Do you track on vacation?

mollyr0425

Don't worry about it for the following reasons:

1) You are going to walk so much in Paris it's ridiculous
2) Portions in Europe are much smaller so even when you're enjoying French food you won't be over eating
3) You won't snack as much because snacks in France are a) expensive b) smaller and c) less available. Obviously they have snacks but you won't see vending machines in your hotel or a mcD's on every corner they way we do in North America.

Enjoy your vacation. Paris is unreal.

lizzocat

If you do track, I wouldn't worry about accuracy. I would probably track just to keep a record of what i ate (and it would probably help to keep me somewhat in check) but don't let it affect your trip.

debrakgoogins

I recently went to Florida with my son. I tracked every day. I also walked about 10 miles a day so I had tons of extra calories to use up. Tracking my food helped me make better choices but I still enjoyed awesome meals. I didn't lose or gain, maintained so it was worth it to me. If I hadn't tracked, I would most likely have gained.

MythicalMe84

I am going to Georgia next month for a week to visit my husband's aunt and uncle and I am already thinking about how I am going to get exercise in. We are also going to Galveston in May for our anniversary and I probably won't worry about logging then but will try to do plenty of walking. I can not eat anything now without being mindful of what it is so this probably won't change.

pap3rw1ngs

It depends. I don't track when I'm on vacation in the US because there's so much stuff I want to eat and I'm there for such a short time that I'd rather just experience everything without worrying about the calories. Last vacation I put on almost 10lbs in 3 weeks and it was all gone after 3 weeks back on track.

yesimpson

I log if I have phone service, but I'm not fussed about being accurate, and I certainly won't turn something down if it would put me over my calorie goal. I'm assuming you'll do a lot of walking in order to see all the sights so you will probably be burning off a bit more than you would do in an average day if your job is sedentary.

Sometimes it has been interesting to look back and see just how many calories I can manage to stuff in during a week if I put my mind to it...

SandyCoils

That's a good question/thread topic. I don't have a real vacation (week or more away) in my sights for some years. I am going to TX for a few days in April and I will be logging. Honestly, whether I make good choices or not, I think I am one of those people who needs to log every day. I don't think I can trust myself not to log. Logging has been crazy helpful for me to see where I am during the day, and where I am heading if I go over. I'm not saying I would deprive myself, but it would help me to not completely lose control. I don't know if I will ever stop logging as it is a tool that I need to keep myself in check now and possibly forever.

sgthaggard

I'm another OCD tracker but, when I go to the Caribbean in July, my food scale and HRM are staying at home. I still plan on eating reasonably and staying active but tracking calories is going to be almost impossible.

vchan000

I track, but I don't count.

Last time I vacationed I was still using a paper journal for food, so I carefully tracked everything I ate and drank, but I didn't pay much attention to the totals. If I wanted another beer, I had one, and didn't sweat the calories.

Part of it is I make a distinction between logging my food and counting calories. I do the same on holidays and my Christmas day generally looks horrific if you added all the numbers up, but a day or even a week isn't going to send you off the rails so long as it's not every day, or every week.

Enjoy France!

Unknown

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ShannonMpls

Not a chance.

katiesTARDIS

I've gone both ways and I did better when I did track. It's really a matter of if you're concerned about gaining a couple pounds over vacation. If not, then don't track. If you're wanting to stay on track, keep on tracking.

katmumn

I'm thinking I'm at least going to write down what I eat as I'm planning to carry a small journal to help me make notes to go with my pictures when I get back. I'm thinking I'm going to limit snacks, and try to make choices that are reasonable in terms of food but know that even with all of the walking I will likely still go over at least a few days.

I definitely want to have crème brulee and crepes at least once as they are 2 of my most favorite foods.

segacs

Seriously, though, for me it depends on where I'm going on vacation.

If I'm travelling somewhere near home with similar food as home, or somewhere where the food isn't all that great, then yeah, I'll probably log and track and try to still eat at a deficit.

