How do you handle vacation eating?

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TammyS327
TammyS327 Posts: 134 Member
in Motivation and Support
I have a mini vacation coming up next week for 4 days and not sure how I am going to handle it. I am heading to the beach for Bike Week which usually means lots of seafood, including oysters fried, raw, baked, and steamed, beer, tropical drinks and beer. I'm sure I can locate a salad or something very light for lunch but the evenings are going to be rough. Exercise won't be a problem because I will take daily walks on the beach and continue the 30 day squat challenge, but the food will be a hurdle. So how do you deal with vacation? Do you still count calories, carbs or whatever you are watching? Do you let your hair down and just have everything in moderation?
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Replies

  • Mazzyx
    Mazzyx Posts: 131
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    Hey,
    I tend to let my hair down but eat in moderation. If you are still doing your exercises, I wouldnt worry too much. Its your holiday, enjoy it! :smile: :wink:
  • azzkikin
    azzkikin Posts: 458 Member
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    Just take it one fork at a time and enjoy the ride.
  • Natihilator
    Natihilator Posts: 1,778 Member
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    I Indulge on seafood because I can't really get the good stuff at home. I would just limit the fried stuff and try to eat more steamed/grilled and maybe stick to 1 tropical drink per day, because those can add up with calories quick.

    Have a great time!
  • jreesethomas
    jreesethomas Posts: 1 Member
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    Don't worry so much about what you're eating, but try to stick to a strict policy of no seconds. Enjoy a moderate serving, and don't go back for more.
  • EmilyOfTheSun
    EmilyOfTheSun Posts: 1,548 Member
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    It's vacation. I usually just enjoy the crap out of it and over indulge like a complete slob.
    Just don't let your vacation habits turn into your everyday way of doing things. Get back in the game after vaca!

    Hope you have a good time.
  • elainecroft
    elainecroft Posts: 595 Member
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    Enjoy yourself, but just try to make good choices. For example, eat a ton of the raw/ grilled seafood, but not the fried. Drink light beer or wine instead of cocktails, or try to interspace cocktails with other drinks.

    The no-seconds idea is good too - I am going to steal that one!
  • khall86790
    khall86790 Posts: 1,100 Member
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    Hey,
    I tend to let my hair down but eat in moderation. If you are still doing your exercises, I wouldnt worry too much. Its your holiday, enjoy it! :smile: :wink:

    This.
  • jdhosier
    jdhosier Posts: 315 Member
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    I do my best to log my calories, even though it really annoys my wife. I am always over, but I will track it and own it. Besides, it helps me to make better choices, or at the very least, informed decision.

    Enjoy your vacation.
  • tuffytuffy1
    tuffytuffy1 Posts: 920 Member
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    I tend to just try to eat in moderation. When I go on vacation, we usually rent a house and grill so I eat lots of grilled chicken, grilled fish, grilled veggies. If you are going out to dinner, when I was in Disney World, I ordered a lot of grilled chicken salads, things like that. Try not to stress, just enjoy yourself!
  • Sweetestthing87
    Sweetestthing87 Posts: 276 Member
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    When I go on vacation I like to workout first thing in the morning. I typically get a 2-4 mile run in and then I feel great the rest of the day. It also helps curb my appetite and I am sure I consume less by keeping active.

    I try to eat lighter for breakfast and lunch and then for dinner I let my hair down and eat what I want but rarely do I overindulge.

    Most importantly, enjoy yourself. That is what vacations are all about. I am on the countdown to a vaction myself. It is so exciting. The funny thing about doing this program/using MFP continuously is that you develop healthier eating habits and suddenly vacations aren't about how much weight you will gain but more about how much fun you will have and how much more active you will be.
  • mazdauk
    mazdauk Posts: 1,380 Member
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    I just had a break 3 weeks ago, and by logging my exercise as well I could see I was actually not really over my allowance even though I was having a cooked breakfast. One day we didn'thave lunch as we were full, but did on other days and had some drinks:drinker:

    Switch your calories to maintenance and as others have said avoid those trpoical drinks (you know fruit juice is calorific, so stick to spirit with a slimline mixer, or have wone or beer - but get small beers if you can).

