IF, like me, you love to indulge in the local cuisine while on holiday abroad, then some damage control ideas are a must. Lying by the pool is a great way to chill out and recharge the batteries but squeezing in a workout or brisk walk before or after will also help you feel more relaxed. I'm not saying you should spend two hours in the gym every day of your holiday: 20 to 30 minutes is plenty and if you can add some intensity, that's great too.

Travelling abroad can leave you feeling stiff and lethargic, what with airports, transfers, security, time differences, more transfers ... I also find aeroplane seats are a killer on the lower back. A short workout will get your body pumping blood and allow you to beat the jet lag as well as any travel stiffness.

I know what some of you may be thinking: "I'm on holiday, I'm not here to work out." But one of the main benefits of exercise is it helps you relax. It's such a great feeling to wake up, hit a short training session, shower, have breakfast and then go to the beach.

5 tips for a healthier vacation

1. Try working out first thing in the morning. This will also boost your metabolism and endorphin levels for the day. Raising your metabolism like this means the increased calories consumed will have a lesser effect on your waistline and the extra endorphins will have you start the day in an extra happy holiday mood. Many hotels have small gyms with a selection of free weights, some cardiovascular machines and some space to stretch. Some even have saunas and steam rooms. If you are already following a training plan, stick to what you are doing but try super-setting (two exercises done back to back with no break) to keep workouts short and intense.

2. Breakfast like a champion. Try to avoid loading your plate with cakes or sugar-filled pastry first thing in the morning. Starting the day with these foods sets up a long-lasting craving for them which will last. Opt for oats and fresh fruit or some eggs on wholemeal toast, with a pint of iced water and fresh lemon. One thing I am guilty of on holiday is forgetting to drink enough water. Start the day hydrated to make the most of your break.

3. Be an active tourist. Get out and explore on foot – there is no better way to see a new town or country than simply walking around it for the day. You will find things that you won't see on a map or in the tourist pamphlet at your hotel. Play some racket ball or football on the beach, swim in the pool or – even better – in the sea. Hire a canoe, go for a hike, or even try wakeboarding. All these activities will have you burning those extra holiday calories while having fun.

4. Choose your booze wisely. The average pint of beer contains 180-200 calories, while a gin and tonic has 95-105 calories. Swapping your tipple could save you overindulging by half. Everyone loves a summer cocktail but be aware that most of these taste so good because they are loaded with sugar. Pina Colada, Margarita and Daiquiri all have around 250 calories per drink. Four cocktails and you're already hitting an average daily intake allowance.

5. Don't stress if you have one bad day, but try not let one bad day roll into the next. Habits can be formed by doing the same thing consecutively. Time to check back in on steps 1-4.

The holiday gym programme

All the following pairs should be done together as a superset. For example, 10 bench press followed by 10 bent over row, then a 1 minute break: that's one set.

Dumbbell Bench Press 3 x 10

Dumbbell Bent Over Row 3 x 10

Dumbbell walking lunge 3 x 10

Dumbbell shoulder press 3 x 10

Dumbbell bicep curl 3 x 10

Plank to failure 3 x ?

If you are in good condition or want to add in something to really burn a little extra try adding in 10 burpees after each superset. This would look like 10 walking lunges, 10 shoulder press, 10 burpees followed by one minute off.

If you are more of a bodyweight training fan, give this a bash. Pick from three of the following: push-ups, pull-ups, burpees, box jumps (use any stable surface around 15-24 inches in height), V-sit ups. Do 10 of each, then nine of each then eight of each all the way down to one. That's 55 reps of each exercise so if you've done your three that makes 165 reps in total.

The bang for your buck cardio session

You can do the TABATA protocol on any piece of cardio equipment you find in the gym. Everyone has a few minutes to spare. If the gym has a rowing machine and that's your favourite piece of equipment, get on the rower and row for three minutes at a warm-up pace. Then restart the rower. Continue as follows: row your heart out for 20 seconds (think shark in the water) followed by 10 seconds of rest. Do this for a total of eight rounds over four minutes and the go back to your warm-up pace to ease your heart rate back down ... and that's it! The same thing is easily done on a stationary bike or treadmill. One to three rounds is plenty for anyone if you are truly giving 90-100 per cent effort.

No hotel gym? No problem!

Find a hill around 20-40 meters up, the steeper the better. After a 5-10 minute warm-up run and a stretch, go to the bottom of this hill. Sprint up the hill as fast as you can and walk back to the bottom. Repeat another four times or until your legs are feeling like jelly. When you're doing hill sprints, keep looking up no matter how tired you get. Try keeping your sprint in a straight line, driving your knees up and your hips forward. When sprinting, there should be little to no heel contact on the ground. Fast and explosive is the key.

Have an amazing summer holiday, and if you do train while away, take a picture and either email it to us or tag us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter and we will share it.