Travel

Healthy eating tips for your holiday

Healthy eating tips for your holiday

Author: Canadian Living

Travel

Healthy eating tips for your holiday

Travelling encourages us to discover new things, throw caution to the wind and experience as much as we can. But when we apply that free-spirited attitude to the dinner table, we interpret it as our right to indulge. While we certainly deserve to enjoy our vacations, healthy eating should always be part of the adventure. It's true that there is no easy way to avoid temptation, but there are some rules you can follow that will help you stay on track while on holiday.

Eat regularly
Normal eating schedules may be thrown out the window when travelling, but try to make eating regularly a priority. Skipping meals can lead to out-of-control hunger, which usually results in over-eating or snacking on high-fat fast food. To feed snack attacks, keep a stash of healthy nibbles on hand, such as almonds, sunflower seeds, trail mix, apples or protein-rich energy bars.

Rise and shine
Set yourself up for the day with a proper breakfast. Choose fruit, whole grains or high-protein eggs rather than continental breakfasts with sugary pastries. A bowl of oatmeal is a fantastic breakfast food—it's loaded with fibre and is hearty enough to keep you feeling full through the morning.

Loving lunch
Splurge on lunch and let it be your big meal for the day. Leanne Halligey, a registered dietician based in Victoria, B.C., says eating a full meal earlier in the day gives you lots of time to burn off calories. A lunch break also gives busy travellers the chance to recharge, regroup and plan afternoon and evening activities. Lunching offers an extra bonus: mid-day meals at restaurants are often less expensive than dinner entrées, making them a smart way to sample local fare.

Quick tips
1. Unless it's a much-touted house specialty, skip the breadbasket. Ask the waiter not to bring it to your table to avoid the temptation of snacking before your meal arrives.

2.
Alcohol can send your calorie count soaring. Opt for lighter versions of your favourite drinks. A 350-mL bottle of beer has about 150 calories, whereas the lighter version has about 100. Lighten up a 100-calorie glass of white wine (about 150 mL) by turning it into a white wine spritzer—fill half your glass with wine and half with zero-calorie soda water.

3. Monitor portion sizes. Restaurant dishes tend to be large, so ask for a half-portion. Another option is to have half of your meal wrapped up before it's brought to the table to avoid the temptation of gobbling it all up. Most people usually end up eating everything on their plate.

4. Order entrées that are baked, broiled or grilled rather than fried. Choose omega-rich fish or chicken, as both are lower in saturated fat than beef or pork.

5. If you have access to a kitchen at your accommodation, stock up on food at a local farmer's market. Salads and stir-fries are easy ways to sample local produce and eat on the light side.

Being conscious about your food choices on vacation will give you more energy to enjoy your trip, and ensure you'll fit into your clothes when you get home.


For more travel tips, visit caamagazine.ca.


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