Long vacation (snowbird) advice

mountainmare

So now I want everyone to feel real sorry for me--it is getting colder and soon we will join the annual grey migration to Florida. Technically we are snow flakes --only stay a bit over two months instead of three or four but I have will have reached goal and will be just tip toeing into maintenance. I know our rental doesn't have a scale but there is a scale in PUBLIX.
How does anyone cope with the change after being so accountable for months. I weigh much of my food now and weigh myself daily. Exercise won't be a problem-we are much more active down south walking and biking everywhere but I am mainly concerned with accountability. We drive a Mustang (red convertible--don't hate me) so packing my scale is really not an option.
I'm thinking of just weighing in PUBLIX and watching that scale for a trend. We don't eat out much and the huge advantage is that fresh veggies are to be had twice a week at the beach produce market.
Just looking for tips.

spiriteagle99

Just log your food as much as you can. I never weigh myself when we're travelling. I use logging mostly to rein myself in, so I don't use the vacation as an excuse to overeat. If it makes you anxious not to know, then use the publix scale, but it may not be accurate. Maybe a gym or health clinic?

cmriverside

You could buy a scale for $10 at the thrift store. Even brand new they're what, $30?

Donate it when you leave, or shove it under that black leather bucket seat. :win:

cmriverside

I'm one of those who used to way over-pack and then one day I realized I wasn't going to the Outback, there would be stores with flipflops and suntan lotion and hairdryers in Miami. Last time I was in Florida I even mailed my dirty clothes back home so I could carry my newly bought stuff in my luggage because if there's room in a suitcase, Imma fill it.

amy19355

cmriverside wrote: »

You could buy a scale for $10 at the thrift store. Even brand new they're what, $30?

Donate it when you leave, or shove it under that black leather bucket seat. :win:

^^ this!

middlehaitch

I think weighing in a Publix as (reasonably) soon as you get there, and then checking that weight weekly isn't too bad of an idea if it will help you relax and enjoy yourself while being a snowflake.

Just don't expect the numbers to be the same, or as reliable, as at home. It is a public scale after all.

Use it as a snapshot in time, and look for consistency rather than accuracy.

I suppose if you can't fit a scale in your car, there isn't a chance of me stowing away? I could enjoy 2 month in Florida.

Cheers, h.

mitch16

Do you stay in the same rental every year? Buy an inexpensive scale at Target--as someone said above, don't assume that it will be exactly like you home scale, but use it to note trends--and leave it there when you come back north.

apullum

I don’t consider a bathroom scale a necessity. I consider a food scale a necessity.

Weigh yourself occasionally at the Publix if you want, but bring your kitchen scale to weigh your food. If you really can’t bring it, then buy a cheap one when you get there as @cmriverside said.

FL_Hiker

I’ll let you barrow a scale if I can stay at your winter home 😉

lorrpb

Why can’t you put a scale in a red convertible mustang? Will it fall out?

kshama2001

I moved to Florida in a Saturn, so there's room in your Mustang for your food scale

Sure, you could use the Publix scale or some well fitting jeans for your body weight.

nowine4me

Order one from amazon for $12 and leave it for the next folks. Sounds like a lovely few months.

mountainmare

Thank you all-- There might be a scale in the house (i never looked). If not I think I'll join the line of geezers who use the Publix scale. I never could figure out why there was always someone stepping on the scale--now I know. Since I'm not trying to lose, just maintain I just need to keep an idea that I'm not trending up I like the idea of packing something non-stretchy, I have some "test clothes capris" that usually stay home that I can pack. I've started to wean myself away from weighing my food, doing well (not gaining) so the food scale will stay home. I usually come home a bit lighter, but in the past have been about 20 pounds heavier for the trip.
Now my only concern will be hoping the red tide is gone.
Trust me--the trunk space in a Mustang convertible (again--get out the violins) is TINY!! And we usually put the top down by Georgia so back seat packing needs to be wind proof (more violins please).
Again--many thanks

