How to keep your diet under control even on vacation

The long-awaited summer vacation is finally here. The beautiful summer weather, barbecue season, and cozy outdoor terraces with their delicious dishes invite us to partake in the more hedonistic and pleasure-filled side of life. Should we go with everything that summer and vacation have to offer, or should we also think about our health and well-being goals? Should we be embarrassed about our diet and exercise while on vacation, or should we apply the “golden mean” principle?

None of us want to miss out on our favorite food while on vacation, or spend hours sweating in the gym and carrying boxes of food in a bag. What would be the right solution to enjoy our vacation and avoid a situation where we discover that we have also packed unwanted extra pounds as extra luggage from the trip, and the number on the scale causes distress.

Below I will give you some recommendations to follow when on vacation and traveling. I will also share some recommendations for healthy and “sin-free” dining in Tallinn.

1. Strength training

1-2x a week muscle training. The choice is yours – either training in the gym or in a group training (BodyPump, Motion Cage, TRX, etc.). Remember that training is only 1 hour of your day on average and the same time is spent on training when you are on vacation. Why is this so important? Muscles are the control organ of our body. Simple and everyday activities, such as walking up stairs, lifting a child, cleaning, etc., are directly related to muscle strength. Muscle weakness can cause, for example, problems with posture, back pain, stiffness and soreness in the joints, etc. In addition, muscles are active tissue, which means that the more muscle mass we have, the faster our metabolism.

2. Moderate-intensity cardio training

Aim to do at least 30-40 minutes of aerobic activity at least once a week. Whether it's brisk walking, swimming, cycling, rollerblading, running, or anything else you enjoy. Aerobic activity is any activity that gets your heart rate up enough to warm you up. Moderate exercise will make your skin slightly sweaty, but it won't make talking difficult or make you overly breathless.

3. Daily exercise

Don't forget about your daily exercise. Lying in the sun is nice, but the journey to and from the car to the beach shouldn't be your only daily activity. Try to take at least 10 steps every day. If the weather seems too hot to walk in the sun, go explore coastal areas or forest trails. It's usually windier near the sea, and trees on forest trails protect you from direct sunlight. It's also very nice to walk in the hot temperatures, either early in the morning or late in the evening.

4. Forget the magic words “fat burn” and “diet”

Forget about fat burning workouts, fat burners, diet foods and drinks, or any diet supplements. Whether you maintain your weight, lose it, or gain it depends on the amount of energy you consume each day. In other words, if you want to lose weight, you need to burn more than you eat, and vice versa. Such a negative energy balance can only be created through conscious exercise and nutrition, either alone or in combination.

5. Nutrition

Nutrition is key. Without it, it is impossible to maintain or achieve results. Whether your goal is to gain, maintain or lose weight. Follow the plate rule even when eating out. One palm should hold a protein source, such as poultry, eggs, fish, tofu. The other palm should hold carbohydrate sources, such as rice, buckwheat, potatoes, pasta. Prefer whole grains, because the body has to work much harder to process them. In addition, whole grains have a higher fiber content and keep your stomach full longer. The remaining (half) plate should consist of vegetables and all other fresh seasonal items. If you eat lighter poultry, make sure that your plate does not lack a source of fat. For example, light cheese coating, oil, butter, nuts/nut butter, avocado, pesto. If it is a fatty meat, there is no need to add fat to the food separately. For sweets, prefer fruits and berries. If you have a sweet tooth, opt for a lighter, curd-based treat, a curd cake, or classic ice cream (check the packaging – choose the one with fewer carbohydrates and fat). But don't forget to control portions when eating fruit.

6. Eat 3-4 times a day

Make sure you don't go too long between meals. When you're hungry, it's easier to reach for something particularly unhealthy and calorie-dense. Pack some nuts and berries in a bag or stop at the market/grocery store to satisfy your hunger.

7. Don't deny yourself pleasures

One day of enjoying food does not ruin all the progress and effort. On a vacation to Italy, you ate a large pizza, 2 ice creams and a hearty piece of cake alone with a couple of glasses of wine. Enjoy, be in the moment and forget about it later. The drum went, but keep the sticks firmly in your hands. What matters is what you do over the months, quarters and years. What matters is how you continue. In the following days, you will add more movement and keep a little more of an eye on your diet than usual. While traveling, try to keep your main diet under control and keep portion control in mind when “sinning”.

9. The drum is going, but keep the sticks firmly in your hands

An “all or nothing” attitude towards food is often what leads us to unwanted extra pounds. If you try to keep an eye on your diet and exercise throughout the year, summer vacation won’t ruin your goals and you won’t have to start from scratch again in the fall.

10. Everything starts with thinking

Enjoy life, but treat your body like a Ferrari. A balanced diet is not just important for aesthetic appearance, but food is directly related to health. The same applies to exercise. Make it clear to yourself what you really want and how much you want it. An aesthetic body and health do not just happen at the snap of a finger, but require consistent effort on our part. Think about how much a doctor has had to study and practice to become a specialist. The same applies to your health.

11. Be a conscious eater

When traveling abroad, prefer white fish, seafood, and poultry whenever possible. If you prefer fatty fish or meat, reduce the amount of rice, potatoes, and pasta and replace it with steamed vegetables or raw salad. Also, make sure that salad dressings and vegetables are not overdone with oil. Ask for sauces to be served separately with the food so that you can reduce the amount of fatty sauce if necessary. When eating buffet-style breakfast, lunch, and dinner, remember that you won't run out of food. You still have the opportunity to try something new in reasonable quantities every day. When eating sweets, you can always ask for a smaller portion. You can also share a sweet with your traveling companion - shared calories are half the battle. If you mostly eat at a restaurant and see that your food table is lacking, find time to stop by the store and pick up something from the store. Most hotels and accommodations have a small refrigerator where you can put some Greek yogurt or fruit to satisfy your hunger.

12. Monitor your alcohol consumption

Be sensible when consuming alcohol. 1 g of alcohol equals 7 kcal. But alcohol is considered “empty” calories. Alcohol does not contain any beneficial microelements or minerals for your body. And also remember that there is a huge difference between a glass of wine versus a bottle of wine.

Dining recommendations:

• Braavo cafe at Reval-Sport sports club – the perfect option for a meal after an hour of training. I would recommend chicken fillet with steamed vegetables/rice/potatoes/buckwheat and a raw salad. Oven-baked salmon. Poke bowl or Reval health bowl. For a lighter meal, either chicken salad, tuna salad, salmon salad or puree soup is suitable. For a snack or to enjoy by the pool, I recommend Mangolassi and a wild berry-kama cocktail.
• Sea Boulevard Mysuhsi Fitness menu – A diverse selection and the calorie count is also listed next to the dishes. From the regular menu, I would recommend the Poke bowls.
• Love grill – Delicious freshly grilled meat with vegetables cooked on charcoal. You can also add potatoes, rice, etc. Clean and healthy flavors.
• Poke Bowl – Various locations, quickly grab a health bowl.
• Summer terrace of the port – Buddha Bowl with shrimp or salmon.
• Bopp Cafe – Wraps, smoothies, health bowls.
• Ruby Food and Cafe – Build your own lunch plate by choosing your favorite ingredients. For breakfast, try banana pancakes or potato pancakes.
• For a healthier treat Excellent Pastry Chef or HSP pastry studio Healthy sweets By Polina.
• For vegan friends – Restaurant V or Green Coffee.