as these can be high in fat.

• Pasta can be a healthy choice, but avoid dishes with a creamy or cheesy sauce, or

mixed with lots of oil, because these can be high in fat. Tomato or vegetable-based

sauces are a healthier choice and will count towards your recommended five daily

portions of fruit and veg. Avoid adding cheese, or add

only a little.

• Soups can also help count towards your five portions if

they contain vegetables. Try a soup with chunky

vegetables, and to make it a filling meal add a

wholemeal bread roll.

So enjoy your holiday… you deserve it … while keeping slim with:

For further help and guidance with your training or nutrition plan, contact Vitality today

www.vitalityhealthandfitness.co.uk