Vacation...

MSeel1984
MSeel1984 Posts: 2,297 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Strange how I'm looking forward to it and dreading it at the same time.

At home, the food and exercise is reliable and predictable. Granted, the resort we are going to has a gym and a pool...

It's more the unlimited alcohol and food that has me worried. I know exactly how things went when we went to this resort last year and I'm afraid of my progress completely coming to a standstill or being undone by this trip.

Any advice/things you do on vacation to avoid blowing it? Thanks!
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Replies

  • MyJourney1960
    MyJourney1960 Posts: 1,133 Member
    continue to log everything, add extra exercise, and ask yourself if you *really* want to blow your progress by eating that extra whatever or drinking another tequilla. remember - having a great vacation is *not* just about getting wasted every night. it's about relaxing, having a good time, maybe doing something fun and interesting (Sky diving?), or visiting some interesting site or museum.

    I was on vacation for about 12 days, i ate stuff that i normally don't eat, i couldn't prepare my own food was at the mercy of my hosts and the airlines but i walked for hours every day, continued to log everything, and came home 2 lbs lighter. so it is possible.
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  • MSeel1984
    MSeel1984 Posts: 2,297 Member
    continue to log everything, add extra exercise, and ask yourself if you *really* want to blow your progress by eating that extra whatever or drinking another tequilla. remember - having a great vacation is *not* just about getting wasted every night. it's about relaxing, having a good time, maybe doing something fun and interesting (Sky diving?), or visiting some interesting site or museum.

    I was on vacation for about 12 days, i ate stuff that i normally don't eat, i couldn't prepare my own food was at the mercy of my hosts and the airlines but i walked for hours every day, continued to log everything, and came home 2 lbs lighter. so it is possible.

    Well I do intend to exercise every day and definitely do not plan to get drunk every day...
    But logging isn't an option-we have to turn off our cell service since we're leaving the country.
  • rayfu75
    rayfu75 Posts: 209 Member
    Sure indulge while on vacation. Continue to get in your workouts though. You'll feel better about it most likely. Enjoy some alcohol as well. For me the key to vacations are not about OVER Indulging in food (I don't drink alcohol) but enjoying not being wrapped up in the daily grind which is everyday life. To each their own of course but either way have fun.
  • MSeel1984
    MSeel1984 Posts: 2,297 Member
    enjoying not being wrapped up in the daily grind which is everyday life. To each their own of course but either way have fun.

    It's so true. The idea of not HAVING to get up at a certain time...sleeping in...breakfast in bed...Having no great plans for the day except to go swimming at the spa...

    I'm so excited. I haven't had a real vacation since our honeymoon over a year ago. It's long overdue.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    Vacation is just that.... Time to Enjoy myself with my family... I still get in my daily exercise but I relax my diet cause I want to enjoy the culinary foods where we are. It is normally 1 week and I am sure going to enjoy myself then once back home it is back to business as usual... Best of Luck
  • Emily_20x
    Emily_20x Posts: 175 Member
    I drank so much on holiday and ate whatever I wanted. I was away for 17 days and came back 2lbs lighter. Must have been all the walking and swimming I did!
  • xmysterix
    xmysterix Posts: 114 Member
    I lost 3kg on vacation between walking all over the place, dancing, and getting a brief travel bug lol. I find keeping busy and enjoying myself tends to make weight stabilize or reduce on vacation even if I'm indulging food/beverage-wise.
  • HIITMe
    HIITMe Posts: 921 Member
    Im leaving next week for a party cruise for 10 days.... and I plan to PARTY and DRINK and EAT and PARTY and DRINK and DRINK and EAT and PARTY...

    Im not logging a single calorie or exercise....

    I'll deal with the consequences, if any, when I get back....

    the last party cruise, I came home down almost 6 pounds....lots of unintended exercise while on vacation.... plus dancing burns a lot of calories too....
  • alisonlynn1976
    alisonlynn1976 Posts: 929 Member
    I eat and drink what I want on vacation, but I pay attention to portion size and I try to at least get in some exercise by walking a lot if nothing else.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    I know that feeling!! I get excited but theres the dread too!! we head off in 2 weeks on another cruise and back in jul I gained 6lbs!! and that was me actually being careful with what I ate, walking loads and going to the gym!! it took me 9 weeks to get those 6lbs off so lesson learned, I MUST log my food. I will have no connection either so I think I'll jot down what I eat to keep tabs on it!!

    HAVE A GREAT VACATION :)
  • seepersaud
    seepersaud Posts: 5,759 Member
    If there's a form of exercise you really love, you can work your tail off to not gain weight during vacation without it really feeling like work. We did a beach vacation in NJ this past August. I brought my bike with me and tried to bike every chance I could. It wasn't just about burning calories. It was fun and different to bike in a different place, and especially to bike alongside the boardwalk area. We had our 4-year-old son with us, so there wasn't much drinking other than champagne on our anniversary. But, you can live it up without things getting out of hand. Have a great time!
  • rosemary98
    rosemary98 Posts: 632
    I posted a very similar thread not long ago. I just got back from london/paris. london i could manage a bit more (no language barrier), but paris, asking for no sauce or plain...well, it didn't always come out like that. but i ate every meal. breakfast was often yogurt, bread and fruit. (foods I don't typically eat)...but I did. I slathered that french bread with butter and added jam. Though I tried to be careful, i definitely over ate my maintenance calories everyday by who know how much. I was scared my weight would be out of control once i weighed in upon returning. it didn't! my weight is the same (with the typical fluctuations). The only time it was a little high was when i weighed myself after a 9 hour flight--probably not a good idea.

