Picture - Ensemble Vacations Magazine

MICHELE SPONAGLE
With a smart diet strategy, vacationing
and weight gain don’t necessarily go
hand-in-hand.
Along with sightseeing and shopping,
your next trip is likely to include wining and
dining, too. But there’s nothing that douses
post-vacation euphoria faster than stepping
on the scale and seeing the proof of added
pounds. That doesn’t have to be the case,
according to Christine Avanti, nutritionist
and author of Skinny Chicks Don’t Eat Salads
(Rodale, 2009). A little planning and adopting
some new habits will ensure your holiday
is enjoyable and full of guilt-free eating.
Why is it so difficult for us to stick to healthy
eating habits while travelling?
When we’re on vacation, we are completely
off our regular routine. Sleeping and eating
patterns are dramatically altered, and thus
our eating schedule and habits become
irregular. Many people like to mentally tune
out of the norm and treat themselves to
different pleasures – food being the most
popular indulgence. I think we tell ourselves
that it’s okay because we don’t normally eat
this way, so why not enjoy our vacation
to the fullest?
What are the most common mistakes
we make trying to be ‘good’ on a diet?
There are two common mistakes. First, we
starve all day with the intention of saving our
calorie expenditure for one huge meal in the
evening. This meal usually becomes the calorie
equivalent of five meals. The body cannot
possibly burn all of those calories in one sitting
so it stores unused calories as fat. It’s better
to eat small meals throughout the day.
When you get off
the plane, avoid
the temptation
to eat at the first fast
food spot you see.
Secondly, we cut entire nutrient groups,
primarily carbohydrates, and then end up
bingeing on them later. Low-carb dieting
never works in the long term.
We eventually eat carbohydrate-loaded
foods because carbs are the body’s main fuel
source for the brain and nervous system.
When we’re overly hungry, we tend to
grab fast, unhealthy food. What are some
better options for handling a rumbling
tummy during a holiday?
If you are going on a road trip, I recommend
packing a mini-cooler of healthy sandwiches,
filtered water and fresh fruit. If you’re flying,
you can pack a brown bag lunch instead of
succumbing to the salted nuts and preservativeladen
packaged snacks the airlines offer. When
you get off the plane, avoid the temptation
to eat at the first fast food spot you see.
If you don’t have other options, check my
healthy ‘Fast Food Guide’ on my website
(www.christineavanti.com). The guide outlines
the best and worst fast food meals at most
major chains.
Top Tips for Keeping
Weight Gain at Bay
Don’t skip meals. Try to eat every four
hours. If that’s not possible, pack a healthy
snack so you are not starving and ready to
devour everything in sight at your next
sit-down meal.
Keep healthier snacks on hand, such as
energy bars from Cliff, Luna or Go Organic,
turkey or salmon jerky, or dried fruit and
raw nuts.
When dining out, opt for grilled fish,
poultry or lean cuts of beef such as filet
mignon or beef tenderloin. Add a healthy
carbohydrate like brown or wild rice, a baked
yam, a baked potato or a bowl of fruit. Finally,
add fresh or steamed veggies to your meal.
Avoid restaurant salads because they tend
to be extremely high in fat and low in carbs,
which can cause sugar cravings later. If you
want to enjoy one, hold the dressing and try
vinegar, citrus juice, soy sauce, ponzu sauce
or salsa instead.
Watch out for sneaky calories in the form of
heavy cheeses, fried meats, nuts and croutons.
Choose ‘good’ carbohydrates like fresh fruit,
steamed rice, beans or a baked potato to help
you feel satiated. That will help keep away
cravings later on.
BONNE SANTÉ