By Kejal Sheth,
Nutritionist, Weight Management Expert and Founder of Nutrivity.in
“I have gained a lot once again.” Do you hear yourself say this line often once you are back from a vacation?
Is it the sugars or lethargy? What is the myth about which we are talking? Our body is functioning at a different rate on daily basis dealing with common stress levels. The basic food and physical activity that one does to, keep going on daily basis. So all of a sudden what happens on a holiday that around 2-5 KGS is piled up as the extra fat around the belly or bottom?
Our body is designed in a way that it knows what to register and eliminate as per its memory. The weight gain might be temporary post vacation period and might get at plateau if not worked on it. What makes it temporary and permanent depends on genetics. Some of us our genetically gifted or a pre-set number of fat cells which we acquired during our adolescence now that number can shrink or fluff up based on our genetics if we are gifted with good physique with very minimal efforts our body gets back to previous state. Whereas, for some it’s a CHALLENGE to really buck up to avoid the puffing up of fat cells in terms of size. But we cannot blame our genetics for all the time. Yes, surely it validates to debate on topic regards to intensity at which some people put on weight but the solution for the same is something important on which one should work on.
What is it exactly? Is it to our lifestyle or what we eat during that period or both? Answer to this is all factors our lifestyle our metabolism slows down even more than previous phase which comprised of work. Our body is relaxed and we end up into emotional eating. We don’t realise it but we eat more than a usual day. We tend to feel hungrier than regular days. We binge on alcohol on a holiday which adds on to the extra flab on our body. Now the question arises how do we correct it? Is there a way out? Yes, surely there is a way out if we plan out our holidays to better ourselves not just by relaxing mentally but training ourselves and our minds. This period could be used to deworm ourselves, restoring the healthy bacteria in our gut by ingestion of good pre and probiotics such as strains of bacteria or curd. What happens with these efforts? Our intestines become much stronger and well prepared to fight against any food borne issues. Investing money on vacations to enjoy the moment can at times make you pay a greater amount on post vacation episodes in our life. What are these episodes? Most of us feel bloated, constipated at times food poisoning. What does this signal?
A certain quantum of stress in the body which has an impact on defecation due to which our bowels don’t get emptied regularly which adds on to fringes in metabolic issues adding on to weight issues. It’s a vicious cycle. But this can be altered by taking food in as a therapy and not just hogging in free hours. Ingestion of sugars comes uncalled during vacation mode as it becomes a mandate to taste the delicacies if we want to know the street food specialities of certain places. But the major problem arises when bite sized turns to a morsel and then as meal. So, one should learn about the proportions than just giving this as an excuse that diet can’t be followed on a vacation.
I hope by now the myth is cleared and the weight is afraid to bulge on you. To make it simpler some tips and guidelines have been mentioned below for a quick review on what we discussed:
- Carry protein bars, seed crackers as munchies instead of potato chips and wafers.
- Instead of aerated drinks and hard drinks switch to coconut water and lime water, it not only restores electrolytes but hydrates you in a smatter way.
- Instead of ordering meals which are carbohydrate (simple) dense select meals which are rich in fibre, protein and complex carbohydrate.
- Instead of ordering or selecting meals which are cooked in oils like Saffola or sunflower go for better options like extra virgin olive oil, cold pressed coconut oil or ghee.