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We all work really hard to slim down and tone up before we go away on our holidays but what happens when we get there?
Of course, once we arrive at our destination we settle in and have a look around. If you are in a hotel or on a cruise, there is just so much choice of food! Buffet breakfasts, luxurious lunches and then cocktails, starters, mains, desserts and then cheese! Oh, my goodness! ‘I’m glad I lost a few lbs before we went away’, we say to ourselves.
So, how can we stop all that weight piling back on, plus loads more?
The key to your success will be based simply on making some small choices. Firstly, recognise the things that you absolutely love – certain foods, special drinks and treats you probably only have on holiday – and give yourself permission to enjoy them. There’s nothing wrong with drinking a cocktail before dinner or eating an ice cream when you fancy one. We just have to try to balance these treats with a bit more activity, which is much easier on holiday anyway, as we have more time.
I have to be honest: If you intend to just lie on a sun lounger and read a book or three for a fortnight, you might be struggling. If, on the other hand, you love swimming, walking on the beach, sightseeing on foot, playing a beach sport – then you’re laughing! You will be burning off your gorgeous treats and loving the fun of activity! In addition, you will be giving yourself a well-earned well-being boost.
If you are on a cruise, you have even more choices. Fine dining in the evening, of course, but do you really need to have the breakfast and a midmorning snack as well as Lunch and afternoon tea? Of course, you can set yourself the goal of walking around the deck five times every day and playing some sports, swimming in the pool and perhaps visiting the gym. But you are really going to have to make some effort to avoid a big weight gain.
Here are some simple tips that can make a big difference when dining in a restaurant on holiday or anywhere else:
Breakfast: If you are somewhere tropical, enjoy the vast variety of local fruits. Eating a plateful of papaya, a selection of melon, plus passion fruit and mango is amazing with some fresh yogurt. A fabulous way to start the day.
Lunch: Dining on the beach with freshly cooked and locally caught fish served with a salad is a real treat and healthy too. Avoid anything with chips and try not to fill up on bread when you don’t need it.
Dinner: These ideas depend on whether or not you are a sweet or savoury person. If you love a dessert, select a light starter and skip the bread roll that is offered. Choose what you like for the main course and fill up with delicious salads and/or vegetables. Then, choose the dessert you really love. This is what being on holiday is all about! On the other hand, if you love savoury foods, spoil yourself with the starter and skip the dessert.
Drinking: Always have a glass of water on the table alongside your wine or beer. Sometimes we just want to pick up a glass to have a sip of something. It doesn’t always need to be alcohol. Drinking white wine with soda to make a Spritzer is a great way to save some calories.
My best advice is to try to balance your delicious food with how active you are. If you are really active throughout the day, then of course you can eat pretty liberally. If you are lying around relaxing all day, then think before you eat. But most of all, have a fabulous time!
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The Queen's Platinum Jubilee
I hope you enjoyed the special Bank Holiday and perhaps joined in some of the celebrations which marked Her Majesty the Queen's 70 years on the throne. I loved watching the Trooping of the Colour and the Concert on Saturday and I adored the bit with Paddington! It was priceless on so many levels. Amazing! I am yet to catch up on the Pageant from Sunday afternoon.
For my part, I have to admit I am still feeling a bit weary after co-producing the Dance for the Queen event in Leicester with fellow Deputy Lieutenant Dave Andrews. Initiated by the Lord Lieutenant, Mike Kapur OBE, it turned out to be a fabulous community event which was broadcast live on BBC Radio Leicester and on Leicestershire Live and also covered by the local BBC news programme, East Midlands Today. You can get a flavour of the event by watching the clip below.
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Serves 2
Per serving: 130 calories, 3.9g fat
Prep time 10 mins
Cook time 40 mins
1 medium courgette
1 small aubergine
½ red and ½ yellow pepper, seeded
1 baby leek
½ small bulb of fennel
1 small red onion, peeled
Rapeseed oil spray
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp lemongrass, finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh marjoram
1 tbsp sesame seeds
freshly ground black pepper
parsley to garnish
- Preheat the oven to 180°C, 350°F, Gas Mark 4. Prepare the vegetables by slicing into wedges 5mm (¼”) thick.
- Combine the lemon juice, soy sauce and herbs in a small bowl.
- Place the vegetables into a roasting tin, season well with salt and black pepper and spoon the marinade over the vegetables.
- After 15 minutes, turn the vegetables to ensure even flavouring. Leave for 15 minutes, turn again, spray with rapeseed oil and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
- Place in the oven and roast for 35 - 40 minutes until tender and slightly charred around the edges.
- Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot or allow to cool and serve cold as a salad.
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Fun, Facts & Fitness from Mary Morris MSc.
