For
many people, summer holidays and going to the beach or the pool are
their main motivation for losing weight and getting in shape.
However, once on the actual holiday, very few will be able to resist
letting themselves indulge in all of the fun holiday food and drinks
their hearts desire. If you’re one of those people, you probably
try to rationalize and say that all of the swimming and dancing you
do on holiday will make up for all of those sugary
cocktails
and fast food. Even if you know you are fooling yourself, all is not
lost. You can be as indulgent as you want all summer, and then follow
these 10
surprising
weight loss tips
after summer holiday and get right back in shape.

1. 
   Snap away
   

The largest part of
any big project is motivation.
If you truly want to do something, there is no stopping you. Taking
photos of yourself when you don’t feel at your most attractive may
seem counter-intuitive. However, experts say taking
a picture of yourself every day
can actually act as a great motivator. This way, you will be able to
track even the minutest changes in your physique and this will
provide you with the impetus to keep going. There are even apps which
you can use for this very purpose. This is very similar to regularly
taking your own measurements. However, having something as graphic as
a photo to go off of is much more motivational for most people.

1. 
   Overeating
   doesn’t have to be bad
   

If you were careful
with your diet and exercise routine before your holiday, you will
probably find it easy to bounce back afterward. It might feel
counterintuitive to put overeating on a list of 10 surprising weight
loss tips after summer holiday. However, experts say that eating more
than you’re used to actually makes
your body burn calories faster.
You might still gain weight, but you won’t gain as much as you
would if this was your routine. Similarly, cutting
calories
doesn’t actually have to equal weight loss.

1. 
   Don’t weigh
   yourself
   

Hanging all of your
hopes on a number on a scale is a recipe for disaster. Firstly, it
doesn’t actually give you a realistic picture of how far you’ve
come. Our bodies’ composition has to do with more
than just our weight.
Even if you are losing weight according to your scale, it doesn’t
mean that you are actually losing the weight you want to lose. What
you want to focus on is your body fat percentage and make sure the
exercises you’re doing are helping you, for example, burn
your belly fat.
Some people see that they’re losing weight, but what they’re
actually losing is muscle. If you’re going about this the right
way, your body weight might actually increase. This increase would be
a positive development, however, as it would mean your muscle mass is
what’s increasing and your body fat decreasing. So ditch the scales
altogether.

Caption: Experts say
constantly weighing and measuring yourself can actually hinder your
progress.

1. 
   Get a good
   night’s sleep
   

Another one of the
10 surprising weight loss tips after summer holiday is sleep.
Research has shown that not getting enough sleep can slow down our
metabolism and make it harder for us to shift those pounds.
Not sleeping enough
will make it harder for us to find the motivation to exercise. Not
only that, but it will make it harder for that exercise to be
effective even if we do get to the gym. You need energy in order to
have an effective, body-slimming workout. If you’re having trouble
finding the inspiration to get yourself to a gym, consider
zumba as a way to burn calories.
It’s fun and it will tire you out enough so that you are able to
sleep soundly after class.

1. 
   Focus on your
   food
   

Eating without any
distractions may sound odd, but it’s actually one of the ways to
lose holiday weight fast. Switch off the TV, put your phone away and
focus
on every bite.
Having distractions, like when having a TV dinner, will actually make
you eat more food (and often more quickly). Savoring every bite and
paying attention to the textures and the flavors of your food will
make you eat more slowly. Slower eating allows for your brain to get
the message that you are full sooner, thus avoiding overeating.
Focusing on your food will also make you feel more satisfied after a
meal, even when it’s portion-controlled.

1. 
   Have a laugh
   

The most
unbelievable of the surprising weight loss tips after the summer is
that laughter can help you lose weight. People usually associate
dieting and exercise with feeling unfulfilled. There have been
several studies that researched the connection
between laughter and weight loss.
It can definitely help burn calories because it boosts blood flow and
therefore the use of energy.

1. 
   Don’t restrict
   yourself too much
   

Restricting yourself
too much after the holiday can actually work
against you.
It may create what experts call a binge and restrict pattern. What it
implies is that you may fall into a pattern of having time periods
where you indulge followed by periods of high restriction. This can
help your metabolism, but it can also create an unhealthy
relationship to food in the long run. The same goes for skipping
meals,
as it can have a harmful long term effect on your health.

1. 
   Return to the
   basics
   

Letting yourself
indulge while on holiday doesn’t mean that you have completely
fallen off the wagon. Experts say that a simple return
to your pre-vacation routine
will help you shed any weight you may have gained.

1. 
   Pay attention to
   your gut
   

Some research has
shown that the healthy bacteria in your gut can actually aid
weight loss.
There are supplements you can take to make sure everything is in
order. As a bonus, it might help you lose holiday weight fast.

1. 
   Go dry
   

We've come to the
last on our list of the 10 surprising weight loss tips after summer
holiday. After having indulged during your vacation, consider
ditching alcohol
for some time. It will help your weight loss, but also your overall
health.