Healthy holidays

Ishi Khosla is a former senior nutritionist at Escorts. She heads the Centre of Dietary Counselling and also runs a health food store. She feels that for complete well-being,one should integrate physical,mental and spiritual health. According to her: To be healthy should be the ultimate goal for all.

Vacation is meant to recharge your energies,rewind and refocus,so that you are refreshed to return to routine and cope with work pressures. However,how you treat yourself on a vacation determines whether this becomes a reality. More often than not,I find people over-indulging in food and drinks,off from exercise schedules on the pretext of being on a holiday. This makes people not only gather weight but also makes them feel sluggish and tired.

According to studies,most people gain approximately one to two kilograms every holiday season. Research shows that extra weight often gained during the holidays tends to build up over the years,contributing to long-term obesity.

Be active. If you exercise regularly,continue to exercise over the holidays. If a holiday party includes dancing,join in. Check if the hotel you book has a gym,or else go for walks,run,swim,play sports or cycle outdoors.

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Choose one favourite meal for the day, and plan other meals accordingly. The other meals could be light around salads,vegetables and soups. Breakfast buffets can throw you off,so plan to eat appropriately. If you are very keen on desserts,then either try a bite or if you want a full portion just take a very light meal.

Schedule feasting times. If possible,schedule holiday dinners at normal meal times. Having meals outside of normal meal times contributes to overeating,particularly,large meals late into the night.

Carry appropriate snack food to munch like seeds,roasted nuts or whole grains,so you are not forced to buy unhealthy stuff.

Watch your drinks. Avoid sweetened beverages,fruit juices,mocktails and cocktails. It is best to drink water whenever possible. Diet beverages made with artificial sweeteners can help control calories at celebrations,although drinking them on a regular basis may not help with long-term weight control.

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Count your alcohol. Alcohol can be a major source of hidden calories as well. I know several patients who say they can manage their food on a holiday but not alcohol and some also manage to finish a bottle of wine in one evening.

A single shot of liquor,about 30 ml.,is nearly 125 calories. A 150 ml. glass of wine or a 350 ml. glass of beer is about 160. Sweet mixed drinks have even more calories. 250 ml. margarita,for example,has 240 calories. Ginger ale has 120 calories. Beer guzzling too can be dangerous. Simple things like having a tomato juice rather than a bloody mary can help.

Food choices: Choose foods that are lower in energy density,meaning they have fewer calories for their size. Youll feel fuller sooner and take in fewer calories. For example,start out your meal with a salad or soup. Skip the second helpings of oily gravies,fried food and breads. Ask for vegetables instead of potatoes or fries. Having a fibre supplement pre-meals is useful to cut back on richer food later.

Eat healthy snacks before a special dinner: Eating a snack like fruit/ nuts/milk/yoghurt helps to avoid overeating at a big holiday dinner. Also,use smaller plates when theyre available – bigger plates encourage taking larger food portions and eating larger quantities of food than small plates.

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Some checks and balances,while you enjoy yourself are all that are needed to avoid gaining those extra kilos and making the most of your vacation. Following a few simple healthy habits the next time you holiday can go a long way to energize you and save you from gaining the extra kilos.