If I'm going to Paris? For 5 days? I'd eat ALL THE THINGS and not worry about it. All that walking and extra exercise will compensate, and even if I gain a pound or two, it'll be worth it because, well, it's Paris and French food is heavenly and divine and so totally worth the calories.

Rubie81

I don't track while on vacation. I also allow myself to indulge. And 9 out of 10 times I come back "skinnier" than when I left. Most likely due to all of my walking and being in a relaxed environment.

Kimberly_Harper

I'm going to try! I have a feeling that's going to be a lax week for me, though.

becky10rp

Cell phone service is a 'biggie'. We take a lot of cruises - can't get service when you're out at sea - and I don't feel like paying the $50 a day to get service! That's the only time I don't log!

morgo20

When I go, I hit the gym every second day, and eat healthy choices, as well as have some treats obvoiusly!! I am going to Mexico, and plan opn drinking lots, but smart choices, red wine etc.. in the end, come back and a week of work will undue all the bad! Enjoy

DawnieB1977

DKG28 wrote: »

Portions sizes are smaller; prices for dining out are very high in Paris. That'll help. I would taste as much as possible -cheese, baguette, wine, you name it. It's part of the attraction of going to France

I don't find Paris that expensive for eating out in, but I'm English and we seem to pay too much for everything.

Portion sizes are small though, and there are plenty of healthy options. I love France. I did a French degree and spent my third year of uni in France (Avignon).

I haven't been on vacation since using MFP, but I think I'd take a break from logging. I'd still eat healthily, but I don't see the point in logging when you don't know how much things weigh, exactly what ingredients are in meals etc.

I ate healthily when I went on my all inclusive 2 week honeymoon to Cuba back in 2008 and I only gained 1lb, and I think that was from the Dominos pizza we ordered when we got home.

You'll also do a lot of walking in Paris, you can walk pretty much everywhere.

snoringcat

I tracked when I was on holiday in Crete for a week last year. Not accurately (no food scale, lol!) but more of an exercise and 'cos I hate to see a 'missed day' in MFP. Did lots of walking/swimming so any inaccuracies made up for by exercise & I didn't stress out on it - if I wanted an extra wine I had one.

AskTracyAnnK28

BFDeal wrote: »

Most people are going to say "it's a short vacation/birthday/holiday, no big deal. it's just one/a few days." But if you ever run in to problems and ask for help you're going to get "I see these empty days on your diary, you're not tracking, you're lying about your intake, etc etc." Double edged sword.

Sad but true

LeanButNotMean44

I have tracked while on vacation and will continue to do so. I walked a TON on both of my European vacations and just tried to log as best as I could, although a lot of the foods I ate weren't really in the database (i.e. honey filled mini croissants in Rome - TO.DIE.FOR!).

brynnsmom

@ 970Mickaela1, LOL!

I do not track on vacations. They tend to involve a lot of walking or other physical activity, so I allow myself that mental break from my food diary with no guilt. That said, we tend to keep our trips under a week long. If I were planning to be gone for several weeks I would want to at least track for some of that time to keep the habit.

UrnAsh_

I try my best to.

clarissanbowman

The only reason I will still track on vacation is because I don't want to lose my streak.

SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage

I always track, whether on vacation or not. If I'm in a cabin or something I will bring along my scale for accuracy. If not, I just enter my meals into MFP the best I can. While some people can say "eff it, I'm on vacation", my personality doesn't work that way. I enjoy my vacation more if I know I'm not going to come home at a 15 lb weight gain that I will have to stress out about. I can still enjoy my vacation without going over.
To each their own.

DawnieB1977

I lived in France for a year when I was 21. I came home thinner.... I'd never heard of MFP then and I certainly didn't up weigh my food. You can maintain/lose weight/enjoy a holiday without logging you know!

Ready2Rock206

Nope. I do not track on vacation. I like to eat good local food, not at chain restaurants that provide nutritional info, so my calorie counts are just going to be completely inaccurate guesses anyway. I just try not to go crazy and be as active as I can.