Posted by
sf-admin onLast Updated 1st May 2019 at 9:30 am
Don’t let your ski holiday derail your healthy habits – follow our tips to make your family ski holiday a healthy one.
When you go skiing, you are putting your body in an unusual situation. The temperature, altitude and the huge amount of exercise you undertake when you spend a fun packed day skiing all have an impact on your body.
It is therefore important to suitably prepare your family each day by giving your bodies the right kind of fuel, remaining fully hydrated and, above all else, knowing your limits and stopping when you need to.
Chalet menus designed by award-winning caterers
We understand that food and drink are an important part of any family chalet holiday. Our family ski chalets are all catered with 3 course evening meals with wine, 6 nights of the week. Our catered chalet menu has been carefully designed to provide you with well-presented, nutritious, filling food each night.
Children’s food is freshly prepared every day and has been designed to encourage even the fussiest of eaters. Homemade purées and a range of Hipp Organic baby food are also available for babies and toddlers.
If you have any special dietary requirements let us know in advance of your holiday and we’ll be happy to tailor a menu to your needs.
Here are some helpful rules to follow to ensure that you stay fit and healthy on the ski slopes:
Eat a balanced breakfast before you hit the slopes
Don’t go skiing on an empty stomach. As with any exercise you need energy in order to keep going. An intermediate skier will burn between 300 and 600 calories each hour, and usually spend 4-6 hours every day on the slopes – that’s a pretty decent workout!
More extreme skiers and ski tourers can burn up to 1,000 calories in an hour. For skiers, making sure you consume enough calories for breakfast and throughout the day is crucial in order to keep your energy levels up.
Ski Famille families enjoy tasty chalet meals in the evening and parents will often treat themselves out on the mountain at lunch time. This means that the calories burnt from skiing will usually be replaced in the high-calorie, indulgent meals consumed.
Eggs, peanut butter, and porridge are fantastic breakfast choices that will slowly release energy throughout the day.
Pack plenty of portable, healthy snacks
When skiing with the family it is a good idea to bring along some snacks to keep you going while having fun on the slopes.
Having to stop every hour to find a place to refuel can be a pain, and children will appreciate having something to keep them full of energy in between meals. High carb snacks and cereal bars are ideal for skiing, but watch out for ones that are packed with protein as these can freeze while you are out on the slopes!
Top tip: granola bars or tasty trail mix are good options that are easy to carry and will provide a great boost of energy.
Keep lunch light – but set enough time aside
Even on a powder day, you must break for lunch. After a morning of skiing you and your family will need both a physical and nutritional break.
But how do you prevent that post-lunch sluggish feeling? Ditch the fried foods and go for a balance of lean proteins, carbohydrates, natural sugars and healthy, natural fats.
By avoiding fried or carb-heavy foods you won’t have that horrible, weighed down feeling. Eating a good balance of carbohydrates and protein such as a chicken or turkey sandwich with some salad, or a medium portion of pasta will be enough to see you through until the afternoon.
Types of food to go for when skiing:
- Lean meats such as turkey or chicken
- A small amount of carbohydrates such as pasta, bread, potatoes and rice.
- Portable fruits, vegetables and nuts – oranges, apples, raisins, apricots, bananas, etc.
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!
Skiing is thirsty work so make sure you have water, either within a flask or a hydration platypus, with you at all times. Try to avoid alcohol at lunch, one glass is fine, and encourage the children to choose fresh fruit juice, milk or water over sugary fruit drinks or carbonated drinks.
The exertion of skiing plus the altitude can easily dehydrate even the most seasoned skiers, which can lead to headaches, nausea and fatigue – not ideal if you want to make the most of your time on the slopes.
So keep this in mind and make sure you stop to rehydrate regularly!
Après-ski eating
When you have finished a fantastic day of skiing have another light snack to keep you feeling full and energised right up to dinner.
Eating after exercise is important as you will still be using energy after you stop, so choosing energy packed foods such as nuts and crackers will help your body recover quickly.
Paying attention to your nutrition on your family skiing holiday is so important. Just taking a few simple steps to ensure you and your family stays properly fuelled can make all the difference, and mean you can all make the most of your time on the slopes.
If you are looking for the perfect family skiing holiday this season, then look no further! We have a great range of catered ski chalets in France from £1,999 for a family of four. Call our helpful team now on 01252 365 495 and we’ll help you book the perfect ski holiday for your family this season.