Keeping Your Diet On Track Over The Summer
The summer months can come as rather a shock to the ardent dieter – especially here in the UK, where most of the year seems to consist of wind and rain! If you started dieting in January, and relied on bulky vegetable soups and stews to fill you up, you’ll want to look for summery alternatives.
And summer is, for most of us, the time we take a vacation. Chances are, this will involve eating out more, drinking more alcohol, “treating ourselves” to a few little extras, and quite possibly coming home with not only the desired suntan but a few undesired extra pounds.
Plus, even when you’re not on vacation, you might find that office-mates or friends turn up with yummy treats – cookies, fancy chocolates, unusual bottles from the duty-free… And if, like me, you have rather a sweet tooth, summer might be inextricably linked in your mind to “ice cream”.
So how can you make sure your diet stays on track over the summer? These are my top three tips:
1. Eat Fresh, In-Season Fruits and Vegetables
When you think of summery foods, don’t stop at “ice cream” and “barbecues”. What about delicious fresh strawberries and big summer salads? Look out for in-season fruits and veggies, ideally ones that have been locally grown: they’ll have an amazing flavour. Asparagus and broad beans are two of my favourite veggies, and great ones to enjoy in summer.
Don’t be afraid to try something new, or to experiment a bit: more exotic fruits might jazz up your five-a-day, and if your usual side salad is getting dull, try out some different options. “Salad” doesn’t have to be lettuce, cucumber and tomato: try spicing it up with rocket leaves, beans and pulses, baby vegetables, and even fruit like apples and pears.
(You can find a whole list of in-season fruits and veggies at Summer Fruit and Vegetables, from Healthy Eating Made Easy.)
2. Take A Healthy Dish to Barbecues and Picnics
Lots of us have friends, family and neighbours who organise summer parties in their gardens or in a local park. Don’t use these as an excuse to scoff hot dogs, burgers, potato chips and other unhealthy snacks. If you find that there’s never anything healthy on offer, make sure that your contribution is a big fresh salad or tray of fresh fruits.
If you’re the host, things are much easier. Grill some lean meats like chicken on the barbecue, or try prawns or salmon packets wrapped in foil. Make vegetable kebabs. Provide strawberries with low-fat cream for dessert, as an alternative to tubs of ice-cream. And encourage everyone to play a few active games (Frisbee is often a favourite!)
3. Be Extra-Good Before and After Vacation
It’s often unrealistic to stick rigidly to a diet for your week or two of vacation – and let’s face it, most of us don’t really want to try! So give yourself permission to take a couple of weeks “off” your diet. Don’t go mad: sticking to a few healthy basics (like a couple of alcohol-free days, as near to five-a-day as you can manage, and not eating till you’re stuffed) will reduce the damage.
You can perform further “damage limitation” by making sure that you’re extra-good in the weeks surrounding your vacation. Don’t use the pre-vacation weeks as an excuse to forget about dieting just because you know you’ll be eating less healthily while you’re away. When you’re home from vacation, get straight back into your usual healthy ways: this is a danger-spot where your good habits (like going to the gym regularly, or turning down cakes at work) can start to slide.
Enjoy your summer – and look forward to starting the autumn feeling healthier and fitter than ever!
Written by Ali HaleRelated posts:
Add A Comment