Gym-loving mum shares how to enjoy your holidays without piling on the pounds

We all love going on holiday, but it's fair to say we indulge a little more when we go away.

From eating all the delicious food to sampling a few more tipples - it's easy to get carried away a little when you're abroad. But a gym expert recently revealed there are simple things you can do to avoid unnecessary weight gain and maintain your health.

Shannon Collins, 44, AKA The Gym Nurse to her 150,000 Instagram followers, is known for sharing fitness advice online. She is very honest about her fitness journey, and how hard she's worked to transform her body.

In a recent post, she turned her attention to holidays, and whether people worry about returning from them "several pounds heavier". If you're tired of the cycle, and wonder why it happens every time you go away, she said there's no need to panic.

This is because there are things you can do to prevent it from happening if you follow some rules. Shannon said, one of the biggest reasons she sees is happen to women is because they're always in "diet" or "restrict" mode at home, and then when they go away they see it as a pass to go a bit mad.

She said there's a mentality that this sort of food "isn't allowed" at home, so people tend to over-indulge, and then there isn't a balance. This can cause people to eat too much.

Shannon wrote: "When you are well fed and nourished at home, you don’t have the desire to make vacation into free for all. It’s just meals in another location.

"There is no reason to be constantly dieting at home. Always gaining and losing the same weight."

The mum also offered some other tips to help people enjoy their holidays without gaining too much extra weight. Here's what she advised, in her own words:

• Eat filling meals, without overdoing it too much, that are packed with protein and fibre when possible.

• Avoid snacks.

• Be picky with desserts, and don’t eat things just because they're there. You don't need pudding every day.

• Drink as much water as possible.

• Limit the amount of alcohol you drink.

• Walk as much as you can after eating a meal.

• Get as much sleep and rest as possible.

• As soon as you get home, get back into routine quickly.

Shannon added: "I also never train or do cardio on vacation. I welcome the break and don’t feel the need to 'earn' my food.

"Just pointing this out because I think some people think if they miss a workout for a few days, or God forbid a week, they are going to lose muscle and gain all sorts of fat.

"Not possible, UNLESS you continue to treat vacations like a binge fest, and take in THOUSANDS of calories a day."

Since she shared the post, it's been liked hundreds of times and received plenty of positive comments.

One person said: "More balance at home = more balance on vacation!" Another wrote: "Yes!!!! I’ve lived that way of restricting and going crazy on vacation. This balance is much more enjoyable!"

A third also replied: "Same!! I don’t work out on vacation. I'm not deprived at home so never feel the need to over do it on vacation. Well said."