What I Learned About Food While On Vacation
Domicinator
Posts: 261 Member
Some of you might remember me mentioning that I was going to Disney World with my family on vacation this month. I had decided I was not going to log, but was going to try to make healthy choices at meal times (at least as much as possible at a place like that), and would be doing a lot of walking to hopefully offset some of the extra calories I would surely be ingesting on the trip.
Well, it wasn't as black and white as I thought it would be. I left for the trip at 181 lbs. and came back at 185 lbs. We had a REALLY great time at Disney World, and I was fully expecting to put some weight on, so the weight gain was not anything that stressed me out or made me upset. But I definitely learned a few things from this trip:
1. I am NOT yet mentally or physically equipped to stop logging permanently and still maintain my weight. I can honestly say that for about 95% of the meals and snacks I ate, I chose healthy options or split the food with someone else. None of the restaurants we visited on the resort were listed in MFP at all, so I was kind of flying blind and going by when I felt full, but not stuffed. Of the seven days we were gone, there was probably one day where I really consciously pigged out, and the rest of the days I ate what I thought was at least at a level to keep me at maintenance. Not even close. Even with the roughly 20,000 steps a day walking around the various parks, it was not enough to offset all the extra calories I was eating, and I truly didn't feel like I was eating that much.
2. It's ok to take a break from logging and enjoy vacation. I still wasn't quite at my goal weight when we left (I'd like to get down to about 175 if possible), but I was close. I'm looking and feeling really good. My mindset did not go back to my 250 lb. self just by going on vacation and indulging a little bit. When we returned home, I was right back to my healthy diet and back into my logging routine. No real harm done other than the 4 lbs. I gained. I don't look or feel any different than when we left, and I regret nothing.
3. Vacation is a LOT more fun when you're healthy. I've never had so much energy on a trip of this nature. A year ago, 20,000 steps or more a day at a place like Disney World would have killed me. I would have been crabbing at everyone, I would have been constantly tired and hungry, and I probably would have just generally not have been a pleasant guy to be around by the end of each day. Not the case this time. I surprised myself every day by what a go getter I was the entire time. I had energy, I had enthusiasm, and I was always willing to do that one extra thing with the kids at the end of the day, even when my feet were killing me and I was ready to collapse into bed. This was a whole new version of me on vacation, and it felt completely wonderful. I think my wife was really shocked and also very thankful.
4. It's no wonder that I got fat in the first place. Disney World is literally cultures, people, and food from all around the world condensed into one place. But it's the American version of all that. Meaning the portions are huge, the junk food is everywhere, and you can't walk 10 feet without seeing someone selling ice cream. Walking around my home town isn't that much different. McDonald's, Burger King, Taco Bell, Coldstone, Baskin Robbins, etc. seem to be on every corner of every street. There's no avoiding it. Disney World was like this too, but I didn't even have to get out of a car to get it. All I had to do was flash my Magic Band and it was mine. And I wanted to eat it ALL. It was a constant temptation to grab an ice cream cone, a muffin, or a funnel cake from the nearest vendor. The difference now is that I didn't HAVE to have it, so I didn't eat it. And I was fine with that. And I still gained weight, so go figure, right?
Anyway, I just wanted to kind of report back in with what I learned. I think as long as you remain in the correct mindset to stick with the long term plan, a vacation is nothing to stress out over in regards to eating. Plan to not go overboard, plan to gain a little, plan to enjoy yourself, and then plan to lose the lbs. you gained when you get home. No biggie. And for god's sake, leave the food scale at home.
Well, it wasn't as black and white as I thought it would be. I left for the trip at 181 lbs. and came back at 185 lbs. We had a REALLY great time at Disney World, and I was fully expecting to put some weight on, so the weight gain was not anything that stressed me out or made me upset. But I definitely learned a few things from this trip:
1. I am NOT yet mentally or physically equipped to stop logging permanently and still maintain my weight. I can honestly say that for about 95% of the meals and snacks I ate, I chose healthy options or split the food with someone else. None of the restaurants we visited on the resort were listed in MFP at all, so I was kind of flying blind and going by when I felt full, but not stuffed. Of the seven days we were gone, there was probably one day where I really consciously pigged out, and the rest of the days I ate what I thought was at least at a level to keep me at maintenance. Not even close. Even with the roughly 20,000 steps a day walking around the various parks, it was not enough to offset all the extra calories I was eating, and I truly didn't feel like I was eating that much.
2. It's ok to take a break from logging and enjoy vacation. I still wasn't quite at my goal weight when we left (I'd like to get down to about 175 if possible), but I was close. I'm looking and feeling really good. My mindset did not go back to my 250 lb. self just by going on vacation and indulging a little bit. When we returned home, I was right back to my healthy diet and back into my logging routine. No real harm done other than the 4 lbs. I gained. I don't look or feel any different than when we left, and I regret nothing.
3. Vacation is a LOT more fun when you're healthy. I've never had so much energy on a trip of this nature. A year ago, 20,000 steps or more a day at a place like Disney World would have killed me. I would have been crabbing at everyone, I would have been constantly tired and hungry, and I probably would have just generally not have been a pleasant guy to be around by the end of each day. Not the case this time. I surprised myself every day by what a go getter I was the entire time. I had energy, I had enthusiasm, and I was always willing to do that one extra thing with the kids at the end of the day, even when my feet were killing me and I was ready to collapse into bed. This was a whole new version of me on vacation, and it felt completely wonderful. I think my wife was really shocked and also very thankful.
