42% Diet Before Holiday – Two Thirds Put Weight Back On Before Returning

July 2, 2010 - PRLog -- The latest research commissioned by budget holidays website www.sunshine.co.uk has found that 42% of people go on some form of diet before their holiday, but the efforts are potentially wasted, as more than two thirds, 68%, pile the pounds back on by the end of their vacation.

The survey of 1,729 holidaymakers revealed that 96% of people feel they ‘eat more on holiday than at home’, despite two fifths attempting to lose weight before their vacation. Of the total respondents, 79% said they come home from holiday heavier than before they went.

Of those who claimed to have previously dieted before a holiday, 54% said their main reason was to get their ideal ‘beach body’, whilst 31% said it was to account for the fact they would be eating more on vacation.

As the majority of respondents felt they ate more on holiday than at home, http://www.sunshine.co.uk asked them to estimate just how many more calories they thought they consumed. 49% estimated that their calorie intake ‘more than doubled’ during a trip abroad.

The poll also looked into people’s attitudes towards foreign food. 59% said they ‘actively seek out’ restaurants that serve familiar dishes when on holiday and 41% admitted they don’t ever try the signature dishes of the countries they visit on vacation.

When asked, ‘did your accommodation provide access to gym equipment?’ 74% answered ‘yes’ however less than 1 in 10, 7%, said they exercised on holiday.

Chris Brown, co-founder of http://www.sunshine.co.uk, commented on the findings;

“For the majority of people, holidays are about taking time out to relax, so it’s understandable that exercising is the last thing on their minds. Dieting before a holiday is something a lot of people do, but it seems like a bit of a waste if more than two thirds put the weight back on.

“Then again, it’s probably much more preferable for people to come back the same weight as before they started their diet, than to not diet at all and come back needing to lose a few pounds”.

He concluded, “As for hitting the gym whilst on holiday, I’m not a fan either. There are plenty of other ways to keep fit on holiday, like watersports, swimming and walking from one bar to the next!”

LINK http://www.sunshine.co.uk

ENDS

For more information, or to arrange interviews with Chris Brown, please contact Shannon Haigh of 10 Yetis PR Agency on 01452 348211 or email shannon@10yetis.co.uk  
Editors Notes

sunshine.co.uk is the UK's leading online independent travel agent and was founded by Chris Brown and Chris Clarkson, the same people behind Holiday Watchdog which was bought by TripAdvisor in February 2008 for an undisclosed amount of money. Sunshine.co.uk offers low cost holidays and budget flights to destinations all over the world as well as great deals and discounted hotels.

TravelMole recently voted sunshine.co.uk as the best Travel Agency in the 2010 web awards.