Back on the Wagon After Being Abroad

LauraJo08

Hey all!

So I used MFP all summer and lost 15 pounds, gaining a ton of confidence and abs in the process. Then, I left late August to study abroad in the West African nation of Senegal for four months, getting back on Monday. Unfortunately, the Senegalese diet revolves around rice, oil, and bread. Literally, some days that was all that I ate, and it was impossible to count calories. Even though I ran or did Insanity workouts 6X per week, I definitely gained 10 pounds back of what I lost, along with losing the tonage that I worked so hard for this summer.

So, I'm back in MN for two weeks of the holiday season (hello cookies and fatty meals) until I leave to study in Greece for the month of January. Then I go back for my last semester of college, which I want to feel amazing for! I'm feeling pretty down on myself because even though all my clothes still fit (some barely), I forgot how uncomfortable it is to have love handles and a non-toned back. This coupled with the difficulty of eating well while baking for Christmas and my mental fatigue with doing the insanity workouts for the last four months is making me feel like a failure.

I have a history of eating disorders and finally thought that I got my eating/exercising under control this summer, but now I feel like I am back to square one, and in a difficult situation with the holidays and my upcoming month abroad. Therefore, I'm asking for advice on a few things: A) What are good strategies for "coming back" after falling off the wagon? I'm getting TurboFire for Christmas, but other than that, jillian michaels, insanity, and P90X, does anyone have good and exciting workout suggestions? and C) Give me all your best advice for eating well while traveling, especially when you don't have control over restaurant options!

Thanks everyone, and I would love to get some more friends, especially college-aged!

Laura