Travelling to Guatemala without gaining weight

rnasm

Hi,

This is my first time posting here, but I have been tracking on my fitness pal for three months now. I am posting this for my sister, she is going to Central America next week, mostly to Guatemala, but also thinking about going to Honduras. She will be mostly spending her time with friends and touring.

We have been on a diet for 15 weeks now, calorie counting on MFP and using slim fast products. While she is not exercising enough and her activity levels are very low, she is still doing great sticking with her goal and has not taken any breaks.

For the trip we have agreed that she should take a semi-break during the trip, as calorie counting will be too hard to do while eating out. Also, her activity level while travelling will be much more than her current and she will be wearing a tracker to better know. She agreed though that she should follow some rules.

The rules we have decided till now are as follows:
1) No dessert after meals, only one per day as snack, focus on local foods.
2) No foods (especially snacks) that can be found back home (so she will not take it as an opportunity to binge)
3) Portion control: each meal has a set size (dinner one standard size plate, including appetizers. Breakfast and lunch we are yet to decide)
4) Breakfast: If eating local foods only portion control (not decide on portion) if normal foods eat same as when calorie counting (max 200 cal)
5) No sweet drinks, allowed to experience local drinks once but only half a glass.
6) Alcohol: I am still trying to get calories on their local drinks, but might make less strict rules about it.

Our main concern now are the food choices, especially that I cannot find alot of information on Guatemalan food. We have found a few rules on Mexican Mayan cuisine, as what to aim for, what to eat less of, and what to avoid, but from what I understand it is not that close to Guatemalan food.

I would really appreciate any more ideas on this, either about general tips and rules regarding travel to "exotic" places, or Guatemalan food in particular.

Thank you, I am really looking forward to your replies
Rana

kimw91

I'd start by not calling them 'rules'. The word 'allowed' makes the hair on my skin stand up. I feel restricted and like my holiday fun is being suppressed already, and I'm not even going anywhere, but that's personal (and not relevant to your question, I guess).

I get the focus on local food from a certain perspective, but if there are tastier, healthier non-local options, wouldn't it make sense to opt for those?

I think your sister will be most likely to binge if she continually has to say no to everything her friends are enjoying. This is what I experience anyway. So I wouldn't 'forbid' her to have snacks she can find back home too (mind you, this includes all fruits etc.). To me it'd make more sense to aim to stick to three meals a day and two small snacks, one of which being a piece of fruit. Then an 'unhealthy' snack or dessert once a week or so (which makes me realize: how long is she going for? If it's just a week, I wouldn't fret too much).

I think portion control (don't go all out just because it's a buffet), knowing your food (red sauces over white, steamed, baked and grilled over fried, lean meats over high fat etc.) and not drinking too much are your best guidelines when on holiday.

ShannonMpls

Those "rules" sound like a drag. A 200 calorie breakfast before a full day of sightseeing? "Allowed" to experience half a glass of a local drink?

How about these rules instead?

1) Enjoy your vacation.
2) Be mindful about how much you are eating and drinking.
3) Taste local foods and drinks with a sense of adventure, not shame and restriction.
4) Be active, exploring the world - walk, bike, hike.
5) Return to regular eating when you return. Weight gained - which is likely to be minimal, if any - will soon be gone.

I'd also consider changing your "diet" to one that is more sustainable for the long-term. I mean, diets are great at losing weight, but when the focus is on restriction and what is "allowed," that makes transitioning from the diet into long-term maintenance pretty difficult. I lost 130 pounds and have been keeping it off for 2.5 years. I never worried about how to continue my diet while on vacation because I wasn't ever on a diet. Instead, I enjoyed myself, enjoyed my vacation, recharged and refreshed, ate things I didn't typically eat, loved my time away, then returned to my normal once I got back. As a result, vacations never set me back long. In fact, the break - mentally and physically - from logging and routine made it much easier to stick with my habits for the long haul.

Just my two cents.

