Don’t let your health go this holiday

Holidays are a time to kick back and forget your worries.

It’s also the easiest time of the year to forget all about working out and eating healthily. You’ll also be far more likely to eat more junk food and snacks than usual. But, it’s as important as always to make sure you stay healthy, and these few simple tips will help you keep that vacation fat at bay.

1) Get out more. Explore places in your town that you rarely get to visit, or take to the streets, beaches, malls or parks at your vacation destination. Walking is a great way of getting the blood pumping and burning unwanted calories.

2) Eat green. Make sure to include green, healthy vegetables in your meals, or have at least one vegetable-heavy meal every day or two.

3) Limit your junk food intake. After a long day of having fun, or even just relaxing, take-away food might seem like the more alluring action. But, eating out every day will have a few bad implications for your body. Try to cook or even braai more often, and stay away from oily and fatty foods.

4) Keep hydrated. Staying busy the entire day, you might completely forget to drink enough fluids, especially water. Water will help cleanse your body and is also a pretty good appetite suppressant if you have the munchies after eating just a short while earlier.

5) Keep more healthy snacks on hand. When you get the munchies, and you’ve already had your fair share of your daily carbohydrate and fat intake, a healthy snack can take away that urge and keep you healthy. Wondering what makes a healthy snack? Check the back of the snack packet and make sure the sugar and saturated fat content is as low as possible.

6) Hit the gym. Even if you’re away during the vacation time, find out where the closest gym is, and try to get to it at least a couple of times a week. Many vacation spots also have some free outdoor fitness/ gym alternatives you can visit.

7) Check your first-aid kit. Make sure you take along any medicines you might need on your trip, and before going to some unknown location, make sure to get all the necessary vaccinations.

8) Regulate your sleep. Enjoying an active and eventful vacation packed full of activities will certainly tire you out pretty quickly. But, you might think you can get away with only a few hours of sleep and keep going the next day. Less sleep has been directly linked to an increase in health problems, so you might want to get in your six to eight hours sleep every night. But, don’t sleep so much that you don’t get in enough exercise or take in adequate amounts of food and drink.

9) Regulate your amount of exercise. You might go in a different direction and decide to workout way more than you’re used to, as you now have more free time. Be careful not to push your body too far beyond its limits, or attempt dangerous exercises you’re not close to ready for. Also keep in mind that resting and giving your body time to repair after a workout is even more important for building muscle. Make sure to get enough rest and sleep.

10) Consider your clothing options. If you’re heading out, think about what you’d be doing during the day. If there’s a lot of walking involved, especially on rough and uneven terrain, it’ll be more important than you think to wear the proper shoes. Takkies/ sneakers designed for walking or running provide better foot, ankle and leg support so that you don’t hurt yourself. The rougher the terrain, the tougher your shoes have to be. Foot and leg pain may affect the rest of your body over time. Also keep the sun in mind and pack a cap or hat to avoid sunburn.