4. It's no wonder that I got fat in the first place. Disney World is literally cultures, people, and food from all around the world condensed into one place. But it's the American version of all that. Meaning the portions are huge, the junk food is everywhere, and you can't walk 10 feet without seeing someone selling ice cream. Walking around my home town isn't that much different. McDonald's, Burger King, Taco Bell, Coldstone, Baskin Robbins, etc. seem to be on every corner of every street. There's no avoiding it. Disney World was like this too, but I didn't even have to get out of a car to get it. All I had to do was flash my Magic Band and it was mine. And I wanted to eat it ALL. It was a constant temptation to grab an ice cream cone, a muffin, or a funnel cake from the nearest vendor. The difference now is that I didn't HAVE to have it, so I didn't eat it. And I was fine with that. And I still gained weight, so go figure, right?
Anyway, I just wanted to kind of report back in with what I learned. I think as long as you remain in the correct mindset to stick with the long term plan, a vacation is nothing to stress out over in regards to eating. Plan to not go overboard, plan to gain a little, plan to enjoy yourself, and then plan to lose the lbs. you gained when you get home. No biggie. And for god's sake, leave the food scale at home.
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Replies
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Thanks for reporting back. We're going to WDW in June with the deluxe dining plan. Yeah, we're going to be doing a LOT of eating. But I feel like I'll approach it the same way you did. Relax, enjoy, and if I need to spend a few weeks burning off what I gain while there, then so be it.
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Thanks for reporting back. We're going to WDW in June with the deluxe dining plan. Yeah, we're going to be doing a LOT of eating. But I feel like I'll approach it the same way you did. Relax, enjoy, and if I need to spend a few weeks burning off what I gain while there, then so be it.
For the record, the meal plan was really nice to have, and the Disney app was really nice for keeping track of all of our dinner reservations and Fast Passes. And I highly recommend the hibachi grill place at Epcot. The food there was absolutely delicious.0 -
Great job!0
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keep in mind too, if you JUST came back, a lot of it may be water/sodium weight and not real weight.0
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The thing that saves me at Disneyland is ordering kids meals for lunch-ok at counter service restaurants - and buying pickles for snacks. The thing that gets me is the churros.0
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callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »keep in mind too, if you JUST came back, a lot of it may be water/sodium weight and not real weight.
What I was going to say. Restaurant food tends to be sodium loaded.
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callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »keep in mind too, if you JUST came back, a lot of it may be water/sodium weight and not real weight.
You know--I should have added that into things I learned, because I do think you're correct. I've already dropped a pound that I gained in Florida, and that shouldn't be happening so quickly at 1900 calories a day. We definitely ate a lot of sodium laden food while there and I felt like a beluga whale by the time we got home.0 -
Domicinator wrote: »callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »keep in mind too, if you JUST came back, a lot of it may be water/sodium weight and not real weight.
You know--I should have added that into things I learned, because I do think you're correct. I've already dropped a pound that I gained in Florida, and that shouldn't be happening so quickly at 1900 calories a day. We definitely ate a lot of sodium laden food while there and I felt like a beluga whale by the time we got home.
Water weight also comes from topping off your glycogen stores when you stop eating at a deficit, and that should also go away pretty quickly once you move back to an energy deficit.0 -
Sounds like a wonderful holiday and you have learned a lot about your new self, well done.
Love that you felt more energized and happy....really nice insights.
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Well done you. Sound like all your hard work benefited the whole family. So nice.
Yup, I generally get back from a 2 week vacation with 5 lb of water that makes me pee like an elephant for a whole day. Usually on day 4 or 5.
I now base my workouts around my next vacation- makes them so much more enjoyable; both the work out and vacation.
Cheers, h.0 -
Love #3! I've noticed that too. Where I used to crash on vacation & rest in the room while the kids went swimming, I go with them now. I don't have to sit down every 5 minutes at the zoo. Even at home, I'm willing to go to a movie or play a game after dinner where I used to just be too tired. I used to chalk a lot of that up to my personality (I'm a dud, anti-social, etc), but it turns out most of it was just the weight! What a shame!0
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Love #3! I've noticed that too. Where I used to crash on vacation & rest in the room while the kids went swimming, I go with them now. I don't have to sit down every 5 minutes at the zoo. Even at home, I'm willing to go to a movie or play a game after dinner where I used to just be too tired. I used to chalk a lot of that up to my personality (I'm a dud, anti-social, etc), but it turns out most of it was just the weight! What a shame!
I am definitely the same way--pretty introverted and prefer to do things at home unless it's just my wife and me or sometimes our families. I get kind of squirmy at big social events too. But on this trip it was totally different, and it has been totally different at other events throughout the year too. I'm just more comfortable in my own skin now, and I don't feel like "the fat guy" anymore. It also helps that bending over to tie my shoes doesn't completely rob me of all oxygen now, so it's much easier to leave the house! 0 -
We love going to WDW. Definitely a place where you can consume a gazillion pounds of food each day.
Sounds like you did a fantastic job at finding a healthy balance of keeping the food thing in check while having an enjoyable time without sweating about all the cals.
Nicely done!0 -
Well some of the water weight is probably from the flight, assuming that you flew over.
But yeah. I came to the same conclusion, even if I'm careful 90% of the time and restrict myself a lot, I pretty much always gain weight on vacations. I guess that's just life from now on...0
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