Staying fit on holiday
Dear Friend,
Before I know it the summer seems to be coming to an end. A few months ago, I remember looking forward to the summer and my 4 holidays, however today is the final day of my holiday in America. And what a way to finish it in Las Vegas.
This has been my fourth holiday of the summer, and this last one is in America — which, let’s be honest, isn’t exactly famous for clean eating. With oversized portions, endless fast food, and every meal coming with fries by default, it can be tough to stay on track. Still, I’ve been thinking about how to balance enjoying the holiday while not completely derailing my fitness.
1. Keep the Gym in Your Routine
Most hotels have at least some kind of gym, and if they don’t, there’s usually a local fitness center or even outdoor spaces you can use. I’ve found that keeping a regular rhythm is crucial. I don’t expect myself to smash PBs or train at the same intensity as back home — but I aim to show up. Whether it’s a short weights session, a bit of cardio, or even just 30 minutes of movement, the habit of going makes it much easier to slide back into full training when I return.
2. Alternate Drinking Days
Holidays and drinks go hand in hand, but daily cocktails or beers add up quickly — not just in calories, but in how they affect sleep, recovery, and motivation the next day. What I’ve been doing is limiting alcohol to every other day. On the drinking days, I can relax and enjoy it guilt-free. On the in-between days, I feel sharper, sleep better, and often end up making healthier food choices too. It’s a balance that keeps things fun without going overboard.
3. Be Smart About Meal Timing
One of the easiest traps on holiday is eating late — especially in places where dinner doesn’t even start until 9 or 10 pm, followed by desserts and snacks. In the U.S., restaurants are open late and portion sizes are huge, so it’s easy to end up with a heavy meal right before bed. What I’ve been trying to do is shift food earlier in the day, or at least keep dinners lighter if they’re happening late. Sometimes that means swapping fries for a salad, skipping dessert, or sharing plates instead of ordering a full extra course. Small adjustments go a long way.
4. Give Yourself Permission to Enjoy It
The most important mindset shift is remembering that it’s a holiday. You’re supposed to relax, have fun, and experience new places — and that often means eating and drinking things you wouldn’t normally. Beating yourself up over every indulgence just makes the trip less enjoyable. What matters is the long-term picture: having faith in yourself that once you’re home, you’ll get straight back to the gym, back on track with your diet, and return to where you were before. A week or two off doesn’t undo months of consistency, especially if you’ve kept some healthy habits ticking over.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, holidays should be about making memories. If you can keep some structure with workouts, moderate the excesses, and make a few smart choices, you’ll come back refreshed instead of feeling like you’ve taken ten steps backwards. And even if you slip more than planned, it’s okay — because you know you’ll put the work in once you’re back. That trust in yourself is the real key.
When I land back in a couple of days, the diet starts again.
Drug of the week
Methotrexate
Methotrexate is a widely used antimetabolite and antifolate drug with applications in both oncology and autoimmune diseases.
It is primarily used in high doses for the treatment of cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma, and osteosarcoma, while at much lower doses it is prescribed for autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and Crohn’s disease.
Methotrexate is classified as a folate antagonist.
It works by inhibiting the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), which blocks the synthesis of tetrahydrofolate, an essential cofactor in DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis. This disruption impairs rapidly dividing cells (such as cancer cells and immune cells).
Side effects can include mucositis, bone marrow suppression, gastrointestinal upset, hepatotoxicity, pulmonary fibrosis, and increased susceptibility to infection.
A Brain Teaser
A 32-year-old man presents to the emergency department after falling onto his outstretched hand while playing basketball. He reports persistent pain and tenderness in his wrist, particularly at the base of the thumb, and difficulty moving his wrist.
He is tender around the base of the thumb on examination.
Given the likely diagnosis, which of the below is likely to also be found on examination?
A: Finkelstein’s test positive
B: Pain on longitudinal compression of the thumb
C: Pain on squeezing the MCP joints
D: Radial head tenderness
E: Tinel’s sign positive
Answers
The answer is B
Pain on longitudinal compression of the thumb is correct. The scaphoid bone is located at the base of the thumb and is directly affected by this force. This localised pain can help distinguish scaphoid fractures from other wrist injuries. Other signs of a scaphoid fracture include tenderness over the anatomical snuffbox, tenderness of the scaphoid tubercle and pain on radial deviation. These signs are highly sensitive but not necessarily specific for scaphoid fractures.
Finkelstein’s test positive is incorrect. This is used to assess de Quervain’s tenosynovitis by flexing the thumb into the palm followed by ulnar deviation of the wrist. This stretches the tendons of the abductor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis, potentially causing pain if these tendons are inflamed.
Pain on squeezing the metacarpophalangeal joints is incorrect. This is typically used to assess for joint inflammation from rheumatoid arthritis.
Radial head tenderness is incorrect. The radial head is found at the proximal end of the radius in the elbow joint, where it articulates with the capitulum of the humerus and allows for the rotation of the forearm.
Tinel’s sign positive is incorrect. Tinel’s test at the wrist involves tapping the median nerve to assess for carpal tunnel syndrome, evaluating nerve compression rather than scaphoid bone tenderness.
