Vacation Anxiety...

Runnermadre

Hi All! My husband and I have been doing MFP for 3.5 months now, and we've both had success with it. He has lost over 30 lbs and I have lost 16. On Sunday we are leaving on a week long trip to celebrate our five year anniversary. We've already planned how to be able to get our runs in while we're gone, but then there's the food. The first place we're staying has banana splits every night, and then we're going to a town with an attraction called the Food Trail. I'm not saying I want to pig out while we're gone, but I want to enjoy myself and not worry about every calorie. Still, I don't want to undo everything I've done. Any thoughts or suggestions? Syncing this vacation thing with the new lifestyle seems almost impossible!

bethrs

Well- you could use the app and try to keep track. Or you could go and just try to rely on what you have learned...either way, here are a few thoughts to keep in mind.

3500 calories equal one pound. Currently you are at a deficit from maintenance, so you would have to eat alot more each and every day to undo your current loss. like 56,000 calories over the trip to gain back 16 lbs- or 8,000 OVER maintence each day to gain it back.

True you may gain a pound or two- with sodium increase, water weight and more food I would expect to see a jump in the scale- so don't weigh yourself right when you get back, give it a week or so. The scale will depress you.

I suggest keep it to one big treat a day- either dessert or a drink, but not both. Or a meal you usually wouldn't eat, but not followed by a dessert. That sort of thing should keep you in pretty good shape calorie wise.

Mostly, just have a good time and consider this practice for the rest of your life, you will take more vacations and one day will likely want to manage your weight without logging your food. This is a good time to practice those skills.