Do you log on vacations?

elaineamj
elaineamj Posts: 347 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I started MFP in January and am now facing my first vacation. We are headed down to Orlando in mid-March (along with half of the US judging from the severe lack of hotel space!) for a week. Really debating on whether or not to log. I don't intend to watch what I eat other than to eat more sensible portions for at least 75% of my meals. I expect to be walking a LOT (hitting Universal and Disney) so that should take care of the exercise portion.

I'm still new enough that logging is a fairly slow process for me. Wondering if it's worth the effort just for the sake of the data and curiosity...

Right now when I eat out at a restaurant/friend's house, I take notes on my phone and log later that night at home, making the best estimates I can.
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Replies

  • AmberSpamber
    AmberSpamber Posts: 391 Member
    I didn't log when I went on vacation and it totally threw me off when I got home. It's not the easiest thing to do, but it will at least give you an idea on how many calories you are consuming. Those treats at disney are LOADED with calories. So, if you are like me and get side tracked easily, I would still log. If not, then enjoy every bite and get back on track when you get home!
  • emmycantbemeeko
    emmycantbemeeko Posts: 303 Member
    I don't log if I'm out of cell service (like overseas or on a cruise) but I do log even when on vacation and not stressing about a deficit. It probably isn't the most accurate logging I do, but it's an eye-opener to look up restaurant meals and helps keep me honest with myself.

    I want to keep in the habit and also don't like missing out on data.
  • lsutiger2112
    lsutiger2112 Posts: 17 Member
    I always log everything, even if I decide that I will go over that day for a special occasion.
  • BruinsGal_91
    BruinsGal_91 Posts: 1,400 Member
    edited February 2016
    I log on vacation, but I accept that it isn't going to be 100% accurate. I also accept that most days I will be going over my calories, but counter this by not eating back as many of my exercise calories the first week I'm back home.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited February 2016
    I never did...

    Most, if not all of the weight people gain on vacation and freak out about is water weight and excess waste in the system and airplane bloat.

    Beyond that, pretty much every vacation I've ever been on involves a lot of activity...more than enough to make up for eating more. I've never gained actual weight (fat) on vacation...and often I'm down a couple pounds. The only time I usually put on scale weight is when I fly...because airplane bloat and it disappears in a matter of a couple of days.

    Vacation is a time to enjoy yourself and your family and see and experience new things...it's not a time for stressing about diet IMO.
  • nordlead2005
    nordlead2005 Posts: 1,303 Member
    Yes. I aim for maintenance on vacation and do my best to estimate. On past vacation and business travel I tend to go over maintenance a few days and then tend to be under a few days since I'm not as hungry any more. The logging stops the completely mindless snacking on things like M&M's. I still have plenty, I just don't down 800 calories of them in a day just because I'm on vacation.

    I also like to have data with no gaps which makes calculating TDEE over an average time frame easier.
  • sanfromny
    sanfromny Posts: 770 Member
    Depends on where I go. If I'm out of the country then no...
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    lol no. That would be extremely difficult for me and result in completely inaccurate logging.
  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
    I lose my phone, my computer, my lap top and all other devises, except for my e-reader only kindle. What part of "on vacation" don't we get? I don't log. However, I'm not eating blind. I know, more of less, what I can and should have. The scale, when I get home, will tell me how I did. Last vacation, I gained 5 pounds in that week and lost that same 5 pounds in the week I got home. Not logging on vacation lost me two weeks of losing. Well worth it.
  • 257_Lag
    257_Lag Posts: 1,249 Member
    Absolutely not. Realistically you can't do much damage in a week. It's a vacation after all. The most I have ever put on while on vacation was 2 pounds (just recently in fact) and I'll gladly accept that for enjoying myself for a week.
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    257_Lag wrote: »
    Absolutely not. Realistically you can't do much damage in a week. It's a vacation after all. The most I have ever put on while on vacation was 2 pounds (just recently in fact) and I'll gladly accept that for enjoying myself for a week.

    I've got an all inclusive honeymoon to Jamaica coming up and I plan on doing as much damage as possible. B)
  • nordlead2005
    nordlead2005 Posts: 1,303 Member
    pondee629 wrote: »
    I lose my phone, my computer, my lap top and all other devises, except for my e-reader only kindle. What part of "on vacation" don't we get?

    So, reading an electronic book on a limited purpose computer is vacation but reading a website on your cell phone isn't? Using a cell phone to look up restaurants, find directions and communicate with others in your party isn't vacation?

    I'd love to hear the logic explaining this.
  • missyfitz1
    missyfitz1 Posts: 93 Member
    I don't log on vacation. When I go for a week, whether I carefully try to make some better choices or not, I seem to always come home with a seven-pound gain (idk why seven!), which is mostly water weight. I get right back to logging when I get home and lose it within a week, getting me back into the swing of things. As pondee629 said, it's worth the two weeks of not losing to not have to worry about it and just enjoy myself on vacation, and I've never had a problem getting right back into my weight-loss routine when I get home.
  • nordlead2005
    nordlead2005 Posts: 1,303 Member
    257_Lag wrote: »
    Absolutely not. Realistically you can't do much damage in a week. It's a vacation after all. The most I have ever put on while on vacation was 2 pounds (just recently in fact) and I'll gladly accept that for enjoying myself for a week.

