No matter what your holiday plans are, your fitness regime always takes the back seat. Holidays are mostly about stepping outside of your life, letting everything go, where exercise is generally not on the priority list. Once you reach your destination, you tend to binge on fancy and delectable meals that are generally not good for your waistline. The idea of your perfect break shouldn't spell the end of your healthy lifestyle. And, if you've a right plan in action, you can skip all the odds to stay healthy and fit. Here are four health and fitness tips to stay in shape on your holidays.

Fitness Hack #1: Make Smart Alcohol Choices

Every night is a weekend night on holidays, right? On holidays, you perhaps end up drinking more cocktails than you would back home. Opt for healthy and body-friendly drinking choices.

Avoid Beer: A pot of beer is around 160 calories. Since beer is high in carbs, it promotes abdominal obesity (so-called "beer belly"), especially in men. However, if you still crave for beer, then wheat beer seems to be the safest option.

Opt For Low-Carb Alcohol: You may go for vodka but avoid mixing it with juice/soda, or a dry white wine. Avoid adding any sweetened mixers or a low-quality juice. A glass of white wine has 120 calories and is usually preferred over red wine with 140-160 calories.

Fitness Hack #2: Keep Healthy, High-Protein Snack Options Handy

If you're fuelling up before going for sightseeing or hiking, eating high-protein bars can be the healthiest and tastiest way to keep going. These protein-rich snacks are the perfect way to fill up, which give long-lasting energy than carb-heavy options.
Below are a few other options :
Dark Chocolate: Used to be a rare treat once, dark chocolate is now a popular choice of snack for fitness lovers. To increase the nutritional count, pick a chocolate that has some nuts.

Nuts And Banana Chips: Things like coconut flakes, banana chips and nuts are easily available everywhere.

Fitness Hack #3: Enjoy One Big Splurge Meal

Just about anywhere you go in the world, you will indulge in the local delicacies. Be it churros, chicken souvlaki, or biryani indulge yourself in the local gastronomic experience. However, it is important to balance you meals as well. Pick one meal, or a day, when you are really going to let yourself to immerse in the local fare, keep the rest of your meals moderate. Plan this splurge to be the 20% element of the 80/20 rule. You can still have shrimp on the coast, but don't fry it!

Fitness Hack #4: Keep Yourself Hydrated

During holidays, you are busy in shopping at bustling markets, exploring exotic spots, enjoying footie tours, et al. While all of this is happening, you tend to get dehydrated without even knowing it. It's always best to carry or buy at least a two-litre water bottle with you on the beach or while hiking. Make sure to keep yourself hydrated after party nights. If you plan to party in the evening, then get some water as a side order. This will definitely make you feel better the next day.

If you’re involving your partner in your weight loss journey, it’s time to pause and rethink it. It could boost the number of kilos you lose, or it could lead put your relationship in jeopardy.

A study conducted by the Taylor & Francis Group revealed that there are various kinds of ‘relational environments’ which determines which way your weight loss conversation will swing. Online survey response of 389 individuals who were trying to shed the excess weight were analysed. Interpersonal communication expert Rene Dailey identified different types of ‘relational environments’.

The first is ‘synchronised’, in which both partners function as a team and work towards their shared goal of weight loss. On the other extreme is ‘lone battlers’, wherein the individual is less likely to breach the topic of weight loss with their partner.

The study classed those somewhere in between as either ‘contentious cooperatives’, when approaching weight loss sometimes causes conflict, or ‘autonomous’, where individuals receive only sporadic encouragement from their partner, without undue interference.

The three most common weight loss strategies couples use are encouragement (giving praise and reassurance), influence (pushing their partner to do better and make healthier choices), and coercion (making the other feel guilty by withdrawing affection).

Dailey commented, “Relational partners co-create an environment in which people lose weight. Partner behaviours that support the weight loss can be viewed differently depending on the environment. For example, a person who wants to focus on a diet but their partner focuses on exercise might see the partner’s suggestion of going for a walk as intrusive and unhelpful. By contrast, a person who feels they and their partner are on the same page about how to lose weight could welcome the suggestion”.

Earlier this year, a University of Connecticut study found that when one half of a couple works towards losing the flab, the other half will also end up being lighter by a few kilos -- even if they aren’t actively trying. Similarly, if one partner struggles to lose weight, their partner also found it difficult to do so.

Many celebrity couples also famously work out together. Zaheer Khan and Sagarika Ghatge sweated it out as a unit in the run up to their wedding. Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan too have been spotted exiting the gym together.

