I think the wash shrunk my shirt: Diet and exercise over the holidays

Holidays are fantastic, but returning to work can be a little confronting when you try on your favourite shirt after two weeks and realise its getting ‘a little snug’. There is a way to watch your health and fitness over the holidays, and still have fun, so you don’t get a nasty surprise when it’s time to fit back into your work pants.

Having your cake … and eating it too

After working hard all year, sometimes there is no better feeling than waking up late and going out for a pizza and pint at lunch on a weekday. But even though you’ve earned your holiday time, going overboard – even for just a week or two – can lead to weight gain.

Australians gain 500% more weight when they’re on holidays compared to when they’re at work. Yikes! Sounds extreme, but the combination of lazing around and over-indulging in the holidays can have extreme effects on the waist line.

You may feel this doesn’t apply to you. Perhaps you only gain half a kilo in the holidays. But if you don’t diet and lose the extra half a kilo when you get back to work, in the long-term it could add up. After only a few Chrissies, your pants may no longer fit.

Maintaining even a little bit of good diet and light exercise over this Christmas period will also mean it won’t be so hard getting back into the regime when it’s time to buckle down.

How? Don’t worry, we’ll give you some tips.

Schooooool’s out for the summer

Children are also at risk of holiday weight gain. When the last school bell rings, kids just want to have fun – which these days often means sitting in front of the telly and playing video games all day. Parents will know that sitting kids also snack.

Like adults, kids must balance their energy intake and energy expenditure. The odd extra packet of chips or chocolate bar shouldn’t matter if the kids are getting plenty of outdoor time jumping on the trampoline or running around.

But kids might need a little encouragement to drag themselves further away from the television than the pantry. So have some strategies in mind.

Tips: How, where, when … what?

How can you and your kids prevent holiday weight gain? Maintaining an adequate diet and exercise regime in the holidays is the key. If you’re an office worker, you can even use this time to lose weight! Instead of being cooped in front of a computer all day, you’ll have more time to get active.

It doesn’t mean you have to completely avoid holiday treats, and you definitely don’t have to ruin your holidays by getting out of bed at 6am to go to the gym. It’s really just a matter of watching what you eat and using some of your holiday time for active fun.

Making exercise fun

Holidays are about fun, so when it comes to holiday exercising, you should try to make that fun as well. Try hiking or cycling to get into adventure. Or, if you’re a beach baby, get back into the water and swim like Free Willy. Think about things that would work for you. If you enjoy exercising with others, why not ask Bob down for a friendly game of squash?

And for the ladies, there is often nothing better than having a gossip with your girlfriends. So get a walking club going and gasbag to your heart’s content – while burning off some of those holiday treats.

Stimulating the young couch potato

The same goes for the kids; if you switch off the TV and get them to the beach for a swim, they may never want to leave the shore. Fun games like mini golf or trampolining work just as well. And whatever happened to running in front of the sprinkler on a hot day? On rostered watering days, of course…

Get mouthy

Keeping in shape is just as much about what you put in as what you put out. In fact, even more so. Everyone knows you are what you eat, and if you eat too much of that juicy plum pudding or those perfectly round chocolate eggs, you may just develop a few unwanted curves of your own.

You can still have your snacks, but there are healthy ways of snacking. For example, instead of high fat dips and crackers, try fresh cut carrots with fat-free hummus. It’s just as tasty and your thighs will be forever grateful.

Pick healthy foods at buffets and fill up on goodness – you’ll be less likely to stray towards fatty, sugary snacks if you’re full of healthy food. Remember to eat slowly and drink lots of water too. And keep track of everything that goes in – after all, it’s the holidays and if you over indulge a little tonight, you should have time to redeem yourself tomorrow, with some extra exercise to balance it out.

Speaking of drinking…

Unfortunately, what we drink also counts as what we eat. Alcohol is a silent calorie stacker (and sugary soft drinks, energy drinks and milkshakes all contain their fair share of calories too). You can eat very well, but still gain weight and hurt your liver if you’re drinking too much alcohol.

Moderation is the key. You can enjoy your cocktail or beer, but having five in one sitting won’t do you any favours. You’ll feel much better the day after just one, and you can go on that hike you promised yourself. It’s a double whammy!

The best Christmas present

The best thing about having holidays is being able to hang out with people you love. It’s the best holiday treat, so remind yourself that all the eating and drinking is just a bonus. Think about extra holiday exercise as a bonus too, so it won’t feel like a chore.

Use the tips above and have a plan so these holidays don’t give you a present on your gut that you can’t take back to the shops.

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