Stay Healthy During Summer Vacation

When it comes to summer vacation, you need to be covered with the following simple & helpful tips to avoid weight gain and to stay healthy:
•Pre-pack snacks: Many foods do not need refrigeration and when you pre-pack them, it simply means you will be able to control your portion sizes. Raw nuts, dried fruits, cut fruits; cut vegetables, whole grain toasts/crackers, and air-popped popcorn are all good examples of snacks which can be pre-packed.
Consider that if you eat healthy snacks during your vacation, you will leave less room for calories to be taken during meal times at the restaurants, as you will want to try different cuisines.
•Choose wisely when dining out: Most restaurants offer double or triple the calories that you need during a single meal, as they serve meals high in unhealthy fats, carbohydrates and sodium. Therefore, before reaching your destination city, it is wise to search for restaurants which offer healthy menu (grilled chicken, baked meat, salads) & thus you can render healthy food options available for yourself.
•Avoid sugary foods: Always remember that sugary foods, such as cookies & chocolates spike your energy level, yet leave you even hungrier. Therefore, as soon as you reach your destination place, it is good to go and buy healthy snacks rich in nutrients (proteins, fibers & vitamins), such as low-fat yogurt, raw nuts, fruits, whole grain crackers.
•Work out: You don’t have to feel pressured to maintain your workout routine, but rather you can be active while you are experiencing your destination spot, for example hiking to the mountains, biking in the city or explore the new city on foot while enjoying a calm music.
•Stay hydrated all the time: It is usually hard to stay hydrated during vacations, since you don’t want to use the restrooms every now and then. A healthy solution will be decreasing the consumption of both alcohol & caffeine which dehydrates you and rather replace them with water, veggies and fruits.

Now that you have all these tips, you are responsible for maintaining your health during your summer vacation. Enjoy !

Christelle Bedrossian
Dietitian-Nutritionist
Beirut, Lebanon