How to lose post-holiday weight

[Forgottenmyphone]

I’ve been back from our holiday for exactly one week and just stepped on the scales. I didn’t weigh myself any sooner because I know that long flights and hot weather cause water retention. However, one week of being back in my usual routine, eating my usual diet and I’m still heavier than pre-holiday. Never had this kind of increase before, and we go on holiday usually twice a year. We went away for 10 days, and whilst on holiday I didn’t eat or drink significantly more than I do at home, and we stayed fairly active (hired bikes, did lots of sight-seeing and swimming). The only real difference in diet was less protein and more carbs while I was away.

My question: is this likely to be fat gain or water retention? If it’s water, is it possible to take longer than a week to go? If it’s fat, do I now have to calorie deficit, or will being back in my old routine and diet eventually shift it?

Thanks

How much weight are you talking about? Realistically unless you were massively over eating you are not likely to have gained more than a pound or two of actual fat in 10 days.

if you hadn’t weighed yourself would you have felt bigger/heavier?

How old are you?

I always do three days of a liquid diet after holiday and Christmas and that seems to get rid of any post-holiday bloat. I would not do it for more than three days as it wouldn't be healthy for you but it does seem to give me both a physical and a mental reset. Like others have said you're not going to have put on more than a couple of lbs of actual fat.

I basically live on kefir drinks for protein, coconut water for electrolytes, smoothies, kombucha, plenty of water and vegetable soup for three days and that's always done the trick for me. You'll need some fibre and protein after three days but I think going for a short, sharp liquid fast can help to get back to where you want to be.

I'm very overweight so am on a strict diet, but we went on holiday a month ago and I ate whatever I wanted for nearly 2 weeks! I was absolutely thrilled when I got back to find I had only gained 1.5kg and that disappeared within a couple of weeks of being back on my diet. I'm not losing it as fast now, so I think I may have kick-started the weight loss again by having a couple of weeks off.

My diet is based on 1200 calories per day, with plenty of fruit and veg, as much protein as I can get within my calorie allowance, and very little fat or carbohydrates. No alcohol at all, but I didn't drink on holiday either - I'm not that bothered about alcohol so it's not much of a sacrifice for me.

How much weight are we talking about? Surely it can't be more than a few lbs?

We’re only talking about a couple of lbs, but I’ve been trying not to gain with the menopause so have been keeping tabs on my weight. I wasn’t on a diet before, I suppose calories in = calories out as I have been at the same weight since stopping breast feeding several years ago. Just wondering how long to give it to see if it’s just water weight or whether I need to be “more careful” over the next few weeks!