Vacation horrors

mollywhippet

My husband and I are on a one week car trip, and its not going well -diet wise. I've been logging my food faithfully, staying right at 1200 calories, and still have gained a little weight. One day we were driving hard to try to make it to our hotel, and didn't want to stop long for dinner, so we stopped at Little Caeser's and got a hot&ready pizza and ate in the car. I ate two pieces, which calories fit into my diet. All I had the rest of the day were cereal for breakfast and a slim fast for lunch. Well, the next morning I found I had gained 18 ounces! I was mortified! Yes, I know there are ups and downs, but so far it had not been this drastic. That was three days ago and it hasn't gone away. Gee, I hope it's water weight. Stupid pizza didn't even taste that good. (And, yes, I brought my digital bathroom scales on the trip.)

Then, my husband took a picture of me to send to the grand kids and I saw it. Bad mistake. I have not changed one iota in appearance from my heaviest weight. I thought I would be able to see the difference.

Plus, the harsh fluorescent lights in the hotel bathrooms is not helping my self image one little bit. The saggy skin, wrinkles, puckers and bruises (from blood thinners) all show in high relief. It makes me want to cry.

On the plus side, we hiked 1.2 miles yesterday, up and down hills, and I wasn't even out of breath. Not even a little, and my hips and knees didn't hurt at all. I felt great! I could not have done that at all 6 months ago. Today we're going on another hike, and I'm looking forward to it.

So, tell me about your vacation horrors.

JakeBrownVB

most holiday weight gains are just 90% water weight.

I went on holiday a month back and ate/drank probably around 8000 calories each day minimum, gained 4 lbs at th end. Did I panic? nope I knew I would loose it and it was mostly water weight.

What happened: dropped the 4 pounds in 48 hours of being back from holiday.

mollywhippet

Oh, I hope you're right. I just got on the scale this morning and found I have gained ANOTHER whole pound! Thanks for making me feel better.

Oh boy, I can have 8000 calories today!

RGv2

most holiday weight gains are just 90% water weight.

I went on holiday a month back and ate/drank probably around 8000 calories each day minimum, gained 4 lbs at th end. Did I panic? nope I knew I would loose it and it was mostly water weight.

What happened: dropped the 4 pounds in 48 hours of being back from holiday.

^^^This.

You need to enjoy your vacation. I went on a 7 day Caribbean cruise a year or two ago. I worked out in the morning, but ate and drank whatever I wanted all day, and sea days I only got off the lounge chair for a beverage or ride down the waterslide.

I gained 8lbs that week. I weighed myself the Sunday we got back, and by Thursday I dropped all 8 lbs.

chandanista

It's a vacation. Quit weighing yourself for a week and enjoy it! Have some fun! Make some memories! And not depressing memories. You can go back to losing weight later. For now, give your mind a break.

kr1stadee

You sound a little obsessed. You're away for 1 week so the scale would have been fine if you left it at home. I bet if you hold that picture that you don't like up against a picture of you 63lbs ago, you'd notice a HUGE difference. You just don't see it in yourself.

You most likely are holding onto fluid (sitting in a car all day, eating restaurant food and most likely not drinking much water). Stop worrying, you will survive and lose the 18 ounces gained...

(don't know how you can survive a road trip at 1200 calories a day...you could most likely eat more and still lose decent weight each week!)

fit4lifeUcan2

You're in a car driving around all day unable to move much at all. You're going to retain water just because of that alone. Whenever you get a chance to walk.. do it!! I have to stop every hour somewhere and walk around a bit or my joints swell up really bad. You may not notice it the way I do but you're going to retain water when your sitting for long periods like that.

ALSO: Don't weigh yourself while on vacation. Try to enjoy yourself. Remember too that the scale your using while on vacation is not the same as the one you're using at home and most likely is not accurate. And if you're bringing your home scale with you while on vacation then you need serious help.

WhiteGirlWasted13

Sounds like you packed the wrong stuff.

Put that scale back into the trunk of the car and leave it there until you're back home.

Get some water bottles and some fresh fruit and keep it with you at all times.

Get out of the car every chance you get and walk around, even if it's only for five minutes.

Stop stressing out about your body and enjoy the things you can already do with it. The rest of the weight will come off when it comes off.

Start acting like you're on vacation! Otherwise, you should have kept your butt at home.

Unknown

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mjrkearney

Um, I lost 5 pounds the last time I went on vacation. Granted, I was staying with a friend's parents and I have personal rules against raiding other people's kitchens which led to pretty rampant under-eating. That, and combining lap-bad surgery with "trying to feed the kids" led to meals that I wouldn't normally let through my front door.

As for the OP, like everybody else has said, just relax already. Road trips suck for the body, even if you do eat right. You're retaining water, not moving for several hours at a stretch, and are probably about a half-step above coma-mode. You can't even digest right because of how you're sitting.

Just do what you can, throw the scale out the window (with varying surfaces you'll never get a consistent read anyway), and try to enjoy your trip. You can burn it back off when you get home.

lorim200

Sounds like you packed the wrong stuff.

