Holidays – the ultimate test of your eating habits
Keeping to your diet is easier when you live according to a set daily rhythm and a limited number of temptations. The real challenge to eating habits often comes in the summer, during holidays, the time of family gatherings, outdoor picnics, weddings and holiday trips. With so many situations disrupting your usual rhythm of healthy eating and regular workouts, it becomes increasingly difficult to stay balanced and consistent.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), ‘health is not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, but a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being.’ Of course, nutrition plays a key role in physical health, but we can’t forget that eating is also a social experience and affects our mood. That’s why during holidays it’s a good idea to ease up on strict rules and follow the 80/20 or even 70/30 rule – 80% healthy, nutritious meals and 20% more recreational ones.
Summer is a test of established eating habits. If we can develop an eating strategy that truly serves us and supports a healthy relationship with food, it’s easier to strike a balance between classic summer treats and taking care of our health and body. However, if we’re still in the process of building and reinforcing healthy eating habits, the holiday season can pose a challenge and increase the likelihood of ‘relapses’ into the more harmful ones. These relapses are a natural part of the six-stage process of habit change. With the right preparation, it becomes easier to take a strategic approach to eating during the summer months.
Read more: The 6 Stages of Change – The Transtheoretical Model of Habit Change
That said, we shouldn’t treat summer holidays as a time to abandon healthy eating altogether. If we feel the urge to take a ‘break’ from our eating routine, it may be a sign that something in our daily habits or in the way we think about food needs to shift. In the long term, the best strategy is to develop a lifestyle and approach to nutrition that don’t rely on strict ‘rules’ or ‘prohibitions,’ but instead embrace a healthy balance between nourishing food and pleasurable indulgence.
But can summer ‘slip-ups’ and ‘cheat meals’ really lead to weight gain?
Weight changes are in fact pure mathematics. If we consume more calories than we burn – we gain weight; if we consume less – we lose it. Naturally, the number of calories we burn depends on many factors, such as body weight, physical activity, workouts, daily movement, age, health conditions, menstrual cycle, or even the weather. Nevertheless, the principle behind weight loss and weight gain remains the same – regardless of the circumstances, time of year, or whether we’re on holiday or not.
If, during a holiday, we start consuming more high-calorie foods while our physical activity doesn’t increase significantly, we might gain weight. It’s estimated that 1 kg of body fat equals a calorie surplus of approximately 7,000 kcal. In practice, however, the numbers on the scale can rise much quicker, even after just a few days of dietary changes. Eating high amounts of salt, sugar, and inflammatory ingredients can also cause water retention in the body, contributing to sudden weight gain. After a week of indulging during a holiday, the scale may show up to 5 kg more.
Ice cream, all-inclusive buffets, or cocktails at the beach bar – calories are everywhere. The key is to find your own balance between health and pleasure, and stick to it.
How to eat on holiday without counting calories?
Here are some practical tips worth following:
Reserve 50% of your plate for vegetables and fruit
Make sure half your plate is filled with fruit and vegetables This simple tip can help you stay full and eat the right amount of calories without actually counting them. Vegetables and fruit are rich in fibre and are relatively low in calories. No need to obsess over the healthiest or least calorific – all fruit and vegetables are healthy, nutritious, and deserve a spot on your plate.
Add a source of protein to your main meals
Aim to include some protein with each meal. This could be fish, seafood, meat, dairy or legumes. A portion about three-quarters the size of your hand is usually enough to keep you satisfied and help maintain a balanced calorie intake.
Watch the snacks
Try to cut back on unnecessary snacking, especially the high-calorie kind. Set a few rules. Think about which treat genuinely brings you the most joy (regardless of the calories!) and enjoy it mindfully.
But don’t just grab whatever’s around. If you love ice cream, treat yourself to your favourite flavour instead of grabbing a random hot dog or waffle just because it’s there. Everyone has their own limits and products that suit them best.
Let’s stay active during our holidays
During holidays, it’s easy to drop your regular workout schedule, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend your time completely inactive. Take long walks, look for opportunities to try new sports and activities – swimming, paddleboarding, or rollerblading. It’s not just great fun and relaxation. It’s also an extra bonus that helps you stay balanced and burn off any extra holiday calories.
Watch out for liquid calories!
Some foods may seem innocent but are packed with calories, and it’s best to avoid them if you're trying to maintain a neutral calorie balance. Summer drinks can be especially sneaky in this regard. Here are a few common calorie traps:
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A small bottle of fizzy drink: around 200 kcal,
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Iced coffee: over 500 kcal in some cases,
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Vanilla milkshake: around 300 kcal,
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Lemonades (even homemade ones with honey!): around 200 kcal,
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A glass of fruit juice: around 200 kcal.
Instead, go for refreshing kombucha or ‘zero-calorie drinks’ with low-calorie sweeteners. If you love iced coffee, try a cold brew or a simple latte, just skip the flavoured syrups, ice cream, sugar, whipped cream, or colourful sprinkles.
Alcohol – a calorie bomb
Alcoholic beverages significantly raise the calorie count of your diet. Beer, cocktails, and mixed drinks are full of sugar and calories. Here are a few examples:
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Light beer: around 250 kcal per 500 ml,
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Dark beer: 340 kcal per 500 ml,
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Flavoured beers can have even more,
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Pina Colada: up to 500 kcal,
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Aperol Spritz: around 250 kcal.
Be careful – a few seemingly innocent drinks can have more calories than a fast food meal!
How to eat during an all-inclusive holiday?
Are you going on an all-inclusive holiday? That’s a particularly delicate type of holiday, especially if your relationship with food isn’t well established. The key is shifting your mindset around eating. Eating mindfully in such a setting is mostly about the psychological skill of finding balance and breaking the ‘I eat because it’s there’ habit. Practise mindful eating, explore the idea of developing a healthy relationship with food, and get familiar with the concept of intuitive eating. Only serve yourself what you genuinely want and are able to finish.
Here are a few practical tips to help you eat more mindfully while enjoying an all-inclusive holiday:
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Avoid breaded and fried dishes – go for boiled or grilled options.
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Drink water or calorie-free drinks (e.g. coffee, tea) with meals – avoid sugary juices and fizzy drinks.
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Control the amount of sauces and dressings – those served with meats and
mains. Even a light salad can turn into a caloric bomb if you ‘drown’ your veggies in mayo-based dressing. -
Use a smaller plate – this will stop you putting on large portions.
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Let’s aim for no more than 3-4 different dishes per meal – the more varied the textures and flavours, the more we’ll be tempted to eat.
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Start with vegetables (or fruit), which should take up around 50% of your plate – they help you feel full faster.
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Skip adding fats, even the healthy kind like olive oil – buffet food is often already quite greasy.
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Explore new flavours and products – try different kinds of fish, seafood,
and exotic fruit. -
Eat slowly – savour every bite and practise mindful eating by focusing on the taste, smell, and texture of your food. It’ll help you stay in control of your appetite.
Holiday Superfoods – what’s worth reaching for?
Your summer menu doesn’t have to be a minefield of calorie bombs. Alongside the tempting but not-so-nutritious options, holidays often give you easier access to healthy food. These are the ones you should reach for most often to maintain eating balance.
Fish and seafood
If we go to the seaside and have the chance to enjoy freshly caught fish and seafood, go for it! They are not only tasty, but also nutritious, rich in protein and valuable minerals (selenium, zinc, calcium and iron). Let’s choose grilled or stewed options, and avoid those deep-fried in oil.
Fresh fruit and vegetables
Whether we’re spending our holidays in Poland or abroad, summer is a time of delicious, juicy fruit and vegetables. Let them become the foundation of our diet! Tomatoes, cucumbers, cherries, broad beans, green beans – reach for local, seasonal treats that benefit your health... and your taste buds.
Read more: 10 Myths About Fruit in the Diet
Olive oil
If you’re holidaying in a Mediterranean country, take the chance to try some high-quality olive oil. Make the most of the opportunity and enrich your diet with this ingredient!
Non-alcoholic alternatives
The NoLo (non- or low-alcohol) drinks market is booming, and the alcohol-free versions of cocktails, beers, and wines are surprisingly tasty. Plus, they’re healthier and lower in calories. Consider choosing alcohol-free options whenever you can.
Sorbets and homemade ice cream
Sorbets can contain up to three times fewer calories than creamy ice cream. While most of them do contain added sugar, there are also shop-bought options made entirely from fruit
and fruit purées. What are their key advantages? They’re super refreshing and hydrating. And you can easily make your own by blending frozen fruit.