by Jan Beukes

Created on: November 05, 2009

Embarking on an all-inclusive holiday will not immediately bring worries of how much weight might be gained, but rather how little spending money will be necessary. When spending all day at the resort, the wallets and purses can be left locked in the safe back at the room whilst enjoying the freedom of helping yourself to all the delights freely available.

It is always wonderful to come on holiday and have a break from food shopping, cooking and cleaning up, but the extra treat of an all-inclusive resort is that breakfast, lunch and dinner can all be enjoyed without anyone having to worry about the bill. On top of all this, there are free drinks all day, snack bar, and very often ice-cream, tea and cakes available.

Around about day three of your holiday, as you put your book down for a moment and observe your fellow holiday-makers lying around the pool, you may get the sudden realization that this is remarkably like being in a zoo! People move when it is 'feeding time' and in between they laze around and sleep. As you slip into your shorts to go and discover what is being served for lunch today, you pull in your tummy just that little bit harder to get that button to fasten. As you look at the vast array of foods on offer, you wonder 'should I go for salad today?'

So how can we strike that balance between enjoying a good range of foods and drink (after all, we have paid for it), yet not gain unwanted extra weight? Well, here are six simple tips on how not to gain weight whilst on an all inclusive resort without depriving ourselves of the fun and enjoyment we have earned:

* First of all, we need the right mindset. Just because a whole variety of food and drink is available all day, it doesn't mean we have to over-eat and over-drink. Usually with all-inclusive, we have actually paid very little for the food after you calculate the return air fare and the accommodation, so we need to stop telling ourselves 'well, we've paid for all this!'

* Eat little and often. In other words, as food is available so often - eat little. When you don't allow yourself to get too hungry, it is much easier to eat smaller portions. Take a small plate, rather than a large plate and take small samples of all the foods that take your fancy. Drink plenty of water, as this will help you to feel full. You can always go up for a little more, but this is better than piling up your plate then feeling that you have to finish it all up.

* If purely salad dishes are not what you would normally

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