{"id":7480,"date":"2025-07-20T03:26:17","date_gmt":"2025-07-20T03:26:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/7480\/"},"modified":"2025-07-20T03:26:17","modified_gmt":"2025-07-20T03:26:17","slug":"im-a-yolo-dieter-lost-1st-in-3-months-but-5-tips-could-have-stopped-me-putting-half-of-it-back-on-in-a-week-on-hols","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/7480\/","title":{"rendered":"I\u2019m a YOLO dieter & lost 1st in 3 months\u2026 but 5 tips could have stopped me putting half of it back on in a WEEK on hols"},"content":{"rendered":"

ADMIRING the Italian scenery in the sunshine, I take a piece of warm focaccia bread, dip it in olive oil and pop it in my mouth.<\/p>\n

It is my third, but not final, piece as I enjoy some foodie foreplay to warm up for lunch.<\/p>\n

\"Woman<\/a><\/p>\n

5<\/p>\n

Mel Fallowfield lost a stone before a trip to Italy \u2013 only to put half of it back on boozing and bingeingCredit: David Cummings\"Mel<\/a><\/p>\n

5<\/p>\n

Mel, 52, reveals she must have eaten and drunk her way through a 5,725 calories a day on the tripCredit: David Cummings\"Woman<\/a><\/p>\n

5<\/p>\n

The writer enjoying a beer by the pool in Lake Garda, northern ItalyCredit: Supplied<\/p>\n

Next is a plate of spaghetti carbonara, liberally sprinkled with Parmesan, followed by the creamiest tiramisu imaginable.<\/p>\n

It is all washed down with half a bottle of white wine that I share with my husband Brian, 53, who works in marketing.<\/p>\n

We were in Lake Garda in northern Italy on a rare holiday without our teenage boys, and as we strolled back to our apartment, we stopped for an ice cream, too.<\/p>\n

Then came a siesta\u2009.\u2009.\u2009.\u2009and soon it was supper time.<\/p>\n

That started with an Aperol spritz with crisps and a tomato and mozzarella salad with more focaccia, before a salami pizza and yet more wine.<\/p>\n

At a conservative estimate, I must have eaten and drunk my way through a 5,725 calories a day, which is almost three times the NHS daily recommended amount of 2,000 for a woman.<\/p>\n

Over a week, that\u2019s more than 40,000 calories.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s without the incidental ones \u2014 the odd beer by the pool, the extra glass of wine as you linger over food so delicious you can\u2019t rush it.<\/p>\n

By day five, I had to ditch any clothes with a waistband that bit into my tummy as I didn\u2019t want a constant and uncomfortable reminder I was over-indulging.<\/p>\n

Instead, I wore long, flowing dresses that skimmed over my expanding tummy.<\/p>\n

I lost half a stone eating cold chips<\/p>\n

Frankly, you only live once \u2014 or \u201cYOLO\u201d as my two sons frequently say.<\/p>\n

My weight had edged up over Christmas<\/p>\n

And sipping on mineral water while picking at some grilled fish and salad is not my idea of a fun holiday.<\/p>\n

So I put the scales out of my mind and ate and drank whatever I wanted.<\/p>\n

When I got home I faced the reality \u2014 though it took me a couple of days to brace myself \u2014 and sure enough I\u2019d put on 7lbs.<\/p>\n

My holiday routine is about as far from my real life as it\u2019s possible to get.<\/p>\n

Since March, when I tipped the scales at just over 10st, which is verging on overweight for my 5ft 3in height, I\u2019d been on a rigid diet in preparation for donning my bikini.<\/p>\n

My weight had edged up over Christmas, and the cold months of January and February saw me reach for stodgy pies and warming roasts.<\/p>\n

But a glimpse of spring sunshine was a timely reminder that in three months I\u2019d be by the pool exposing my wobbly flesh.<\/p>\n

I pretty much gave up alcohol, as it\u2019s my absolute downfall. It\u2019s not only the calories in wine and cocktails, but the vast amount I eat with a hangover.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a menu a sumo wrestler would be proud of, taking in everything from Pot Noodles to bacon sandwiches and adding up to some 3,500 calories per day.<\/p>\n

I\u00a0swim for half an hour every day, but I added in a 45-minute gym workout.<\/p>\n

By day five, I had to ditch any clothes with a waistband that bit into my tummy as I didn\u2019t want a constant and uncomfortable reminder I was over-indulging<\/p>\n

And I started the Atkins diet<\/a>, cutting all carbs and sugar and eating only meat, vegetables, eggs and a tiny bit of cheese.<\/p>\n

The weight dropped off and before I went away I\u2019d shed over a stone and hit my target weight of 9st.<\/p>\n

In many ways it was easy with a few changes to my routine. For example, rather than meeting friends in the pub, I\u2019d suggest we went for a walk.<\/p>\n

Many of them were trying to lose weight too and were more than happy with the idea.<\/p>\n

And my sister and I dieted together, ringing each other daily to compare what we\u2019d eaten and how much we\u2019d lost.<\/p>\n

She went on holiday a few days before me and was clearly letting her hair down, WhatsApping me pictures of the ice cream she was devouring.<\/p>\n

It made me even more excited about my own holiday. It was as if she was giving me permission to indulge.<\/p>\n

WHAT I ATE IN A SINGLE DAY…<\/p>\n

2 croissants: 600Orange juice: 45Focaccia and olive oil (both meals): 600Spaghetti carbonara: 906Bottle white wine: 7502 Aperol spritzes: 354Salami pizza: 9542 scoops of ice cream: 400Tiramisu: 500Crisps: 300Tomato & mozzarella salad: 316<\/p>\n