Phoebe5164

I’d throw in my kitchen scale and a measuring tape ... enjoy your holiday ! Enjoy the seasonal fruits too! 🌼

Lounmoun

If you are watching your calorie intake as accurately as you can most of the time your weight should stay pretty close to where you want it to whether you weigh yourself regularly or not. Take a food scale if you usually use one.
Since you say you don't plan to eat out much and will be active it doesn't seem like it would be that hard to go on as normal for a couple of months in a different location.

mountainmare

It usually is going along like normal (except we look out the window and see the water..wish that was normal). It has been years since I was aware that my weight had crept up and many many years since I made an effort to lose weight and now keep it off so that is the new normal. I guess like so many of the "I'm at goal" people I am now afraid of undoing the hard work of the last six months. I have time to tweek some maintaining strategies ... had not really counted on trying to enter mainenance just hitting both the holidays and Florida, thought I wouldn't be here--but that is not a bad problem to have. I am "prepacked" but will look again and take some non stretchy shorts and use the Publix scale once a week to check trends. I'll log as best I can...way back in the day I used a paper calorie counter book and a calculator, if I could do that estimating here will be a snap!
So looking forward to when the Plant City strawberries and the honeybells come in, and the Ruskin tomatoes and fresh baby beets!!! (and local CORN!!)

PAV8888

Gas for Mustang to drive packed food and body scales vs Amazon price of same delivered = too close to call.

Plus they make a lovely gift for the next tenant.

No reason to risk line ups. You are agonizing over a US$20 purchase if you pick carefully.

The new scale won't necessarily match the numbers of your old one... but it will allow you to continue to monitor your general weight trend.

cmriverside

Or there's always:

alexialmann

Just curious OP, where in FL?

RodaRose

Here's a page that give updates on the red tide:
http://www.myfwc.com/RedTideStatus
http://www.myfwc.com/media/4518181/rt-count-map1109.pdf

glassyo

RodaRose wrote: »

Here's a page that give updates on the red tide:
http://www.myfwc.com/RedTideStatus
http://www.myfwc.com/media/4518181/rt-count-map1109.pdf

Ok, I totally thought the red tide was her period.

missysippy930

Another vote for bringing a scale. It’s not going to fly out of an open convertible 😉 Put it on the floor or under a seat.
Or buy one when you get there if you are that concerned about watching your weight. If your clothes are getting tight, cut back. Options are available, up to you.
I’ve never gotten the winter migration to the south. I retired 12/31/17 and after almost a year I still like where I am and the changing seasons, especially when I no longer have to drive every day.

FL_Hiker

I find it funny you like the corn here... corn doesn’t really grow well in most parts of FL. It’s always short and covered in bugs. We tried growing it one year and even after applying heavy pesticides the caterpillars won. We usually go up north to get corn. Where are you going for your corn?

mountainmare

I'm 69--the red tide is the algae that is on the Gulf coast (and now other places) right now. We go to Anna Maria island and love it for a couple of months but right about March it is getting too hot. We get a chance to see the fall leaves, usually a bit of snow and the spring flowers, but to be able to be outside in the sun in the middle of winter is wonderful (and yes I do swim in the Gulf--just me and the crazy Canadians). I agree that the corn is not as good as we get here during our season--but to get fresh corn and tomatoes that taste like tomatoes and strawberries in the middle of winter is wonderful.
Just to put things into perspective--we each pack a 24 inch suitcase, take our favorite beach chairs and the Sportbrella, that literally fills the trunk to the brim.
When I retired ten years ago (got a buyout) we cruised alot--one time we pre-cruised on Anna Maria and decided for the price of a cruise we could stay longer in Florida, it started with one week, then two, then a month, then two months.
I dropped a bit more starting maintenance so it looks like I'll have a cushion, I thank you for all the advice--I do think I was worrying for no reason--am packing some non-stretchy stuff and will that be my guide. I never worried about weighing in the past--would just be pleasantly surprised when I got home with a loss (and then would cocoon in the house glaring at the ice and snow and put on the weight I lost). I'm just being silly.