It's one thing to lose body fat, in fact, that's the easy part, but when you have relaxed your restrictions what then?

This is one of the most common fears that comes up for my clients. I totally get it, you've put all that hard work into your body transformation and you don't want to lose it, and yet, you still want to be able to relax and enjoy life without imposing too many restrictions on yourself.

After a dieting period you are more predisposed to putting on body fat, the ideal situation is to finish cutting around a month in advance of your holiday and go to maintaining so your body isn't in survival mode. But let's get f*** real, most of you are in a severe restriction right up until that moment that you put that bikini on the first day, and then you spend the rest of the holiday eating and drinking like food and drink was going out of fashion.

Not ideal In fact this kind of 'now I am dieting' and 'now I am really not dieting' is one of the main psychological issues getting in the way of you maintaining. So what to do?

This list should help assist you in making decisions that are supportive of having a good time, and maintaining your hard work.

• First stop and take a big f****ing breath and let yourself know, food is not scarce and you don't have to eat it all because it is there, yes, even in an all inclusive. You can have fun while exercising moderation.

• If you have been in a deficit for awhile come to maintenance calories and keep tracking even if it is loose tracking.

• If you have been in structure it is not psychologically healthy to just come out of it altogether, but loosen the reins and have more flexibility.

• There will be lots of eating out. Check menus ahead of time where possible and choose your meal before you arrive.

• Don't arrive to a restaurant starving! It is common to try and save calories for the big meal but often this encourages binge behaviours. Just eat normally throughout the day, not too much, not too little.

• Hydrate throughout the day and prior to eating out drink water as soon as you arrive, this will make sure you don't mistake thirst for hunger.

• Dessert or alcohol is a good rule to keep on any given day.

• Share a dessert instead of snaffling the lot.

• Remember that alcohol down regulates metabolism so you'd be better off going for low fat and high protein meals when you're on the lash. Definitely no late night kebabs!

• Ask for sauce on the side in restaurants and if you're really wanting to maintain then hold the bread too.

• Maintain a high protein diet as much as possible and try to eat a wholefoods diet.

• Have a few of those obesogenic/highly palatable foods but don't over do it.

• Pack satiating snacks on trips out, preferably some high protein ones. Don't get caught out with nothing to eat so you end up starving and will eat anything.

• If you can't track foods then use the palm method to keep portion sizes controlled.

• Stay active, if you have been very active for awhile and in a deficit, and you suddenly stop moving and start eating more you will increase body fat.

• Lastly, eat like an adult, stop fetishising food to the degree that you're suddenly binging uncontrollably. Food is a wonderful source of pleasure but it doesn't need to be the sole focus. Have fun relaxing and making connections as you eat, slow down with food and really take time to enjoy it and experience it.
  
  

  
  You don't need to follow all of these guidelines, but if you were only going to take away one, make it this one: have fun and relax!