Preparing the body for vacation is quite a common activity among many people. Both men and women strive to look a little better for the beach season. Only to forget all their efforts within a few months or even weeks during the vacation and gain excess weight again. This approach is fundamentally wrong, and now you will learn not only why this happens but also how to avoid gaining excess weight and maintain an excellent figure even after vacation.
Why do we gain excess weight on vacation – three main reasons
Reason one. "Breakdown" psychology. Long dreams about vacation. Prolonged preparation. Gym, diets, and workouts – all for the sake of looking great. And here it is, the long-awaited finale – vacation! No more need to try hard, it's time to rest and relax!
This is typical subconscious or even conscious behaviour of most people on vacation. A person strives for something, achieves the goal, and then breaks down – because they are no longer held by the restrictions of exercise, diets, and concern for their appearance.
Reason two. Adaptation. Almost always, vacation is a stress for the body, which finds itself in new conditions. Different temperature regime, different humidity level, level of physical activity, climate, pressure – all this can negatively affect its functioning. In particular – lead to weight gain at the end of the vacation. In addition, the adaptation crisis during vacation can happen twice – just as the body gets used to the conditions of rest, it is literally directed back to the home climate, which has already become unusual.
Reason three. Food – products and behaviour. Often on vacation, people go to other countries or regions where even the usual everyday cuisine is completely different. This leads to eating behaviour disorders, the need to adapt to other products, and the disruption of usual mechanisms of hunger and satiety. Moreover, increased loads (compared to the typical modern sedentary lifestyle) and reduced responsibility towards oneself lead to a person not monitoring their diet at all.
How not to gain excess weight on vacation?
First of all, it is necessary to understand that vacation and rest do not mean permissiveness or a riotous lifestyle where "everything is allowed". Working with a dietitian or psychologist, as well as self-reflection, will help to understand that rest should bring pleasure, and a "breakdown" will actually bring no pleasure but only lead to problems.
Also, it is necessary to prepare for changes in sleep and eating patterns. It is best to slightly change the time of falling asleep and waking up a week before the vacation, if possible. In addition, it would not be superfluous to prepare for a different cuisine – for example, by trying and getting used to its dishes, even in a "local" adaptation.
Finally, it is crucial not to lose control after a vacation – this is also an extremely important task. After all, it is much easier to maintain your comfortable weight throughout the year than to gain it over six months just to lose it again. Moreover, constant weight fluctuations can lead to serious health problems and generally exhaust your body's resources.
The best comprehensive solution for vacation nutrition is to consult with your dietitian. With them, you can discuss all the specifics and nuances of your body and the particular upcoming trip. After all, you must agree that an active holiday like hiking in the mountains and a beach holiday at a hot resort are completely different things, requiring different approaches in everything related to nutrition!