    You can still put on 2lb while logging. There is no rule that says you have to eat towards any goal to log your food intake. I'd still try to eat close maintenance regardless of if I log or not.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    if i'm on vacation with cell service, yes i do log.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    i log but how accurate it is is questionable lol
  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
    nordlead2005 wrote: »
    pondee629 wrote: »
    I lose my phone, my computer, my lap top and all other devises, except for my e-reader only kindle. What part of "on vacation" don't we get?

    So, reading an electronic book on a limited purpose computer is vacation but reading a website on your cell phone isn't? Using a cell phone to look up restaurants, find directions and communicate with others in your party isn't vacation?

    I'd love to hear the logic explaining this.

    My read only kindle don't ring. Like I should explain myself to you.
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
    no. I love vacation. I hate logging my food (although it's really the only way I've been successful with weight loss). The two are mutually exclusive for me.
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    Nope. No way.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    Nope. I don't like to eat at chain restaurants - I like to eat local - therefore the items I eat are unlikely to be in the database and everything is just going to be a complete and total guess anyway and not at all accurate so I don't bother. I'm also not going to deny myself the enjoyment of eating yummy food while on vacation. I'll try not to go too crazy and make sure I get lots of physical activity in but I'm not logging. Just my personal preference.
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
    Nope. I always gain a few pounds after coming back from vaca. But I just get back to routine and lose it again afterwards.
  • maidengirl_
    maidengirl_ Posts: 283 Member
    I log when I eat out. If they don't have a nutritional menu, I don't eat there. Even on vacation. Because after the vacation is over, it's back to my regularly scheduled program.
  • nordlead2005
    nordlead2005 Posts: 1,303 Member
    pondee629 wrote: »
    nordlead2005 wrote: »
    pondee629 wrote: »
    I lose my phone, my computer, my lap top and all other devises, except for my e-reader only kindle. What part of "on vacation" don't we get?

    So, reading an electronic book on a limited purpose computer is vacation but reading a website on your cell phone isn't? Using a cell phone to look up restaurants, find directions and communicate with others in your party isn't vacation?

    I'd love to hear the logic explaining this.

    My read only kindle don't ring. Like I should explain myself to you.

    And my phone does, doesn't mean I have to answer it as there is this amazing technology called voice mail, you may have heard of it.

    If you don't want to explain your judgmental attitude, then don't, but don't judge people for enjoying their vacation how they please either.

    As I said, enjoying food and logging are not mutually exclusive. Logging never is and never will be 100% accurate, do it if you want, don't if you don't want. Don't be an old person scolding younger people that item X (that you didn't have in your youth) is what is wrong with the world today.
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    maidengirl_ wrote: »
    I log when I eat out. If they don't have a nutritional menu, I don't eat there. Even on vacation. Because after the vacation is over, it's back to my regularly scheduled program.

    Don't you feel like you're missing out on all of the awesome local food joints? When I go on vacation, I try NOT to eat somewhere that I can eat at home!
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    I_Will_End_You wrote: »
    maidengirl_ wrote: »
    I log when I eat out. If they don't have a nutritional menu, I don't eat there. Even on vacation. Because after the vacation is over, it's back to my regularly scheduled program.

    Don't you feel like you're missing out on all of the awesome local food joints? When I go on vacation, I try NOT to eat somewhere that I can eat at home!

    For real. What's the point of travel if you don't partake in some of the delicious local eats? Sounds miserable.
  • maidengirl_
    maidengirl_ Posts: 283 Member
    I_Will_End_You wrote: »
    maidengirl_ wrote: »
    I log when I eat out. If they don't have a nutritional menu, I don't eat there. Even on vacation. Because after the vacation is over, it's back to my regularly scheduled program.

    Don't you feel like you're missing out on all of the awesome local food joints? When I go on vacation, I try NOT to eat somewhere that I can eat at home!

    No I don't feel like I'm missing out. I would feel more comfortable eating unknowns if I was already at my goal weight. Right now, I don't want to unknowingly eat like 1600 calories in a single meal. Lol.
  • 257_Lag
    257_Lag Posts: 1,249 Member
    Ready2Rock206 wrote: »
    I_Will_End_You wrote: »
    maidengirl_ wrote: »
    I log when I eat out. If they don't have a nutritional menu, I don't eat there. Even on vacation. Because after the vacation is over, it's back to my regularly scheduled program.

    Don't you feel like you're missing out on all of the awesome local food joints? When I go on vacation, I try NOT to eat somewhere that I can eat at home!

    For real. What's the point of travel if you don't partake in some of the delicious local eats? Sounds miserable.

    Yeah right! I couldn't begin to tell you what I ate for breakfast on my last trip to Punta Cana but I can tell you what I DIDN'T eat... eggs bacon cereal etc.

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Yes I do
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    Taking a short trip in a couple of weeks and I have planned my meals already. I'm going to pre-log and try to stick with it but not stress about it.
    I'm not going on the trip to try tons of new restaurants though but to do other activities like hiking trails, no phone, no tv, no internet so that is a different vacation experience than a theme park or cruise. Most of the meals will still be prepared by me because I am staying at a cabin with a kitchen instead of an urban hotel.
  • LBuehrle8
    LBuehrle8 Posts: 4,044 Member
    I try and log on vacation yes, I actually enjoy logging, it's not a chore or bothersome for me.

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