A week away from home....worried!

frmrdtr

So in a couple weeks, I'm flying home (Nebraska) to see the folks and a few friends for a week. I'm not sure I'm ready to be away from my routine that I've had for the past seven months. I stay pretty true to my calorie/exercise regime. But I am starting to worry/think about how I'm going to handle myself for a week being away from that stable course. I am glad MFP is mobile, I can use it on my iPod touch to at least keep an eye on my intake for each day.

I have been mentally preparing myself for the bombardments of going out to eat and having a few drinks. I can see myself easily slipping into my old habits. However, I am trying to get prepared for it and hoping to resist the temptations.

Any suggestions on how I can handle being away from my normal routine for a week? I do plan on exercising every day (weather permitting)- I'm just worried about my abilities to handle food intake.

frmrdtr

Anyone?

frmrdtr

Thanks for your input everyone. I will put it to good use.

Amazing.

lilpoindexter

I drink carbonated/ mineral water when "out" drinking...Someone always makes a wisecrack about me being " on the wagon"...I just smile the first time, after that, I ignore them... It's not that I don't like alcohol, I just don't want all the damn empty calories...

Here in Southern California we have a chain of grilled chicken called El Pollo Loco...I usually eat that stuff with pinto beans and corn on the cob when I want fast food..I don't even get bored eating the same thing all the time...but there's probably no El Pollo Loco in Nebraska, so maybe a simple processed chicken salad from McDonalds, with some lemons squeezed on it instead of dressing.

Other than that, just watch the portion sizes, and chew slowly.

marsellient

I second the drinking advice above. Offer to be the DD, or have one drink. Make a commitment to log when you can. Remember that you know how to get on track when you get home, too. Patience!

rc429

I try to keep healthy snacks on hand when I travel so that when I get hungry, I have an option other than something that may be high calorie/low nutritional value. I usually put a few 100-calorie packs of nuts in my bag or pick up some fruit. I think being able to track your intake will be helpful too. Have fun!

croderiques

suggest eating a couple of meals in, offer to grocery shop/cook meals ( then you get to control the ingredients) & make yourself exercise everyday even if it is poor weather. If your visiting family, hopefully they are supportive of you and will understand your wanting to stay on track

tommygirl2

I like to look at restaurant menus ahead of time (if you know where you will be dining). I pretty much make my selection before I get to the restaurant. This makes it so that I don't have to read the menu and am not tempted to change my selection.

126siany

If you're going to be there a full week, I'd stop at the grocery store the first day and purchase a few staples for breakfasts and lunches. If you can keep one or two meals per day routine, you'll have a lot more flexibility with those dinners out and much less anxiety, too.

Keep in mind that you can eat up to maintenance and not gain!

papate

I just tonight got back from a week in Hawaii and I was scared to even think what might have happened to my new found loss and exercise and change in eating habits. I didn't worry about it while I was gone and when I got on the scale tonight, which is not my normal time for weight check, I had only gone up 4 pounds, I hope that with a morning weigh it will be even less. I know I will get that off and continue losing as before. It's all willpower, dedication, determination, common sense, etc etc. WE CAN DO THIS !

apocalypsepwnie

I offered to cook every night when I was at my parent's place. The offer was turned down so I just made salads and vegetables to accompany the mains we were having and not eating so much of them. I had complete control over my breakfast, lunch and snack options as I went to the supermarket upon arrival and bought the things I needed.
Knowing I don't get as snacky when I'm not at work, it was easy for me to shift some cals into dinner so I didn't look like a picky cow not eating much. My mum also lives on some of the biggest hills in the city and in a block of appartments with a millionty stairs so there was my exercise!

The thing I found the hardest was being treated like a stange alien invalid. They got upset when I turned down lifts to places and just wanted to walk instead. Also shopping was a nightmare as everything I picked up was questioned and as they were shopping at the same time I got asked if I was 'allowed' to eat every item they picked up.
At the end of the day, those things cannot sway the action of what I put in my mouth. I forewarned them I was eating healthy and would continue there. I had to realise their concept of 'eating healthy' was 'dieting' and everything I should have put in my mouth should have been either rabbit food or crazily processed lite and diet foods.

In saying that, it did give me the opportunity to start changing their perception of healthy eating. I was still eating take away shop salads and chickens. I still ate deep fried spring rolls (I don't care what eating plan I'm on, I'll ALWAYS make allowances for my mum's spring rolls). I ate ice cream. I ate full fat yogurt. The meals I was eating had them drooling! Yogurt with berries and rye toast..... poached eggs and baby spinach... salads chock full of tasty things.

Just plan ahead. Ask where you'll be going and try and save the cals for it. If you go over, exercise a little more the next day to make up for it. Don't think you can't enjoy because you are on this plan.
I wouldn't be drinking alcohol though, but that's because I don't really like to.

jjtyrrell31

I'm in a similar situation...visiting the family in Iowa for two weeks, including 3 football tailgates! I made it through the first one unscathed, thankfully, and I've actually managed to continue losing. The mobile app will be your best friend. Keep logging, even on the bad days, and keep up the exercise and you will be fine. You can do it!!! I live and die by my routine back in SoCal, but I know that I need to learn how to do this even under circumstances that are not ideal. I don't know your family situation, but I am very lucky to have an extremely supportive family who is well aware of my weight loss journey and they are doing their best to be encouraging. I wish you all the best!!!

alie001

You have all the information you need, and the willpower. The same things that are driving you in your home environment will be the same things that motivate you when you are on your trip. You can do this. You also have to remember to enjoy your trip though. By the sounds of it this trip is not something you are able to do all the time to please ENJOY yourself and don't let micromanaging overwhelm you.
YOU GOT THIS!

frmrdtr

THANK YOU ALL!!! I appreciate each of your suggestions! I was so disappointed when no one had posted anything- hence the sarcasm....

Thanks to all of your suggestions, I think I have a pretty good plan. My folks live in a small town so there's not much option for going out, and I can cook meals for them as well. I'm going to (my first) Nebraska football game while I'm there, but I doubt I'll be doing any drinking. I'll be too overwhelmed at the 85k people that attend to want to go try and find a beer! I will take snacks that I can put in my pockets - almonds are a good idea.

If I get too overwhelmed, I'll just go back and read all of your comments!

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!:bigsmile: