A diet also in holiday? No, but enjoy the holidays without gaining weight it's possible. We begin to take advantage of the fact that during thesummer we move more, spend more time in nature and have many opportunities for physical activity outdoors. It is true that just on vacation, conviviality increases, the desire to be together and the delicious opportunities multiply. Here because Carla Lertola, dietician in Milan, Savona and Gallarate (Varese), reveals i right tricks to enjoy a well-deserved rest without raising the needle of the scale.
It is not true that in summer you lose weight because you sweat
«As a premise it is important to keep in mind that our body consumes more calories during the cold season, to keep the body temperature constant. Therefore let's dispel the myth that you lose weight in the summer months more because you sweat. While it is true that with high temperatures a lot of fluids are lost (and also precious minerals), it is equally certain that they all recover after a good drink.
It is forbidden to skip lunch
Attention, then, to improvised semi-fasts. "It is a typical mistake, for example, of those who spend the day on the beach and at lunch choose a snack such as ice cream or some fruit to keep going until the evening: it is a great way to then find themselves devouring a donut or two ounces of focaccia in the middle of the afternoon », warns the expert.
This, of course, does not mean giving up any whim and spending a vacation on the spot. Here are some small (but fundamental) strategies for enjoy the pleasures of the table without overdoing the calories.
THREE MISTAKES TO AVOID
- Have a big breakfast to skip lunch
"If you get up late or have breakfast at the hotel, you tend to exaggerate by consuming sweets, cold cuts and cheeses and thinking that we will only eat ice cream or some fruit for lunch," says Carla Lertola. «Instead, it is better to bet on an excellent one homemade muesli (all ingredients that you can also find in the hotel).
Do this: put 150/200 g of semi-skimmed milk or low-fat yogurt or a vegetable drink in a bowl and add unsweetened cereal flakes, a handful of chopped nuts and a portion of fresh fruit (strawberries, melon, blueberries ). Prefer salty? Have a coffee and a slice of wholemeal bread on which you will have poured a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and half a tomato cut into small pieces, a pinch of salt and oregano », advises the expert.
- Eat only one ice cream for lunch
Around 13pm you start to get hungry and you think a gelato is ideal for not weighing you down. "It's not like that," underlines Carla Lertola. «With the ice cream we make the full of sugars simple (sucrose) that give us an illusory sense of satiety: these substances are in fact assimilated quickly by the body, so hunger makes itself felt after two hours, and then green light to focaccia, coconut and other little dietetic snacks that you find at handy.
Not to mention that 200 grams of cream ice cream turn into 500 calories in an instant, and give the feeling of not having eaten anything. It is better to opt for a plate of rice salad with vegetables (homemade, with a little dressing) to which you can add a portion of legumes (peas for example) seasoned with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil ", explains the expert.
- Indulge in happy hour every evening
At sunset, an aperitif takes place. "This is the time to eat the most», Says Carla Lertola. «In addition to the calories of wine, if not even a couple of drinks, we add those of olives, peanuts, focaccia, pizzas, cold pasta, cold cuts and cheeses. In no time at all you get to 700-800 calories, and you still have to dine. Limit happy hours to once / twice a week and then skip dinner»Continues the dietician.
«If you eat out instead, go for it: at home, while you're getting ready, fill up on vegetables, with a plate of cherry tomatoes, for example. In this way, during the aperitif you will only need a glass of wine. And at the restaurant, don't skip the first course, preferring a seafood appetizer (usually full of condiments) and a second fish course, perhaps with a side of grilled vegetables soaked in oil. The winning move is a nice plate of linguine with clams and then a portion of salad or mixed vegetables, perhaps steamed », concludes Carla Lertola.
