Do you log on vacation?

lisaanne1369

HELL NO! Jamaica in 112 day and cell phone going in safe!

rosebette

I've logged on vacation when I am staying in a vacation cottage or time share condo where I can prepare most of my own food. However, I haven't logged when I've stayed in hotels and been dependent on restaurant food. I just try to be careful, eat a conservative breakfast and lunch, and maybe have a bigger meal at night. I try to limit fried food and not have dessert every day. Also, avoid overdoing on bread and empty starches. I remember going to a buffet and Vegas that had a seafood and sushi section, and after finishing that, I didn't have room for anything else, just a small dessert.

chelstakencharge

I log everything, everyday...regardless

Francl27

I log if I know how many calories I'm eating. If I have no clue, and I know it's just going to be an approximation anyway, I don't bother.

CountryJoy45

You will not have easy access to internet service or cell phone service to log in each day. Use what you know about portion control to try to keep from gaining while on the cruise. There will be a gym available and there should also be a jogging track. Exercise each day. I went on vacation last summer to Cancun and ended up coming home a few pounds lighter than when I left. We were doing a lot of walking while there. We were at an all inclusive resort and I would put mostly healthy foods on my plates. The desserts were tiny portions so I was able to eat dessert every night without it making me gain weight.

I think that if you are careful what you eat while still allowing yourself to enjoy the food and you exercise each day you should be okay.

Booksandbeaches

If I have my smartphone with me, why not. I've logged on vacation before.

beaches61

I would just go and practice moderation. Enjoy some treats, but don't stuff yourself, and do active things, if you stay active it will make a difference.

I went to Italy a few years ago and we ate Italian food and drank wine all through the trip, but we walked so much every single day that I actually ended up losing weight over the course of the 10 days we were there. Since I just ate at meal time and didn't do any snacking because we were so busy, it helped.

For me, alcohol would be a tough one, there's lots of alcohol on cruises and lots of calories in that. If that's not a problem for you, I think it would be easier.

yogaga1

Hell to the no. If it stresses you out too much, maybe consider it like a mini-challenge to practice balance & moderation in your life.

I get one weeks worth of vacation a year and on that week- I put the log down and enjoy my time with my husband and kid to the fullest. I've been diligently tracking for over 2 years now and each vacation I have taken in that time, I have not tracked. Did I come back with a few lbs of water weight? Yes. Helloooooo tropical blended drinks on a beach. Did I drop all the water weight within the first week I was home? Yes. And I kept on trucking.

You could always get out for a swim or join one of the exercise classes each morning before you start your day. Make good choices for breakfast and lunch and then pick something fabulous for dinner and something even more fabulous for dessert. Enjoy yourself. You know you'll be back to the grind when you get home.

You will not undo all your hard work in a couple of days.

Rogiefreida

I'm going on a cruise at the beginning of May and starting to plan how to handle the food. Not sure if I should try to log, or just be careful while relaxing and having a good time. Tips?
Thanks

On a cruise you will have NO cell service so there is no way unless you pay their fees to get online. Honestly just make good choices but enjoy yourself. Cruise food is AWESOME and there's lots of it.

QFT. I went on a cruise last year and was not about to pay for cell service, let alone just to log my food. Have a good time, make some good choices when you can, and enjoy the food, it is AMAZING.

easjer

My normal response would be yes. I log everything, all the time, even weekends/holidays, even when I'm over because I am reinforcing habits and tracking is a good thing for me.

In this case, no - because you won't have access to do so, and it sounds like it would be a huge exercise in frustration. I avoid one of my favorite Indian places now because it's so freaking hard to log (it's the only time I do quick calories and I'm just taking an average there, sigh). If you want to track what you eat, then by all means keep a paper and pen log and note what you ate at each meal with approximate portion sizes. I would do that if I were concerned about moderation or trying to watch my intake, because it's quite easy for me to go overboard if I'm not tracking.

But I also don't think simply enjoying your cruise, some excellent food and a nice vacation from logging is killer. This is exactly the time to do those things! Just resume when you return. Have a safe and fun trip!

blgerig

I've done trips where I have logged and trips where I haven't. When I went to Mexico last summer there was no way I was going to log. But usually I go on smaller long weekend type trips and I do log. I feel best on vacation when I still try to get some workouts in and eat what I want within reason. I don't stress about going over if I want a few extra drinks or snacks, but I don't use it as an excuse to binge the entire time either - mostly because I don't feel well doing that! Enjoy your trip

ndj1979

I try to log but I realize that it will be off ….

enjoy your trip and try not to worry about it too much …if you have a chance to make some healthier choices then go for it, but do not stress over it...

kayms13

I don't log on vacation. Try to make good choices, but enjoy the great food. Don't beat yourself up when you show a gain (because you will, but some of it will be water retention). And get back on track when you get home. Have fun!

jackjackattck

Like most people here have already said, enjoy your vacation! You work hard all year long in so many ways, including your weight loss journey. If I were you, I would forget about MFP and the scale and just enjoy yourself.

I went to Germany for 3 weeks over the holidays this year, and I indulged every chance I got. Even though I knew I was not only eating unhealthy food but I was over eating, I didn't care too much. The last thing I wanted was to regret skipping that pretzel and beer, or that juicy sausage with mustard, just because of the carbs and calories. I ate what I wanted to and immersed myself in the culture.

Sure I did end up gaining a few pounds in that 3 week period.. but they were well worth it to me. It only took a few weeks to get back on track and lose the weight I put on. IMO, although it may derail your journey for a few weeks and a couple pounds, in the long run those will not matter.. the memories and fun you had on vacation will!

kitlynnJ

I am going away at the end of the month. I plan to aim for maintenance, and if I am a bit over I won't beat myself up about it. I don't want to go crazy, but I don't want to spend all my time worrying about food either. I guess I'm going to try for a good balance that is a bit heavier on the treats than it would be at home.

lkw0311

Thanks. I actually dont want to get too far off track.
I dont mind maintaining, but I dont want to gain. I'm going to try to be active and not overdo it...

dancingj2

For me logging is just part of who I am. I try to keep logging even if its been a bad day or if I am on vacation. It can help keep me from going too crazy if I know I only have 17 calories left and still have not had dinner.

I know you may not have exact nutritional information, but I suspect that inputing something will still help give you some idea of how you are doing.

On my last vacation I enjoyed my vacation but did a mediocre job at logging and ended up gaining 5 pounds :frown: It took months to get rid of it.

And I thought the correct saying was: Eat ALL the food!

sfbaumgarten

Yes.

carliekitty

I say go on your vacation and enjoy yourself. My husband loves cruises so i went on two last year. I used the gym and ate what i wanted. I gained about 10 lbs from the week. I drank alcohol also. After about 4 days back i lost 7 lbs of the weight i gained because it was mostly water weight.

UpEarly

Nope!

But most of my vacations are hiking trips, so I burn way more calories than normal. I try to eat as much as humanly possible to compensate. I still always come home a few pounds lighter.