Couples looking to work out together or set goals together, be careful though. Unless your approaches align with your relational environment, you are risking alienation and unnecessary tension. The study discovered that ‘synchronised’ partners, who framed weight loss as a shared goal, were far more receptive to all three strategies, including coercion. The negative emotions associated with this strategy, such as guilt, were more likely to be interpreted positively in this environment as a concern for their partner’s health, rather than as manipulative or controlling. This could lead to positive effects for both weight loss and the couple’s relationship.

Expectant mothers who are more fit before pregnancy are at lower risk of developing gestational diabetes, a study suggests. Gestational diabetes is a condition in which women develop diabetes during the last half of pregnancy. Women with gestational diabetes are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes after giving birth. “Women are very careful during pregnancy with what they eat and the exercise they get. But the study shows women should engage in these healthy behaviours before they get pregnant as well,” said co-author Kara Whitaker, Assistant Professor from University of Iowa.

For the study, published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, the team analysed data from 1,333 women over a 25-year period (1985 to 2011) who enrolled in a National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute study called Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA). The women completed seven study visits after first being enrolled, reporting whether they had become pregnant or gave birth and whether they developed gestational diabetes.

The researchers also performed a fitness exam during the first study visit by testing whether the women could walk for two-minute intervals on a treadmill at increasing speeds and on steepening inclines. Over the study period, 164 women developed gestational diabetes.
Using that information, the research team determined that pre-pregnant women with high levels of fitness had a 21 per cent lower risk of developing gestational diabetes than did those with lower fitness levels.

“People interested in becoming more fit can do so by engaging in at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week — 30 minutes per day, five days per week,” Whitaker said. “Brisk walking would constitute moderate physical activity — jogging would be considered vigorous physical activity,” she added.

Women gain 90 to 96 per cent of their bone mass by age 20. But there’s no reason to give up. You can build bone strength at any age. In the spirit of standing strong, here are some ways to get healthy bones.

Eat healthy
Make sure your diet includes enough calcium and vitamin D. From dairy products to greens and eggs, a comprehensive diet means that your bones have the raw material they need. Also, look to fortified products like juice and grains for additional sources.

Stay healthy
Try to maintain your weight according to your height. Moderation is the key to alcohol intake. Avoiding the sun is a mistake – you need it for Vitamin D. You can also stock up on Women’s Horlicks, a health drink designed specifically for women’s nutritional needs for strong bones. It contains Calcium, Vitamin D and Vitamin K2, which are proven nutrients for bone health.

Work out
Include high impact and weight-bearing exercises, as well as strength training, in your daily routine. These ensure that your body and your bones remain fit and healthy.

Be vigilant
Get tests done when needed, and make sure your doctor updates you about any risk factors. Take genetics and hereditary factors into account. Some medical conditions like celiac disease and some medications like steroids may up the risk of osteoporosis. Find out how you can balance the risk.

Get some sun
Wake up early – and sit in the sun for 15 minutes every morning. This is the best time to absorb sunlight without sunscreen and risk. Not only will your bones thank you, but so will your to-do list!

We will be celebrating International Women's Day on 8th March, 2018 and remind ourselves the numerous roles a woman plays, not just as a daughter, wife and a mother but also as a business leader, entrepreneur, educator and inventor! Amidst all the roles a woman plays, she overlooks her health completely, which is generally not on her priority list and goes unnoticed until it's too late. This Women's Day, we want you to sit back and take a break and take some time out to focus on your health. We give you some easy-to-follow tips that will help you keep up with your health and fitness along with the diet.

Here are some of the health and diet tips every woman must follow to keep going-

1. Do not cut out any food groups from your diet
If you are dieting, do not think of cutting down on any food groups, be it carbohydrate or fat. Include lean proteins, calcium and other nutritional foods that will help your body function better. All you need to do is to ensure portion control and not go overboard, especially with unhealthy foods. Moderation is the key to a healthy you!

2. Load up on lots of water
Water is the solution to all your health problems; it helps flush out the hazardous toxins produced in the body due to poor eating habits, sedentary lifestyle, et al. Drink lots of water or just add some lemon and honey to make it healthier. Not only will it help keep your body hydrated but also will leave your skin glowing.

3. Kick-start your day with a healthy and heavy breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day; no matter how busy or caught up you are, take out some time to indulge in a good and healthy breakfast full of proteins to keep you energized through the day.

4. Do not obsess over dieting
One must not obsess over dieting. It is okay to accept your body as it is; what is important is to ensure eating healthy and keeping yourself physically fit. Focus on building your stamina and engage in exercises.