RodaRose

The "rule" thing is weird.
Look for the vegetables and fruits. Limit fried if you can. Also choose sweets carefully.
If you are near the coast, you will have seafood options.
http://vanessabarrington.com/2009/01/a-tour-of-food-in-guatemala.html

rnasm

Hi klmw91,

"but if there are tastier, healthier non-local options, wouldn't it make sense to opt for those?"

She enjoys latin foods, and exploring foods in general. There is no blanket no against other foods, just that she should follow the existing pattern she has been following. This is just a way of ensuring she does not feel inclined to stick to food she knows than to explore which is the purpose of travel.

"To me it'd make more sense to aim to stick to three meals a day and two small snacks,"

That's a good thing to keep in mind thanks.

rnasm

ShannonMpls

ShannonMpls wrote: »

"I'd also consider changing your "diet" to one that is more sustainable for the long-term. I mean, diets are great at losing weight, but when the focus is on restriction and what is "allowed,""

What we are doing now is very sustainable, there are no pure "restrictions"; she eats any food she wants, knows how to make healthy choices, monitor that weekly food distributions are healthy. Her concern now is that the cuisine is very new.

ShannonMpls wrote: »

1) Enjoy your vacation.

Of course that is there! But when we consider travel to be a part of your lifestyle, when you travel atleast one week every 5 weeks, go to a new places once every 2 months, then healthy "rules" should be taken into account.

I understand that a person should look for sustainable, and not to aim to continue losing weight while travelling, but gaining weight especially due to lack of knowledge of local food to make good choices will be depressing.

Thanks again

tonyrocks922

When I travel I eat whatever I want but in a reasonable quantity and don't count/log. I don't continue to lose, but I've never gained anything but water weight on vacation.

rnasm

tonyrocks922 wrote: »

When I travel I eat whatever I want but in a reasonable quantity and don't count/log. I don't continue to lose, but I've never gained anything but water weight on vacation.

That is what we are hoping for, she is not planning on counting/logging, but it is hard to judge what is reasonable with such a new cuisine, and will she should still enjoy the amazing foods on offer

azulvioleta6

It should be fairly easy to find foods that are low calorie and low fat. It should also be easy to find good fruits and vegetables, but be very careful about food safety and cleanliness. Raw green salads are not terribly safe anywhere in Latin America. Only drink pure fruit juices that have not been made with any potentially contaminated water. Avoid ice at all cost.

Unfortunately, those cultures tend to eat a lot of very high-carb foods, so that is a big challenge for those who are sensitive to carbs.

You are likely to get in much more walking than usual, so you may not have to be super careful about what you eat, especially for a relatively short trip.

azulvioleta6

There aren't any local alcohols in those countries that are worth trying. Mostly you will find beer, rum and aguardiente, all of which are available in some form worldwide.

If you are at a coffee or cacao farm, or are served local/high quality coffee or chocolate, that is something to indulge in. Tropical fruit juices can be amazing too.

tonyrocks922

azulvioleta6 wrote: »

Only drink pure fruit juices that have not been made with any potentially contaminated water. Avoid ice at all cost.

I think this is blown out of proportion. People get travelers' diarrhea from eating differently and they blame it on the water. I haven't been to guatamala specifically but I've drank iced drinks and water all over central america with no ill effects.

azulvioleta6

I've had cholera...trust me, that's not the way you want to lose weight! In more than a decade of living and traveling in Latin America, the only time I ever got seriously ill was when I drank juice made with water in a slightly-sketchy restaurant.

I'm also a bit iffy on eggs, milk products, and meat in Latin America...if in doubt, make sure that things are thoroughly cooked and served hot.

Seafood can be of surprisingly good quality and freshness even quite far away from the coasts. I lived in Quito for a long time and was really impressed with how great the seafood was up in the mountains.

goddessofawesome

tonyrocks922 wrote: »

azulvioleta6 wrote: »

Only drink pure fruit juices that have not been made with any potentially contaminated water. Avoid ice at all cost.

I think this is blown out of proportion. People get travelers' diarrhea from eating differently and they blame it on the water. I haven't been to guatamala specifically but I've drank iced drinks and water all over central america with no ill effects.

