How to stay fit on vacation

| Staying in shape on vacation is not easy, as the summer season almost certainly means weight gain or loss of fitness. On vacation routines are often broken and excesses can become almost daily.

Since it is not easy to eat a good diet for keeping fit in summer, this is compounded by the decrease in physical exercise and more time spent resting. It is not about following a strict diet and an intense and unmovable exercise plan, but taking into account some tips can help make it easier to return with the same weight and shape.

Food to keep fit

There are many people who take care of themselves and eat properly throughout the year, but when the holidays come, they go to the opposite extreme, to give way to the daily excesses of hypocaloric foods such as ice cream, soft drinks, alcohol, fatty snacks, other sweets ... This change in habits can lead to gains of several kilos in just one or two months. It is not about not indulging in any whims, far from it, but not on a daily basis and excessively. What do you have to do to stay in shape?

• Do not skip meals, especially if there is a meal that will be festive. Sometimes they tend to "compensate" and stop eating "since we have arranged to have dinner." In most cases, you eat much more, because you arrive at the meal much more hungry than we would have if we had eaten the usual meals.
• Control alcoholic beverages: we know that they are drinks that should only be taken on specific days and not daily, but we understand that they are closely linked to our gastronomic culture and festivities. The ideal is to alternate with water, sparkling water or opt for the (beers 0,0). It is not good to get carried away and drink as many "rounds" are taken, because on vacation there are many ...
• Always prepare a first plate of salad to stay in shape: a good option is to start eating with a good plate of salad. In summer they are always appetizing, and a great variety of them can be prepared without getting boring. In this way, you arrive with less hunger for the main dish, eating less. For example:

• Arugula salad with soy sprouts and cherry tomatoes. • Green salad (escarole, lettuce, watercress ...) with grated carrot, radishes and celery. • Watercress salad with cucumber and tomato raff. • Celery salad with green apple and lemon juice. • Carpaccio of mushrooms and arugula. • Carpaccio of zucchini and tomato with pepper. • Garden salad: lettuce, cucumber, carrot, onion, celery ... • Spinach salad with slices of pear and filleted spring onion. • Warm kale salad. • Tomato salad with skimmed yogurt sauce and herbs. • Carpaccio of mushrooms and arugula. • Cabbage, carrot and onion salad. • Endive salad with raw mushrooms and capers. • Arugula or lamb's lettuce salad with apple and asparagus. • Bud salad with grated carrots and beets.

• Don't eat your fill. For keeping fit it's good to stay a little hungry, that way you won't eat as much food. You can have a little more salad and leave room for a fruit or a yogurt for dessert.
• Be careful: when making the aperitif, whether at home or outside, we must avoid the typical snacks that provide us with so many calories, such as French fries, fatty cheeses, fried foods, etc., and substitute them with healthier foods or “tapas” and not so caloric or a combination of both. For example:

VEGETABLES:

• 1 plate with pickles: pickles, chives, capers or garlic, they have hardly any calories. • 1-2 chopped tomatoes with fresh cheese type burgos with oregano and salt. • Chopped carrot, celery, red bell pepper, green bell pepper: whole or cut into strips. • Cucumber: sliced ​​and dressed with oregano, vinegar and salt. • Palm hearts, white asparagus: cut or whole with vinaigrette. • Buds, endives: washed and whole seasoned with a little salt or chopped with vinaigrette. • Artichoke buds with lemon.

SAUSAGE OR CHEESES: • Plate with Iberian or Serrano ham, Iberian loin ... • Soft cheese tacos. • Canarian ham or ham with paprika and oil.

SEAFOOD: • Preserves: a small can of clams, cockles, razor clams in the natural (not in oil because it has many calories). • Mussels, noodles or steamed clams with lemon. • Grilled razor. • Octopus or cuttlefish sautéed with garlic and parsley.

CANAPES: • Cooked ham toast or turkey cold cuts or light cheese or 40 g of fresh cheese. • Asparagus rolls with cooked or serrano ham. • Smoked salmon toast with fresh cheese or dill. • Toast of beef carpaccio. • Bread spikes or sticks with hummus or guacamole (although it is a healthy fat, it is advisable not to abuse it because they are quite caloric). Spread three or four sticks.

Physical exercise, to keep fit

There are those who prefer to disconnect completely on vacation and do not want to do it as such, but there are endless options that can help keeping fit and active, from taking long walks at any time of the day (first thing in the morning, after dinner, on the beach ...), playing a soccer game with friends or family, playing tennis, fronton, swimming, cycling … If you are sightseeing, touring places on foot and taking little transport is usually really effective.

• Don't eat your fill. It is good to stay a little hungry, so as not to eat so much food. You can leave room for a fruit or a yogurt for dessert.
• Stay active on vacation: you can take long walks at any time of the day, play a game of soccer, practice tennis, racquetball, swim, go cycling ... If you are sightseeing, touring the places on foot and taking little transport is usually really effective.
• Always prepare a first plate of salad. In this way, you arrive with less hunger for the main dish, thus eating less.