Your Holiday Baggage Overweight?

Happy Friday Friends,

Holidays often come with a certain dread: the inevitable weight gain. But what if I told you that this Christmas and New Year, I not only avoided gaining weight but actually lost 1.5kg? It sounds counterintuitive, I know. As a 41-year-old dad, juggling life and two young girls, I found a surprisingly simple way to stay in shape during the most indulgent time of the year.

It wasn’t complicated, or hard to be honest. People make a big deal out of the holiday the seasons and over-eating. They give it too much headspace. 

If we’re being realistic, even if you ate 1000 calories over your “budget” every single day for 2 weeks. Which, in reality, is not an easy feat, you still wouldn’t put on more than a couple of kg’s. And, most of it will be water retention which you will drop quickly.

I digress, let's get to the good stuff.

1. Skip Breakfast or Lunch 

If you drop 1 meal a day you’re already making it easier on yourself. Generally, when you’re on holiday you’re out for dinner or eating big dinners with the family. So, you know you are very likely going to eat a lot for dinner then skipping breakfast is an easy start. Have a coffee, green tea or even a fruit smoothie (but throw some protein in to keep you full). Then get on with the rest of your morning.

This is the basis of why intermittent or time-restricted eating works for weight loss. It’s simple maths - you’re putting less food (calories) in your face than your body needs (burns).

1. Keep Busy 

More often than not when you feel hungry it’s because you're bored. So, if you’re out or busy with family it will keep your mind off food for some of the morning at least. If you’re away for the holidays this part should be easy, get out and see some sights. 

When your mind is on other things you won’t prioritise food. Or, when you’re in the middle of an activity it’s not a convenient time to eat either. So, instead of your scheduled 1 pm lunch, you may only eat at 3 pm. And that’s perfect. It’ll also help when you get to dinner because you won’t be as hungry and eat as much.

1. Keep Active 

My brother and I managed a few bodyweight 30-45 minute workouts. Choose 5 different exercises, 6 sets of each every minute on the minute. You’ve got yourself a killer 30-minute circuit to get your heart rate way up. 

Sound crazy? Well then make it simple. On a summer holiday, this is also an easy one. Go for long walks, and swim in the pool with your kids whenever they nag. You’ll be burning calories without even realising it. If it’s winter, like it was for many of my US friends then it’s a little harder. But, you can still go for a 60-minute every day. A simple hack for parents is to spend more time playing with their kids. It's surprising how a few hours of keeping kids entertained can burn many calories.

Again, this is maths - if your body burns more calories than you feed it you will lose weight.

1. Drink Less... or at least smarter

I know, I know. “That’s what the holidays are all about.” I’m not the biggest drinker but on holidays I love a delicious fruity cocktail with a little brolly in it. Add some foam and colour and I’m like a kid with candy floss. 

Firstly, you might enjoy your holidays more if you didn’t spend some of each day nursing a hangover. Secondly, you can still have a few drinks. I’m not here to lecture you on the benefits of not drinking. You can drink but make better choices. Beer and wine should be off the list. Wine is just grape juice, it’s packed with sugar and tons of calories. Cocktails, as delicious as they are should are also full of calories. Keep your frozen fruit drinks for smoothies with protein in them. Stick to clean spirits like vodka, tequila and gin - you’ll drink less because they’re stronger and they’ll be kinder in calories. 

1. Prioritise Protein! 

Out of all the tips above this one for most people will be the hardest. Many people battle with protein intake in everyday life when they have access to healthy food.

If you make sure every meal has a decent amount of protein in it you’ll be fuller for longer and you’ll eat less shmutz. It’s a simple trick. When you’re choosing something to eat on the menu, if it doesn’t have protein in it, don’t order it. If you’re desperate for that nostalgic toasted sandwich and chips at the pool bar, make sure you’re having the toasted tune or chicken mayo.

And that’s it. And before you spam the comments section, yes of course there are nuances. And, yes every person is different but why not try a couple of the tips above before making excuses? The best part is that you can apply the above to life in general, you don’t have to wait till Easter to test it.

Small, simple changes that compound over a few weeks will surprise you.

Peace, love and muscles,Jarren

I’m not a personal trainer but I’ve got over 20 years of fitness and nutrition experience. If you need help with your workouts or getting your diet on track hit the button below. Book a call and we’ll get you sorted.

Here’s a video of my brother and kids doing a workout in Koh Samui, Thailand.

If you found this post useful please help support my work by sharing it with someone who would also benefit from the tips.