Keeping the pounds off during your summer holiday doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Maintaining healthy habits while lazing on sunny beaches is not easy, but it’s totally doable if you follow a few key concepts. Here are five tips to help you return home without those annoying extra pounds around your waist.

1. Never Skip Meals. Healthy dietary habits are often neglected during a summer holiday. Maybe you ate too much at the all-you-can-eat buffet, or had too many cocktails on the beach. Yet when you skip a meal, the body triggers a defence mechanism that slows down your metabolism. When eating after a few hours of fasting, the body tends to store the nutrients, expecting future fasts. In simple terms, this means an accumulation of fat. After fasting, you’re also more prone to eat unhealthy foods to gain the energy consumed during the day. So while you may feel bloated in the morning, don’t skip breakfast, just opt for a healthier one with fruits and yogurt, and skip the croissants.

2. Exercise Regularly. “But I’m on holiday!” That’s true, but you simply need to exercise if you want to stay fit. You don’t have to follow your regular workout plan – a relaxing stroll on the beach is both romantic and healthy. Swim in the hottest hours or play beach volleyball with your friends. If you feel you’re lacking the motivation, integrate nootropics into your diet. This fancy term refers to a class of substances able to enhance brain power and boost energy. Some of the most common natural nootropics are coffee and green tea. Most vitamin supplements and energizers also contain natural or synthetic nootropics.

3. Cut Down On Desserts. The breeze of the sea and the hot sun create the perfect setting for ice cream and cake cravings. But desserts won’t help you keep the pounds off. After about an hour of eating that delicious sundae, the glycaemic peak caused by the sugar intake will collapse and you’ll get hungry again. Instead of ice cream, refresh yourself with a light snack such as a cup of fresh fruit, a healthy smoothie, or Greek yoghurt.

4. Drink (Flavoured) Water. When you’re roasting in the sun, drinking water is important. Yet on holiday, it’s often easy to replace water with a refreshing glass of iced wine or a mojito. The only issue is that alcohol causes further dehydration. And, as you already know from the gym, dehydration is not your friend. Since plain water isn’t that inspiring during a holiday, you can try flavoured water. Just drop a few slices of fresh fruit, a dash of aromatic herbs, or a pinch of spices into a bottle of water, leave it to marinate for a couple of hours and voilà… your delicious and healthy holiday drink is served!
5. Set Rules. Jokes aside, if you want to keep the pounds off during your beach holiday, just set rules for yourself before temptation sets in. Don’t substitute water with carbonated drinks and alcohol and don’t exchange healthy food for tempting appetizers. Write this all down in a notebook to affirm these rules – before you head on your holiday. If you just can’t resist temptation, eat junk food with moderation and have one cocktail less at that awesome beach party. You’ll still have loads of fun and your body will no doubt thank you later!