by Janette Peel

Created on: July 29, 2008   Last Updated: June 29, 2009

Part of the fun of visiting other places or countries is to immerse yourself in the culture and try exciting new foods; you can do this without letting your usual healthy eating patterns suffer.

Holidays are traditionally a time to enjoy local exotic products; just because you are on holiday doesn't mean that you can't keep eating healthily. Many people come back from holiday carrying extra pounds, but there are ways to make sure you don't gain weight while you're away; it is a case of getting the balance right. It is also important to ensure food hygiene remains at the same high standards as at home, to avoid any tummy bugs.

You can adapt your eating habits to suit your destination and itinerary: eat high-energy foods on an adventure holiday, and consume fewer calories if you're taking a relaxing beach break; if you plan to be on the move doing a lot of sight-seeing, carry snacks and water to make sure you don't get too fatigued on the go and if you're traveling through developing countries, you'll have to be more careful about food hygiene.

If you're planning an active holiday where you will be trekking or taking part in sporting activities, you'll need to make sure that you have enough energy to keep you going throughout the whole day.

Start your day with a high-fiber breakfast cereal that will give you energy for the morning ahead.

At lunch-time refuel with starchy carbohydrates such as whole meal rice, pasta and bread, and in between meals carry snacks such as nuts, dried fruits, energy bars and bananas to keep up your blood sugar levels.

Avoid drinking too much alcohol, tea and coffee, which will dehydrate you, and stick to bottled water and fruit juices.

Eat plenty of high quality protein, for very strenuous pursuits such as mountain climbing.

Choosing what you eat and drink while on holidays is important to maintaining a healthy weight and providing your body with enough energy to enjoy your holiday.

You need to stick to a balanced diet, so that you don't put on too much weight while you're away; your energy intake should equal your energy output. This is simple enough to do if you just stick to a few sensible guidelines.

Eat according to your needs and exercise to compensate for any extra calorie intake; keep fattening foods as a rare treat as you would do at home. Make the most of the local, exotic fresh fruits and vegetables, but wash them thoroughly first.

If you are a vegetarian, make sure you eat a variety of proteins such as lentils and nuts everyday.

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