How to eat properly while on vacation?

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  • kcoftx
    kcoftx Posts: 765 Member
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    Do people really have time or the desire to log onto myfitnesspal to track their calories while on vacation?

    I know for my vacation at least I'm not even going to have cell or internet coverage and on the rare days I do, logging on here is the last thing I would be worried about.

    I did. I enjoyed it too. But to each their own.

    I reduced the number of meals and staggered the times to compensate. I might eat an early lunch (and call it brunch), for example. If I did eat three meals, I made sure the first two were lighter to compensate for the calories I knew would come later.

    Also keep in mind, unless it is a lay at the beach vacation, which this does not sound like it is, there are tons of opportunities to do a lot of walking. If I went over a bit, I knew I was walking more to compensate and I let it go. But yes, I did set it to maintenance.

    Not every meal has to be a treat meal. So if I am someplace where we are mostly stopping in a hurry, I might not splurge so much there but at another meal where there is just a MUST HAVE item, I will definitely choose that. So choices, even on vacation, can still be made. If we are in a hurry and those kiddos need at least one meal they call call kid treat food (McD's), I might make better choices there knowing that later we are going to a place I LOVE and I will eat what I want there. Does that make sense?

    Also, split your desserts! You don't need one at every meal either, but do enjoy them!

    Last but not least, enjoy your meals but do continue to think portion control. Relax. Make the vacation more about the activities. Make memories. Don't get hung up over a few calories.
  • keithf1138
    keithf1138 Posts: 63
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    Enjoy yourself, but make sure to stay active. When my wife and I started our health and wellness kick we also changed our vacations. We still workout every day. Went to Disney and while kids were still sleeping we worked out in the morning before we went to parks. Went to Vancouver couple of summers ago and we did active things all day. We walked, we hiked, we biked. Spring Break this year went to Dominican Republic and we worked out every morning.

    Also never ever take an elevator and if escalator only thing available walk up it.
  • arac62
    arac62 Posts: 65 Member
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    I'm going on a trip to England in 2 week, so I've been thinking about this a lot. And I've decided to eat what I want. This is a once in a lifetime trip for me and I really do love food. I will be walking all day most days, so hopefully I won't gain too much back, but if I do gain a pound or 2, I'm ok with that. My focus is going to be not eating unhealthy food just for the hell of it. I am going to only cheat on foods that will actually be worth it.
  • LaurenLouG
    LaurenLouG Posts: 65 Member
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    I've just been overseas for a month. I didn't deprive myself of trying the local food, it's about experiencing new things!

    I still kept up my exercise where possible and I was smart about portion control, you don't have to finish every meal, there were times when I ordered healthy meals but there were also times when I had a few bites of a cupcake. I didn't gain weight.

    Have fun and just enjoy yourself! It's a vacation and life is too short.
  • AngelsFan91106
    AngelsFan91106 Posts: 111 Member
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    I like to fill myself up, say 85% with veggies/fruit and lean proteins. Then I "eat whatever I want," but by then, I only want a couple of bites of treats. But I always have treats. Depriving yourself only ruins your goals in the long run. And do lots of sightseeing and walk a bunch. Have fun!
  • sarapopefitness
    sarapopefitness Posts: 52 Member
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    I can't bring my own food as we are flying there. But I do plan on buying some snacks from the store so we can have little healthier things to nosh on.
  • sarapopefitness
    sarapopefitness Posts: 52 Member
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    Bring your own food. Don't eat out. If you want to get to your goal, just eat right.

    I can't bring my own food as we are flying there. But I do plan on buying some snacks from the store so we can have little healthier things to nosh on.
  • keithf1138
    keithf1138 Posts: 63
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    To add we are heading to Europe for 3 weeks in June. 1st trip and well we are going to eat what we want, but expect to be walking and a couple of bike trips all over the place. If we come home a few pounds heavier then so be it. We know how to lose the weight. We will just hop right back on the normal day to day bike when we are back.
  • cruzcrzyMarie
    cruzcrzyMarie Posts: 251 Member
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    My dh retired six months ago and we've done quit a bit of traveling since then, including Las Vegas. Keep desserts to a minimum and consider traveling with a scale, weighing daily. We ordered a nice travel one off of Amazon.


    Marie
  • sarapopefitness
    sarapopefitness Posts: 52 Member
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    Do people really have time or the desire to log onto myfitnesspal to track their calories while on vacation?

    I know for my vacation at least I'm not even going to have cell or internet coverage and on the rare days I do, logging on here is the last thing I would be worried about.

    I did. I enjoyed it too. But to each their own.

    I reduced the number of meals and staggered the times to compensate. I might eat an early lunch (and call it brunch), for example. If I did eat three meals, I made sure the first two were lighter to compensate for the calories I knew would come later.

    Also keep in mind, unless it is a lay at the beach vacation, which this does not sound like it is, there are tons of opportunities to do a lot of walking. If I went over a bit, I knew I was walking more to compensate and I let it go. But yes, I did set it to maintenance.

    Not every meal has to be a treat meal. So if I am someplace where we are mostly stopping in a hurry, I might not splurge so much there but at another meal where there is just a MUST HAVE item, I will definitely choose that. So choices, even on vacation, can still be made. If we are in a hurry and those kiddos need at least one meal they call call kid treat food (McD's), I might make better choices there knowing that later we are going to a place I LOVE and I will eat what I want there. Does that make sense?