When we go away on holiday for our hard-earned rest and relaxation time, it is just possible that the last thing on your mind would be any 'formal' exercise. Hopefully, you have been very focussed in the build-up to your holiday so that you are now in really good shape and ready to show off all your hard work. However, it would be sad to completely 'switch off' and undo everything you have achieved.
So, let's find ways of staying as active as possible when on holiday, but with the type of activity that is fun and pleasurable, so that you will be using up all those extra calories you plan to consume.
What our aim should be is to move as much as possible, combined with that ‘R and R’ you so badly need. It is wonderful to relish the joy of being somewhere different, often with its stunning scenery and beautiful weather. One of my class members proudly returned from Spain last week announcing she had only gained one pound after consuming plenty of lovely food, beer and wine. How? Because she had walked every single day and ‘quite briskly’, she said, because that's the only way she chooses to walk now!
So, let's explore ways of enjoying staying active whilst on holiday
- Walking. This is usually a favourite for many of us because hopefully it is what we do plenty of anyway. Even on holiday you could take the time to seek out a walk that is a bit of a challenge with a bit of a hilly terrain perhaps. Beautiful coastal walks come to mind.
- Swimming. If you enjoy swimming then do plenty of it. Often, we do not bother to go to the local swimming pool at home for all sorts of reasons, but on holiday it is SO lovely to take a dip to cool off. Ideally, set a time such as early morning for a proper swim, challenging yourself to a set number of lengths. And I bet you are doing even more by the end of the week!
- Walking on sand or wading through shallow water. Did you know that walking on both these surfaces burns at least 20% more calories than normal walking? That is such encouraging news. You can feel that you are spending more energy as you take each step. It is a proper workout.
- Aqua Aerobics or any organised activity. Many hotel holidays have plenty on offer to tempt you. Why not try something new? Exercising whilst away can be so much fun, particularly with like-minded people. It is a great time to be sociable and make friends with other holiday makers.
Believe it or not, though, there are some people who do want to do a bit of 'formal' exercise when away as they don't want to lose their fitness or become out of shape. Whilst walking along a Marina on a recent trip away I saw a lady practising her Yoga on the deck of a lovely yacht. She was so good at it she ended up with an admiring crowd watching! It may be that you want to spend just a few minutes every day doing something similar.
A simple solution I would always recommend is to take a resistance toning band with you. It is the ideal piece of holiday fitness equipment as it is light and easy to pack in your suitcase yet does a remarkable job of keeping you in shape. Learn our Standing Band Workout on our website before you go or log on while you are away. If you don't have one you can buy a Toning Band from our Shop.
To ensure you keep a strong 'core' we have shown you how to do The Hundred and The Power Five in the Advanced Pilates workout. They take just 2 minutes to do and if done daily you will come back with perfect abs.
So, no excuses. There must be something you can do to keep you active on holiday and prevent you from setting yourself back too much for when you return.
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This (Holiday) Week's Fitness Challenge
- Set yourself a daily walking challenge. Take into account the heat of the day so early morning or early evening walks might be preferable.
- Take time out to relax and read, for example, but also set times that you will get up and move around. Many older people suffer a bad back on holiday because they are lying down for too long.
- Commit to eating and drinking all the things you enjoy - but just not too much of it!
- Think about booking into any activities on offer. Try a new activity you have never done before. I recently enjoyed an archery session on a short break. I was no good at it but enjoyed the experience.
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Did you know...
- On 9th September 2015, The Queen became the longest reigning Monarch in British history.
- Her Majesty has made over 150 visits to over 100 countries.
- The Queen has carried out more than 21,000 engagements during her reign.
- Her Majesty has given Royal Assent to approximately 4,000 Acts of Parliament.
- The Queen has hosted 112 incoming State Visits to the United Kingdom.
- Her Majesty is currently Patron of over 500 organisations.
- The Queen has sent over 300,000 congratulatory cards to people celebrating their 100th birthdays, and over 900,000 messages to couples marking their Diamond (60th) Wedding Anniversaries.
- The Queen has sat for over 200 official portraits during her reign.
 Over 180 garden parties have been held at Buckingham Palace since 1952 and over 1.5 million people have attended a Garden Party.- The Queen has been served by 14 Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom during her reign – her first Prime Minister was Winston Churchill.
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And finally...
Whether you are going away soon or later in the year, you may like to keep a copy of this week’s Newsletter to refresh your memory before you go. When we work so hard to keep ourselves fit and in shape for most of the year, it is such a shame to let it all go when we have a holiday!
Have a great week!
With love and best wishes,
Rosemary Conley CBE DL
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LIVE LONGER | LIVE HEALTHIER | LIVE HAPPIER
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