3 weight loss habits that could make you look heavier
By Valerian Khakayi, August 14, 2026Trying to shed a few kilos before a holiday may seem like a good idea, but making sudden changes to your diet or exercise routine could leave you looking less lean than expected.
As Google searches for fast or extreme weight loss spike by more than 300 per cent during beach season, experts are warning against crash changes in the final two weeks before a holiday. Some popular weight-loss habits can trigger bloating, gas and muscle swelling, temporarily making the body appear heavier.
Maria AbiHanna, CEO and nutritionist at Food Label Maker, has highlighted three common habits that could work against people trying to achieve a slimmer appearance before hitting the beach.
Here are the habits that could make you look heavier and not leaner.
- Eating too much fibre
Fibre is an important part of a healthy diet, but suddenly increasing your intake shortly before a holiday can have an uncomfortable effect.
According to AbiHanna, many people do not consume the recommended 25 grams of fibre per day for women and 38 grams for men. However, introducing large amounts of fibre less than a week or two before a vacation can cause bloating and gas.
Fermentable fibres are broken down by gut bacteria, producing gas that can leave the stomach looking and feeling bloated.
What to do instead
Give your body time to adjust to dietary changes and increase your fibre intake gradually.
Good options include oats, which contain about 4 grams of fibre per serving; avocados with around 10–14 grams; and apples with approximately 4–5 grams.
- Relying on ‘sugar-free’ snacks and gum
Sugar-free sweets, chocolates and chewing gum may appear to be an easy way to cut calories before a holiday. However, some contain sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, which the body does not fully absorb.
These sweeteners can draw water into the gut and are fermented by gut bacteria, potentially causing bloating and making the stomach appear fuller.
What to do instead
If you want something sweet, consider options such as stevia or monk fruit, which are not fermented in the same way. It is also important to check the labels on so-called ‘diet’ and ‘sugar-free’ snacks.
- Adding extra gym sessions before a vacation
Trying to accelerate weight loss by suddenly spending more time at the gym can also have unintended effects.
Additional exercise can contribute to muscle tension and temporary changes in muscle thickness. Switching suddenly from regular treadmill jogging to demanding uphill or downhill running, for example, can place additional strain on the muscles.
A sudden increase in exercises such as bicycle crunches can also increase the risk of muscle spasms and injuries.
What to do instead
Rather than dramatically increasing your workouts in the final days before a holiday, maintain a consistent training routine.
Swimming can be an effective calorie-burning exercise, with an estimated 400–700 calories burned in an hour. However, pushing the body through several unusually intense gym sessions just before a vacation may make achieving a leaner appearance more difficult.
Expert advice
AbiHanna cautioned against trying to transform the body in just a few days, urging people with only two weeks before a holiday to focus on sustainable food and exercise habits.
“You cannot healthily impact your body in a short time. If you have just 2 weeks to prepare for vacation, focus on food habits and exercises that will give you the most energy during vacation,” she said.
She also recommended paying attention to nutrition, noting that bananas, oats and sweet potatoes are digested slowly and can help avoid blood sugar spikes and crashes while providing fibre, vitamin A and complex carbohydrates.
The key takeaway is that last-minute extreme measures may not deliver the beach-body results people expect. Gradual dietary changes and consistent exercise are more sustainable approaches than attempting to overhaul your routine just days before a holiday.