10 ways to stay slim on holiday

For those of you taking a late summer holiday the thought of piling on the usual 8lbs on your return can be daunting! Try Jamie’s 10 ways to stay slim on holiday to keep you looking and feeling fab on your hols and beyond.

1. Think outside the box
Do Bodyweight exercises, and ones that will challenge the whole body like squats, push-ups, mountain climbers, spidermans, lunges and dips.

Why not try doing tabata training and choose to do 20 secs on, 10 secs’ rest x 8 rounds for a great fat-burning workout!

2. Work your core
Do short sharp and intense sessions if you have limited time. Everyone wants to lie by the pool or go down to the beach, we can all make excuses NOT to exercise while we’re away. But this means returning home around 8lbs heavier if we simply drink cocktails and lounge around the whole time. So make time to fit shorter but intense sessions in – even if they are only 10-15 minutes, something is better than nothing!

Try a daily express sessions, for example this 15-minute Express Session:
Quick walk or jog followed by a superset of 1-min plank hold, 20 jackknifes, and 10 seated Russian twists. Finish with stretching and do three yoga poses to stretch, for example downward dog, child’s pose and a classic forward bend.

3. Pack some suspension straps
If you want variety use these as you can attach them to the hotel door or even a tree! It allows you to train on the spot, so aim for just 15 minutes a day, or longer combined with interval running.

4. Skipping
Lightweight and super easy to pack, a skipping rope will roll up and fit in your shoe. I pack one with me for weekends and long trips. Skip for 3-5 mins as a warm-up and do 30 secs on 30 secs off; 40 secs on 30 secs off; 45 secs on 30 secs off; 1 min on 30 secs off. Repeat 3-4 times. Cool down at different tempos, then add your core work and body weight exercises in between. You’ll be surprised how effective skipping is for agility and cardio condition.

5. Use nature as your gym
Soak up the surroundings. If you are on an island or beach holiday, head to the water for your workouts. In the countryside or even in a city that has amazing parks, head out and explore by hiking, running, walking, biking or even look at horse riding for a more adventurous twist. Try surfing, stand-up paddle boarding, diving, windsurfing or kite surfing to get some fresh air and wake up some muscles you may never have known you had.

6.  Swimming
Research where you are staying and what facilities they have on site. Pack your goggles and squeeze in a few laps between meals and other activities. Try this: 1 length slow, 1 length fast, aim to do 8-10 lengths. Swimming is a refreshing way to get fit if you are not into running and great if you are dealing with niggling injuries, to provide rehab and toning. Sometimes if you fancy a change try doing Aqua Zumba at the hotel as it’s fun and tones the whole body!

7. If you are a gym bunny
Look at getting a 10-pass session for a local gym, spin or Pilates class – it’s an amazing way to meet new people and be inspired by different instructors and places to train.

8. Meditate
Finally, listen to your body. If you are tired, rest, relax and eat healthily to recharge and rejuvenate. Try doing yoga or even listen to relaxing music. After all you are on holiday!

9. Pack light
For a weekend away, for me it’s my running shoes and my yoga strap-depending on the location. If I am going for longer I will pack one kettlebell. Ask to borrow a yoga mat from your hotel or just put on your shoes and head out the door to explore the city or the countryside. Hire equipment, like a bike or a kayak and you’ll be working out without knowing it!

10. Go walking
Discover the local area on foot or by swapping your shoes for trainers and see the sites. Even if you’re on a short weekend break, you can get up a bit earlier or take time during the afternoon to walk the beach or the local village. Explore the shops before they open to know your way around. The best way to get a feel for the place you are staying is to discover it on foot.

So, just remember, you are on holiday so find exercise while you are away that seamlessly fits into your day, creates a moment to switch off, helps you recharge the body and stops you from putting on that extra weight!

Jamie Lloyd is a Fitness Writer and Health and Fitness Coach based in SW London. He is also the Co- author of the international best selling book, ‘Total Bodybreakthroughs’ He has recently been nominated ‘My Hero Instructor for Fitpro.’