    Its only 4 days, be good before you go and when you get back and it will make no difference (or not enough to be bothersome)
  • patty43ck
    patty43ck Posts: 248 Member
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    As long as you walk the beach, do your squats and try to pick the grilled option on the seafood, enjoy those fruity concoctions girlfriend...it's not like you do that all the time! Let your hair down and enjoy your vacation!
  • mkoff32
    mkoff32 Posts: 88 Member
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    When I'm on vacation I don't work out and eat whatever I want. It's vacation. It won't kill you. Enjoy yourself and get back on track when you get home. Everyone needs to let loose every once in a while and enjoy life.
  • KAR1959
    KAR1959 Posts: 4,249 Member
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    I eat in moderation and try to make good choices. Usually when I go to the beach I walk so much I don't have to worry. I have actually loss weight on vacation. Just enjoy yourself.
  • running_shoe
    running_shoe Posts: 180 Member
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    On vacation, I just go off the rails. Vacation is about leaving stress behind. No work, no counting, just hedonism. You'll be back to real life soon enough. ENJOY!
  • Kelley528
    Kelley528 Posts: 319 Member
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    I dont vacations are an excuse to eat like a pig. Its one thing not to exercise the way you would if you were home but personally, I believe you still need to be accountable for what you eat.

    As long as you eat right you can still have all the so-called treats people seem to think you cant have. If you want to have fried or breaded seafood, just dont do it 3 meals a day every day. Dont overlead on the portion sizes.

    Thinking you need to eat a salad every day wont keep your weight loss sustainable in the future anyway. It is not realistic. You are better off learning how to control what you eat and how you eat now so you can keep it up for the rest of your life.
  • caseythirteen
    caseythirteen Posts: 956 Member
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    I'll typically not worry too much about it, especially if I'm still doing some exercise. Having just gotten back from a trip, I can say that I tried to eat a decent breakfast and sometimes lunch and I also brought some healthy snacks that were easily portable. The two that I used the most were Quest bars and homemade trail mix (almonds, sunflower seeds and dried cranberries). For the trail mix, I just measured it out in to baggies before leaving home and that way it was easy for me to throw a bag in to my bag/purse for the day. Since they are both pretty dense snacks, it helped keep my appetite at bay until meal times and therefore avoiding junk snacks (which were everywhere - it was Disney World :smile: ).
  • BikerGirlElaine
    BikerGirlElaine Posts: 1,631 Member
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    It's bike week. Enjoy it. Especially if it is the only rally you are going to.

    However, I have plans for a bunch of rallies this summer. I'm planning to stick with the best healthy low cal options available to me except for like one or two meals each rally.

    I've got some restrictions on my eating so I have been bringing a lot of my own food for years now. I have a protein shake for breakfast that I bring all of the supplies for. We camp at rallies, so I am going to bring freeze dried foods all mixed up with seasonings, etc. in baggies. Find some hot water and it makes a meal.

    But yeah, I'll be having frito pies and bacon cheeseburgers here and there too. :bigsmile:
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
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    It's practice for how you are going to handle moderating your choices for the rest of your life.

    So, I don't worry about having a deficit. I eat what I want, but I try to be mindful of my choices. If I know I want a lavish dessert, I have a salad with my dinner instead of french fries. I drink water and stay away from soda and juices so I have room for a drink or two at night.

    Make good choices and be mindful, but don't be afraid to indulge a little too. You're going to have to work through situations like this forever, so practice now.
  • turkeyhunter60
    turkeyhunter60 Posts: 319 Member
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    I tend to just try to eat in moderation. When I go on vacation, we usually rent a house and grill so I eat lots of grilled chicken, grilled fish, grilled veggies. If you are going out to dinner, when I was in Disney World, I ordered a lot of grilled chicken salads, things like that. Try not to stress, just enjoy yourself!
    This

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