20 Tips for a Healthy Holiday Break

It’s no great surprise that the number one New Year’s Resolution is to lose weight and get fit. Anyone who has stepped into a fitness centre in January would have noticed the obvious swell in members.

Statistics show we put on roughly 0.8 to 1.5kgs over the Christmas-New Year period. This might not sound like much, but researchers have found that we rarely lose the weight, so it accumulates and rolls over (no pun intended) into the next festive season.

If you’re on holiday this January and the prospect of more delicious food and great wine is worrying you, you’re in luck. The South-West is the perfect place to have a healthy, active getaway.

The Healthy Holiday Ingredients

Eating Well

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to punish yourself into losing weight. Research shows it doesn’t need to be extreme and, in fact, the moderate regimes are more successful long-term.

Healthy eating ideas:

• January is summer in the South-West so enjoy freshly caught seafood, sweet juicy fruits and crisp salads.
• Have a big BBQ rather than going out to eat. Homemade burgers are far healthier than restaurant versions.
• Organise a picnic where you can control the types of food on offer.
• Share a dessert. More often than not, you’ll be satisfied after a few mouthfuls.
• Don’t drink your calories. Choose soda-based drinks rather than a creamy one (a regular piña colada is 290 calories, whereas a soda water with vodka and lime is 100 calories).
• Go for a stargazing night-time walk after dinner. A brisk walk immediately after a meal aids digestion and lowers blood sugar.
• Take snacks with you on a day out so you’re not starving by mealtime.
• Don’t use a big plate because you will inevitably fill it up even if you’re not hungry.
• Be aware of how much impact each item has. Removing one latte, a slice of cheese, and two beers or ciders from your day will save you around 500 calories.
• Eat mindfully and really savour every bite. Eat that fresh pastry or try that speciality cheese, but enjoy how it tastes, the texture and the scent.

Keep Active

This might do the trick for those who don’t want to give up their foodie indulgences while on holiday. This is a top-notch produce region, after all.

Active holiday ideas:

• Surfing and bodyboarding in Yallingup and Margaret River.
• Try stand-up paddleboarding at Meelup Beach or Gnarabup Bay.
• Bush walking. There are so many picturesque spots but there’s possum spotting in the Busselton Tuart Forest, exploring Boranup Forest, or whale watching on the 2.5km walk from Bunker Bay to Dunsborough. Or pick a section of the 1000km Bibbulmun Track to hike.
• Social beach activities like volleyball, Frisbee or beach cricket.
• Climb Gloucester Tree or the Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree in Pemberton, or Diamond Tree near Manjimup.
• Horseriding in Dunsborough and Margaret River.
• Kayak on Blackwood River or at stunning Lake Beedelup, which is bordered by soaring karri trees.
• Snorkelling and swimming. Particularly The Aquarium in Yallingup, the lagoon at Yallingup Beach, Meelup Beach, and Busselton Jetty.
• Discover underwater shipwrecks with a scuba dive charter.
• Porongurup National Park, north of Albany, has many walks and climbs available, from family-friendly trails through to heart-stopping ‘scrambles’ up granite outcrops on trails like the aptly-named Devil’s Slide. The view is spectacular at the top and worth the effort.
• Check out our blogs on Yoga and SUPPing in the South-West for more inspiration.

A holiday doesn’t mean you forgo fun and indulgence. There are so many healthy food and lifestyle options in the South-West that you’ll be wondering why you never tried them before. Discover our beautiful luxury homes for inspiration for your next getaway.