What to do on holiday....

mazdauk
mazdauk Posts: 1,380 Member
We're going to go away for a few days as a family for the Easter break and I don't want to undo all my hard wok. Equally, I don't want to spoil the holiday for everyone by refusing to eat in nice places or picking at a salad looking grumpy while everyone else is tucking into something yummy.:grumble: . And I firmly believe its illegal not to eat a full english breakfast if someone else is cooking and washing up:bigsmile:

We'll be doing quite a lot of walking - on the mooors if weather permits, but certainly museums, shops etc. - and there is a gym at the hotel, but I'm not really sure the best way to use it if we're only there for a couple of days:blushing: I normally do aerobics DVDs for my non-walking exercise, but I don't think that would be appropriate either in my room or the gym! So what would be the best use of the equipment? Should I go for the elliptical (how long?) bike, treadmill?

Thanks all!

Replies

  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,994 Member
    I set my calories to maintenance, and do an hour of cardio first thing in the morning at the hotel. A vigorous hour (elliptical, stair ergometer) burns about 600 cals and a leisurely hour (gentle walk on treadmill) burns about 300 cals per hour.
  • Filletsteak
    Filletsteak Posts: 85 Member
    I feel your pain. The walking will help balance it out. Foodwise, I'd try to stay away from bread, pies and chips and switch to diet G&Ts if you're having a drink. Do the best you can before and after the holiday and enjoy your time away - it's only a few days.
  • First thing don't deny yourself. Just think of healthy options e.g grilled chicken with a side salad instead of chips. Avoid the bread basket too! Keep dressings minimal but enjoy it, it sounds like with the walking you have planned you will burn a good few hundred calories. Just consider whether or not you need that desert!

    And full english, try ensure it's grilled, but I find calorie wise it isn't that much more than a big (or in my opinion a normal) sized bowl of cereal and there are far more nutrients - yes more fat, but I'd rather have a full breakfast and feel full for most of the day as opposed to snacking.

    It sounds like you are going to be fairly active so enjoy!
  • tricksee
    tricksee Posts: 835 Member
    be EXTRA good in the week leading up to your holiday and be EXTRA EXTRA good the week you return. It'll all balance out.
  • havingitall
    havingitall Posts: 3,728 Member
    Have eggs and a piece of whole wheat toast for breakfast. As for eating a salad while people eat something yummy....I have had some pretty amazing salads in my life and been very happy with them as a meal.

    Having just been on a cruise where there was food in abundance, I can feel your pain. There were some days that breakfast was 2 hard boiled eggs and a half a grapefruit and lunch was a huge plate of salad with a piece of chicken....other days there was something decadent. We worked out a few times and were very active ( scuba diving, snorkeling, walking and climbing Mayan ruins) and this helped to offset. 5 days back from holidays, and back into a regular routine, the extra weight is off and I am on track again.

    Sometimes, a holiday is a break from normal routine. It may throw you off track for a couple of days but since this is a lifestyle change, you need to learn moderation and balance. Regularly in your life there will be times when you don't eat the best or you don't exercise and then you just back on track and keep on going.

    Use the gym... the elliptical is a great calorie burner...shoot for 30 minutes to an hour. If there is an indoor pool, go swimming.

    Have fun!
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    Get up early and hit the gym. Do a mini indoor triathlon - 10 minutes rowing (or similar), 10 minutes cycling, 10 minutes running.

    Have breakfast, but watch your quantities - one egg, one slice of bacon, and easy on the toast or fried bread.

    Enjoy your walking time with your family.

    See if you can skip dessert, or split it with someone.

    And a few days is NOT going to completely knock you off track.
  • miketina01
    miketina01 Posts: 1 Member
    I would agree with Katrinadionne. Just make some smart choices and watch what you eat leading up to the holiday.

    Everyone exercises differently. It sounds like you may not be familiar with gym equipment, not sure, but the treadmill or the elliptical are great machine and easy to use. If you have a hard time with the machine, you can always ask someone at the front desk to assist you.

    And just remember, it's not a diet, it is a lifestyle change. You body needs a break from the "normal routine". It is also a great way to trick up you body and continue to lose weight, because our bodies get use to those routines.
    Just enjoy your family, friends, and life!! Have fun!

    Just remember, everything is about moderation and balance!! Enjoy life!!

    Have a great holiday:)
  • clarkeje1
    clarkeje1 Posts: 1,641 Member
    I would do a walk or jog on the treadmill for 30 mins. I would eat what you want but try to get smaller portions, maybe share an entre with someone, or just don't finish your whole meal. Don't obsess over it too much but if you try to make some good choices while you are there then when you come home you can say you did have fun but you also didn't get completely off track. Have a great time!
  • mazdauk
    mazdauk Posts: 1,380 Member
    Thanks all. Just checked the website and found out that the one we're going to does NOT have a gym:grumble: . However, I know from experience that we'll probably not have lunch (or something very small and light - like a cup of tea and a scone - not a cream tea!) having had a cooked brekkie. And I go for poached eggs generally (and don't like bacon) so as long as I have one (not 2) sausages and minimise the potatoes it shouldn't be too bad. And Hubby quite often finishes my dinner if we're out.

    There are nice salads(I've had some too), but in Yorkshire in early April they're not so appealing as on a hot summer day!:tongue:
    Its literally only 3 nights so if I do extra exercise before we go and extra when we get back hopefully it shouldn't be too bad!
  • FattieBabs
    FattieBabs Posts: 542 Member
    Well done on losing 14 lbs! Only three days you should be fine. Drink lots of water to counteract any extra salt that is put in your food that you are unaware of. Set the app for maintenance. do enter something on it every day if only water. When I went on holiday for nearly three weeks the time difference confused MFP and reset my logging days. I asked them to reset it.

    Have a lovely time!
  • mazdauk
    mazdauk Posts: 1,380 Member
    Despite not having a gym it does have wifi so I'm going to take the netbook and log in every day - naughtiness and all, but also including how much walking etc. I've done. I'm not going to go crazy though - I'll have the full english instead of cereal, pastries etc not as well.

    Good reminder about the water - its easy to forget when you're eating out, I'll make sure we get tap water as well as wine. I might even drink some of it:laugh: :drinker:

    I'm going to "save" some calories from th start of week, and then when we get back and I will try to save more to reduce the overage. I also won't weigh myself for another week:wink:

    I don't often have restaurant puddings because I often find them disappointing except in very good restaurants - if they're just defrosting a slice of pie I'll wait and make my own! And I don't like cream or cheesecake so that's a big help.

    here's hoping for good weather so we can have a long walk on the moors.
  • BernardandMissBianca
    BernardandMissBianca Posts: 21 Member
    Can hubby and you split the full english breakfast? Log your walking, maybe even do some quick burst of speed here and there. Drink plenty of water. If you order a meal other than english breakfast skip the starch and double up on the veggies. Avoid butters, sauces and gravies when you can.

    Even with no gym you can get creative. Do laps around the hotel, do a stair workout if the hotel hase more than one floor, don't use the lift!
    And most of all, have fun!!! Enjoy your holiday and the time with your hubby! Is the whole family going?
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  • Bookaholic88
    Bookaholic88 Posts: 106 Member
    Dont worry to much. I went home for a week last month and ate what everyone else was eating but made some healthy choices when possible. Did my best to avoid excessive snacking (crisps are my weakness). At the end I was only up .8 and all of that and more was gone the week after.

    Enjoy your holiday!