It honestly depends on where I was. If I were in a sketchy area I'd avoid drinking the water and having ice in my drinks at all costs. More local places I wouldn't be as worried. With that said there still is the chance that you can get a contaminated ice cube in a drink.

dbmata

Going to Guatemala and not wanting to gain weight?

Drink the water.

crystalflame

I went to Guatemala last year. The portions are smaller than American portions, so you have instant calorie control there. Popular breakfasts include beans and eggs with tortillas and some sort of salsa, and lunches and dinners tend to be stew-like: proteins in sauce served with rice and/or tortillas. Pepian is the big local dish - chicken in a tomatillo, pepper, and spice sauce served with rice. Quite healthy. As long as she eats reasonable portions and doesn't eat all the tortillas provided, she'll be fine. Also, I walked ALL FREAKING DAY while we were there, including hiking a volcano. I needed the carbs for energy and tried to keep some fresh fruit with me for a quick snack when I started to wilt.

The local beer is worth trying. Zacapa is the best rum in the world. And if she's in Antigua, there's a wine shop where each glass of wine you buy is cheaper than the previous one.

Also in Antigua: Hector's, which would be a 4-5 star restaurant anywhere else in the world and absolutely must be tried, and a local chocolate shop run by Pablo who's one of the most awesome people on the planet.

Worrying about calories on an active trip just isn't worth it. Eat sensibly, eat enough to fuel your activity, enjoy it.

ETA: If you guys have been at this 15 weeks, you can afford a diet break. Eating around maintenance for the duration of her trip will probably help keep the weight coming off steadily when she gets back home.

ttcbelieve

Hi i'll add drinking lots of water especially in the evening

toronto_j

I travel quite a bit (usually two weeks max) and I don't worry too much. I haven't gained any weight on my last few trips. Basically I stick to drinking lots of water, eating fresh food, being mindful of portion sizes/eating one big meal and two smaller ones, limiting fried food and keeping up physical exercise (whether through activity like hiking or using a hotel gym). I know it's tough to give up control for a little while, but as long as I haven't gained (or gained more than a pound) when I get back, I'm happy. I was in Colombia last year and the portion sizes are huge with around 7 items on the plate but it seems to have been balanced out by all the physical activity. I ate lots of meat, hamburgers, a few desserts and alcohol.

mojohowitz

Drink the local water and you'll lose weight.

2BeHappy2

If OP's sister has been doing good on her own and losing weight in her current lifestyle and now she's going to a place where more exercise will be implemented into her days then she shouldn't be obligated to stringent rules!
She apparently knows how to choose her foods and by now should be able to eyeball something in regards to inputting into MFP at the very least a rough guesstimate will be better than nothing, especially because she'll be exercising more than she is now (by OP's account).
We each have our own road to travel, Please let your sister enjoy her time there while you stick to your own plans!
How 1 eats in their own familiar surroundings will usually be different when they go out of it, so let her enjoy this time of being with her friends and getting to visit such a wonderful place
Since she will get more exercise in her days and she's well aware of good and not so good choices, allow her the opportunity to experience all the wonders of everything good over there without all these restrictions.
Remember, she's her own person!

dbmata

OMG, I can bold my entire post? I'm doing that for now on.

Italics too. That's awesome.

rnasm

azulvioleta6 wrote: »

It should be fairly easy to find foods that are low calorie and low fat. It should also be easy to find good fruits and vegetables, but be very careful about food safety and cleanliness. Raw green salads are not terribly safe anywhere in Latin America. Only drink pure fruit juices that have not been made with any potentially contaminated water. Avoid ice at all cost.

Thanks for the heads up her stomach is quite resilient, but yeah its easy to forget this especially if you are meeting local friends.

azulvioleta6 wrote: »

Unfortunately, those cultures tend to eat a lot of very high-carb foods, so that is a big challenge for those who are sensitive to carbs.

You are likely to get in much more walking than usual, so you may not have to be super careful about what you eat, especially for a relatively short trip.

True about the carbs! The form they are in its easy to underestimate! There will be a bet of socializing in addition to the touring; she will be wearing a fitness tracker (with incline function, for mountainous areas) she can eat a bit more carb on those days

Thanks