Put that scale back into the trunk of the car and leave it there until you're back home.

Get some water bottles and some fresh fruit and keep it with you at all times.

Get out of the car every chance you get and walk around, even if it's only for five minutes.

Stop stressing out about your body and enjoy the things you can already do with it. The rest of the weight will come off when it comes off.

Start acting like you're on vacation! Otherwise, you should have kept your butt at home.

I have never quoted before so I hope this works. I agree with this post 100%

mollywhippet

No, that was my point. I don't look ANY different than I did 63 pounds ago. At least with my clothes on. Without, I have some loose and baggy skin, but it doesn't show much. My upper arms actually look worse, like deflated balloons that bag over the elbows. Gross, huh?

xombiebite

erm vacation horror? went to Dominican and caught strep so bad that i had to be taken to the ER as soon as i got off the plane as my throat was closing up.

went to panama and lost 15lbs because all i ate were plantains

Sharon_C

I think you need to relax. Take the batteries out of the scale and throw them away. Bury it in your luggage and ENJOY YOURSELF! Life is not always about weighing yourself down to the last ounce.

I just came back from a 7 day cruise in which I ate approximately 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners and WAY more dessert than I should have EVERY DAY. I gained two pounds. I'm not at all worried that it will stay. I'll work it off. In the meantime I have GREAT memories and because I didn't think about calories I came back refreshed and ready to jump back into it.

PunkinSpice79

I take my bathroom scale on vacation too. You are not alone! :blushing:

When I eat restaurant food, it's almost always high sodium, so water retention is the most likely culprit. Hiking is a great activity - way high calorie burns! Great job!

I got my husband to take some pictures of me in a bathing suit so I can compare when I get to my goal weight. Maybe you should do that too? I think sometimes, we're the last to notice changes in ourselves. You'll get there - keep up the great work! :flowerforyou:

mollywhippet

Ok, the scale is in the car. By the way, it was my husband's idea to bring the scale. I wanted to leave it at home. He's almost as invested in this weight loss thing as I am. A few months ago I nearly died and had to have angioplasty and stent or I would have. I have two other arteries that are partially blocked, so losing weight and controlling my blood pressure and cholesterol are pretty important. It does seem a little obsessive, but I thought I was just dedicated to it. My husband is trying to lose some weight along with me. Who knows what his arteries look like.

But, I did relax more today. I still logged my food, but I went over by a couple hundred calories. I thoroughly enjoyed half a Cuban sandwich and a cup of chili - both of which I have not had in years! PLUS half a Hershey bar. It was all bliss, but now I feel stuffed and bloated, so I'm off for a walk now.

Thanks everybody for your kind advice!

mollywhippet

Ok, you win. Those sound just awful. I'm having a wonderful time in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The weather has been blessedly cool compared to the hundred degrees I came from. Lots of interesting things to see and do. Lighthouses, waterfalls, national park stuff. It's been a great week. Except for the two pounds.

ddky

Your on vacation. Just try not to go crazy and stay off the scale. Relax and enjoy.

UrbanLotus

You gained 18oz??? Sorry but I am LMAO, you know you don't just gain fat overnight, right? And also that if you move a digital scale it isn't as accurate and needs to be reacalibrated? Basically what this boils down to is - chill out and enjoy your vacation.

arl1286

I just spent 2 months in South America and came back 19 pounds heavier. I win.

CashierCantin

I went on vacation for 10 days, had no full length mirror or scale to keep me in check other than MFP on my cell phone and the size clothing I took with me. I came home 2 pounds lighter! It can be done.

Edited to Add: I also did not exercise other than a little walk from the parking lot to the car when shopping.

iheartmy1dog

I'm too obsessed w/ exercise(working on that)... But tried going on fam vacation several wks ago. We drove all day... I started panicking because I had exercised only 90mins and the day was getting closer to being over. Once we got there I couldn't take it, and came home... 1st thing I did was get on the scale--gained 2lbs! I freaked out......... But like others said, it came off in the next couple days(must've been water weight). Don't be like me and enjoy your vacation!!

Ready2Rock206

Put the scale away. Relax and enjoy your vacation. Quit torturing yourself. Be sure you're drinking enough water though.

scrapjen

... I personally just don't really enjoy "vacations" period. Some people love to travel ... I'm not one of them. The whole eating/exercise aside... (although I'm only a couple months into tracking calories on MFP and I don't want to take a "vacation" from that at this time, I still feel like I'm in the habit forming stages). I'm REALLY struggling with this today and had even done a blog post about it this morning. Not sure what to do. TOM does NOT help with the emotional attitude I'm having! http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/scrapjen/view/-vacation-enjoyment-or-anxiety-563832

lsmsrbls

Please enjoy yourself while you're on vacation (it sounds like you are now trying to). Stress relief is imprtant.

mollywhippet

I got back home Saturday and did not weigh myself till Monday, and found that I really did not gain weight as I feared. In fact im at a new low, down more than a pound. I work so hard to lose every ounce that I was terrified of going backwards. Now I can get back on my routine. Thanks four your help.