How to stay healthy on holiday

More than half of the battle with staying in shape revolves around what you put in your mouth rather than what you do in the gym. When you travel, it is important to eat the right foods, but gas stations and airports are not best known for their deli counters, fruit stands and salad bars...

If you can’t pre-pack some food for your journey ahead of time, why not grab a couple of low calorie protein bars to take the edge off your cravings until you can reach somewhere with decent food options. Going without food and then overloading on unhealthy options is one sure fire way to get your trip off on the wrong foot, so make sure you prepare for the worst and pack a few key items to see you through if needed.

One of the main things you’ll notice aboard the plane is how dry the air is! Nothing sucks moisture out of your body quicker than recycled plane air and hotel air-con. Combat any dehydration issues by making sure you are drinking a bucketload of water…

Grab at least a litre of water per hour of your flight and make sure you stick to your drinking schedule. Make sure you grab an aisle seat (you’ll be visiting the bathroom a lot) and keep asking the flight crew to refill your water bottle. You’ll thank me at the other end when you get off the plane feeling fresh and fully hydrated as opposed to puffy, blocked-up and dry.

One of the best ways to beat the dreaded jet-lag is a session in the gym as soon as you reach your destination. If it is late at night, try and get to the gym before it closes or hit the hotel gym, whereas if you have the early flight, start your new day with a solid early morning workout.

Keep your workout short and sweet. Try and get in and out within an hour, and get the blood pumping around your body to blow away those travel cobwebs. It will help reset your body clock, and get you acclimatised to your new time zone and location.

Now this is probably going to sound like teaching grandma to suck eggs, but try and relax a little and grab some sun whilst on holiday. If looking to drop some body fat around your tummy, taking your stress levels down a bit will certainly help… Cortisol (your body’s stress hormone) is one of those chemicals that contributes to storing fat around your stomach. If you chill out and reduce this hormone, your body-fat levels should begin to start dropping!

Throw in the added benefits of a boost in Vitamin D from a little sunshine and your body should start to work on an elevated level for your health and fitness goals… Who knew falling asleep on the beach was so good for you?

So when you are printing out your boarding cards and getting all of your travel essentials sorted, make sure you keep these few tips and tricks in mind. Then you can get away for an amazing holiday and come back in better shape than when you left.