As summer vacation approaches, many people start thinking about dieting. Concerns about diet and body shape often grow, making us want to see results as quickly as possible. Common approaches at this point include reducing meal portions or engaging in excessive exercise, but these extreme methods can actually be harmful to your health and are difficult to sustain. So, today, we'll talk about how to change your dieting habits before your summer vacation.

Don't Starve Yourself; Start by Checking Late-Night Snacks and Treats

The biggest mistake people make when starting a diet before summer vacation is suddenly reducing their meal portions or skipping meals altogether. While drastically cutting carbohydrate intake might seem like it leads to weight loss initially, this is often due to changes in water retention rather than a decrease in body fat. This approach is hard to maintain, and skipping meals can lead to increased hunger, eventually resulting in overeating.

Therefore, it's important to start by checking your late-night snacks and treats. Especially the delivery food you often eat at night, or the snacks and ice cream you have between work, can easily increase your daily calorie intake. It's best to decisively cut out late-night eating and manage your meals so they aren't too sparse. Instead of skipping meals entirely, try controlling your portion sizes and including vegetables and protein to maintain satiety.

Choose Healthy Options Instead of Sweet Drinks

As summer arrives, we tend to reach for refreshing drinks more often. If you find yourself frequently having sweet lattes in the morning, fruit smoothies after lunch, or sodas in the evening, your sugar intake can increase. So, instead of coffees with syrup, opt for an americano or unsweetened latte, and swap sodas for sparkling water or plain water. If you want juice, reduce its frequency, and eating fruits whole rather than blending them into smoothies can help with weight management.

Focus on 'Visual Body' and 'Waist Circumference' Over Scale Numbers

Before vacation, it's easy to become fixated on the number on the scale. However, your weight can fluctuate due to various factors like what you ate the day before, your water intake, and muscle fatigue after exercise. Therefore, instead of obsessing over the scale, it's better to check your 'visual body' and 'waist circumference' together.

• 'Visual body' refers to observing the changes in your body reflected in the mirror, along with how your clothes fit.
• Measure your waist circumference with a tape measure while standing with your feet about 25-30 cm apart and exhaling naturally.

If your waist circumference is over 90 cm for men or 85 cm for women, it's considered abdominal obesity, so keep this in mind for your management efforts.

Increase Activity Levels with Walking and Strength Training

Combining exercise with dietary adjustments is effective. While starting exercise is good, you should avoid suddenly increasing the intensity. For those who don't usually exercise, repeating high-intensity workouts in a short period can lead to muscle pain or strain on joints. Therefore, it's important to build a habit of consistent movement over the month.

The easiest way to start is by walking. Increase your activity level by getting off one stop earlier on your commute or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Adding simple strength exercises like squats, lunges, and planks can be even more effective. Building muscle strength within a reasonable range will also help improve your body's lines and posture.

If you've decided to diet in preparation for your summer vacation, focus on building consistent habits rather than rushing. Small changes can accumulate and lead to noticeable results in a month, so start practicing today!