Daily cals: 5,725<\/p>\n

Weekly cals: 40,075<\/p>\n

\"Woman<\/a><\/p>\n

5<\/p>\n

Mel says she faced the reality of her ‘YOLO dieting’ once home, after realising she had put on 7lbsCredit: Supplied’Over-indulge’<\/p>\n

Mindset coach Vivienne Joy (viviennejoy.com<\/a>), who specialises in weight loss, says: \u201cIt\u2019s a very common phenomenon to let go on holiday as you switch identity.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt home you\u2019re an adult, with responsibilities. You\u2019re anchored in a routine and you control what you\u2019re doing.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you go away, you switch identities and let go as you\u2019re in a different environment.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou often adopt your teenage identity, one that is carefree with no responsibilities. That\u2019s why so many of us over-indulge.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Vivienne, the more controlled you are at home, the more likely you are to pig out when abroad.<\/p>\n

\u201cI advise people to not be so rigid at home so they don\u2019t feel the need to let go so much,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Those 7lbs I put on are now thankfully on the way out, and I don\u2019t regret a second of gaining them<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause you will have to come home and face the music \u2014 or the scales.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vivienne\u2019s words resonate.\u00a0When it comes to food, my holiday and home personas are poles apart.\u00a0While I feel guilty if I eat even a Malteser at home, abroad I didn\u2019t think twice as I dithered between two flavours of ice cream . . . then plumped for both.<\/p>\n

It feels as if nothing counts while on holiday, and I\u2019m certainly not going to count calories <\/a>as I tuck into a delicious bowl of pasta in the sunshine.<\/p>\n

It helps that cocktails are cheaper too<\/p>\n

When you\u2019re warm and happy, it\u2019s hard to care about anything more taxing than whether you fancy beer or an Aperol spritz.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a completely different mindset to when you\u2019re constantly juggling the needs of work and parenting two teenage boys.<\/p>\n

At home I\u2019m in a routine. I have to be organised, and in a way it\u2019s easier to be on a diet as I don\u2019t waste headspace and time deciding what to eat. It\u2019s going to be chicken or fish and vegetables.<\/p>\n

Abroad, you drift blissfully from your breakfast \u2014 in my case, freshly baked croissants from a favoured cafe that you can smell as you walk down the street \u2014 to exploring local eateries to see which does the best pizza or pasta.<\/p>\n

FIVE WAYS TO STAY IN SHAPE ON VACATION<\/p>\n

TO stay trim on holiday, sustainable weight-loss expert Harriet Morris (theshiftinside.com<\/a>) has these tips for you:<\/p>\n

You will be surrounded by cues to overeat, so aim for weight maintenance, not loss. Nobody goes on holiday every month, so cut yourself some slack.Before you go for dinner, look at the restaurant menu online or as you stroll past, and plan your meal ahead. Allow yourself the food you want, but eat it slowly. This will help you digest your meal better, which keeps you fuller for longer.Instead of denying yourself dessert, ask for a separate side plate when it arrives. Put a third of it on the plate and give it back to the waiter before you eat. That really is having your cake and eating it.Everyone\u2019s metabolism is faster at lunchtime, so eat bigger, more indulgent meals then instead of in the evening.Relax as much as possible. Stress raises blood sugar levels which \u2013 unless you do vigorous exercise \u2013 sends a message to your body to store fat. So make your holiday a time to unwind, not rush.<\/p>\n

Everyone seems so happy, and\u00a0warm-from-the-oven bread arrives just as you sit down at your table to peruse the menu.<\/p>\n

That menu is devoid of the nutritional information that holds me back from ordering calorific treats when I\u2019m out in London.<\/p>\n

And it helps that the cocktails are cheaper, too, so just one more isn\u2019t going to break the bank. Everything that encourages restraint at home has gone.<\/p>\n

And of course, I\u2019m not in a rush, so the brisk walk to the Tube that helps shed the pounds isn\u2019t happening.<\/p>\n

I still swim, but with no time restraints, I float happily on my back. But getting home was a rude awakening.<\/p>\n

Those 7lbs I put on are now thankfully on the way out, and I don\u2019t regret a second of gaining them.<\/p>\n

I loved my holiday and you only live once. After all, there\u2019s no point spending money going away if you just do the same as you do at home.<\/p>\n

\"Woman<\/a><\/p>\n

5<\/p>\n

She has now lost those 7lbs but reveals she doesn’t regret gaining them and enjoying her holidayCredit: David Cummings<\/p>\n

The 5 best exercises to lose weight<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

By Lucy Gornall, personal trainer and health journalist<\/p>\n

EXERCISE can be intimidating and hard to devote yourself to. So how do you find the right\u00a0workout\u00a0for you?<\/p>\n

As a PT and fitness journalist, I\u2019ve tried everything.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve taken part in endless fitness competitions, marathons and I maintain a regime of runs,\u00a0strength training\u00a0and\u00a0Pilates.<\/p>\n

Fitness is so entrenched in my life, I stick to it even at\u00a0Christmas!<\/p>\n

The key is finding an activity you love that can become a habit.<\/p>\n

My top five forms of exercise, especially if you’re trying to lose weight, are:<\/p>\n

WalkingRunningPilatesHigh-intensity interval training (HIIT)Strength training <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"ADMIRING the Italian scenery in the sunshine, I take a piece of warm focaccia bread, dip it in…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7481,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[64,63,9434,9435,538,9436,137,9437,9438,9433,9439,9440],"class_list":["post-7480","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-fitness","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-diet-nutrition-and-weight-loss","tag-fab-daily","tag-fitness","tag-food-and-drink","tag-health","tag-holiday-tips-tricks-and-hacks","tag-longtail","tag-section-fabulousreal-life","tag-sun-club","tag-weight-loss-success-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7480","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7480"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7480\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7481"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7480"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7480"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7480"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}