    Also, split your desserts! You don't need one at every meal either, but do enjoy them!

    Last but not least, enjoy your meals but do continue to think portion control. Relax. Make the vacation more about the activities. Make memories. Don't get hung up over a few calories.

    I would like to log my food (and I would have time since it's not going to be an activity-heavy kind of trip), but I don't think I'll be able to as I won't have internet on my phone. Great advice though, this really helps. I know I won't fuss too much over the calories as I'm not an obsessive type, I just don't want to get carried away with treats! Having desserts every so often sounds like a good idea. I'll forget calories, and focus more on the portions and what KIND of food it is. Thanks :)
  • sarapopefitness
    sarapopefitness Posts: 52 Member
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    My dh retired six months ago and we've done quit a bit of traveling since then, including Las Vegas. Keep desserts to a minimum and consider traveling with a scale, weighing daily. We ordered a nice travel one off of Amazon.


    Marie

    I actually don't even own a scale at home! I'm not even sure how much I weigh, to be honest :S. Good advice for someone who tracks it though, thanks anyway :)
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
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    I've lost on vacation a couple times doing the following:

    Breakfast: Egg white and veg omelette - you can stuff yourself for about 250 calories, good protein.
    Lunch: Kind of light - Fish Tacos. Grilled meat and a salad. Fish and a salad. Couple of Sliders. Chicken Wings. (not all of this for one lunch, of course)
    Dinner: Whatever. Have the Appetizer and some drinks. Enjoy your entree. Split a dessert.

    If I'm gone a week, I'll try to hit the hotel gym 3 or 4 mornings before breakfast.

    Lost 2.2 lbs on vacation in february doing this. 1.5 for a vacation week In october. stayed steady for a week last april.
  • marcvandenberg
    marcvandenberg Posts: 190 Member
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    Eat yourTDEE.

    So you don't gain weight. Or eat 3500 more (total) and gain 1 lbs

    Be easy during day and enjoy the night..

    Walk a lot, be active.

    Enjoy your holiday.

    Pick up if you come back from it.
  • affacat
    affacat Posts: 216 Member
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    Any tips on eating (at least moderately) well while going on a trip? I'll be going to Vegas for nearly a week, and that place is full of delicious food and drinks. I have been doing really well with eating within my 1200 (base) calorie per day limit, but I am afraid this week will put me back on the wrong path! If anybody has any great tips or tricks, I'd really love to hear them. Thanks :)

    I usually have a hard time on vacation, but I lost weight in Vegas. Several reasons:

    1) walking! so much walking in vegas, and everything is stairs, stairs, stairs.
    2) food is expensive! that alone kept my eating habits down.
    3) it's ridiculously dry so I drank tons of water.
  • bpwparents
    bpwparents Posts: 359 Member
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    Just try to watch your portions. Do plenty of walking and use the hotel gym. I just got back from Florida and was happy to see that I did not gain by just watching portions and running every other day. Most of all though, enjoy your vaca!
  • recipe4success
    recipe4success Posts: 469 Member
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    I think it would be a better strategy to eat more earlier on in the day, because then you will be able to burn off what you ate through activities during the day. So i would say, eat a hearty breakfast and lunch, and a lighter supper...and if you are having a dessert definitely split it! I think a couple of big supper meals would be fine, but not every night.

    I also think having snacks during the day is a good idea, maybe carry some stuff with you that you know is healthier (rather than having to buy a muffin or whatever is available) so that you are not starving when it comes to meal times and more likely to overindulge.

    At least that is my plan for when I go on vacation soon.
  • Nacho12
    Nacho12 Posts: 164 Member
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    We usually stay in a place that has a kitchen and bring our steel cut oats with fixings for breakfast or I have a smoothy instead for breakfast so I can bring the protein powder, fruit and almond milk and make a smoothy for breakfast. For lunch I would have a salad with meat and a boiled egg and several vegetables. Then we would eat out for dinner and try to eat a normal meal without overeating. I try to avoid the all you can eat buffets because it is too tempting to eat more than you should at those. If you have dessert, my husband and I usually share it. I just take a few bites of it and let him eat the rest. Usually we are walking more and then just eating normal meals and so far I have been lucky enough to not gain weight while on vacation. I hope this helps.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    I went to Disney World and I had whatever I wanted for breakfast (except croissants, something more filling!), then usually one 'good' meal (turkey or salmon with rice or couscous and veggies, or salad with dressing on the side) and one 'average' meal (pizza, pasta with meatballs, rest was pretty healthy). I walked a ton though, but it didn't affect my weight either way (I was in the middle of a plateau anyway).
  • laineybz
    laineybz Posts: 704 Member
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    I spent New Year in NYC and was slightly worried about what i was going to eat when over there. BUT i had treats, ate within moderation (and by the end of the week was in real need of a proper home cooked meal!!). I've never been to Vegas but i'm assuming there will be a fair bit of walking like there was in NYC. You'll prob walk off some of it before you've even ate it anyway! Enjoy yourself, it is your holiday. You'll get right back on it after!x

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