    this got me thinking...did all my tourist walking burn those extra calories or is my body capable of taking in more calories...
  • Greenrun99
    Greenrun99 Posts: 2,065 Member
    How often do you go on vacation? Enjoy it.. a resort, all inclusive.. just don't pig out and avoid drinking sugary drinks all day and you will be fine..
  • vrandal
    vrandal Posts: 22 Member
    I just go ahead and blow it! Vaca is for no stress, no worries!! No one can do that much damage in a week. Just have loads of fun, stay active and commit to get back on the horse day 1 home!
  • vrandal
    vrandal Posts: 22 Member
    Oh yeah, dont forget loads of water tho. Dont want rhe scales to decieve you when u get home.
  • kristen6022
    kristen6022 Posts: 1,923 Member
    Go, have fun, come back, get back on your normal schedule as soon as possible, wait 1 week to weigh yourself, and continue.

    I just had 3 days in Atlanta with my BF's family. I didn't log, ate and drank, had fun. And Tuesday when I was back home, back to logging. I know I gained a lb or 2, but oh well. Not worth stressing yourself out about.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,965 Member
    I continue to workout, but net at TDEE.
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
    I drank so much on holiday and ate whatever I wanted. I was away for 17 days and came back 2lbs lighter. Must have been all the walking and swimming I did!

    Me too!! I always started meals with a big salad, though, and I was too busy (or lazy) to snack.
  • RebeccaBecca26
    RebeccaBecca26 Posts: 45
    I dealt with this too and this is what I did:

    *Tell yourself just because there is a table full of food doesn't mean you have to eat it all, or at all
    *Look at all the fat/unhealthy people flocking the food table like its their last meal: Do you want to look like that?
    *Remember: Fruit is more expensive then fried chicken: Fill up on their expensive food, and sea food if offered
    *Remember why there is so much food: Because there is a lot of people: Not because you are there- and they put it out for you to gorge on
    *Remember the Nickle Back song: Rock stare: "We'll all stay skinny cause we just won't eat- and drink all day"
    *When people see you looking good- and eating well...you will be envied. No one looks at the fat girl and says wow shes so lucky.
    *Have pretzels with your drinks instead of garbage food- they are salty and make the drinks even better YUM

    Just have fun- and remember these tips!!
  • kelleybean1
    kelleybean1 Posts: 312 Member
    I went to France for 2 wks. ate cheese, gelato, wine and anything I wanted and only gained 1 lb. Plan on walking your butt off and you'll be fine. Have fun, and worry about the weight when you get back. I loved my trainers advice--go over a size 8 and come back a 10, we'll get it off in no time.
  • JayMri
    JayMri Posts: 241 Member
    We have a vacation coming up and I am not planning to track my food and drink. It's been a lifestyle change for me so I think I will still make good choices on what I choose to eat. There's a lot of stuff I ate before that I really no longer care to eat and often give me an upset stomach. I do want to get some workouts in. Unfortunately where we are staying does not have a fitness facility (I can use one at their hotel 3 miles away but we will not have a vehicle) but they do have TV's and DVD player in the units. So I will be grabbing a couple of my shorter workout DVD's and hope to squeeze in a few workouts that way! I don't want to loose the momentum I have going.
  • CJ_Holmes
    CJ_Holmes Posts: 759 Member
    The only thing I did on vacation this summer was try to be conscious of portion sizes and my blood sugar. As crappy as it is in most respects, here's where being diabetic can help you. You want to feel awesome and energized on vacation, so focus on keeping your blood glucose in check. You'll probably avoid eating a bread basket or a bunch of sweets. I ate pounds and pounds of bacon and seafood and butter and salami and cheese and loads of whiskey and wine and lost 3 pounds. I was sleeping great, swimming and hiking all day, and free of stress.
  • dsjohndrow
    dsjohndrow Posts: 1,820 Member
    You need to go and look at the menus for every possible restaurant you might visit before you go. Then I make a list of the type of meals you want o have while you are there and see how they measure up. Hopefully you have learned to say no to things like fired food, and other diet killers. Drinks are usually the worst, so stick to water and vodka! You made a lifestyle change, be sure to try to pick those foods that you know. Relax.
  • batgirl_273
    batgirl_273 Posts: 70 Member
    I have this coming up also, and all I can say is... go, have fun. forget about this for the week or whatever that you're gone.

    I tried to track on my last vacation and while I did well for the 1st day, I gave up after because it was too complicated to try and track every little thing and guess how much I ate at a restraunt. It also sucked the fun out of vacation eating - where I can eat whatever I'm craving, some items I can't get back home!

    I'm going back to Vegas in December, and Vegas is the anything you want, anytime you want capital. Am I logging? No way in hell. I'll suffer the consequences when I get back, if there are any. I'm focused on having a good time and doing what I want, when I want. Vacation is the only escape from regular life that we get. Live it up. Just come back to reality when you get home.
  • Ignaura
    Ignaura Posts: 203 Member
    Don't stress about it. Part of enjoying life is actually enjoining food. I really don't want to live a life where I can't eat whatever I want one day.
    I "gained" 4lbs while on vacation. It was all water weight. After three days I was back at my regular weight and kept losing.

    Relax, enjoy your vacation, have fun!!
  • MSeel1984
    MSeel1984 Posts: 2,297 Member
    I mean my biggest fear is that I am SO close to my goal weight. I'm talking 2-3 lbs.

    If I completely give way to what I want to do, I'll gain it all back.

    On the other hand, we'll walk everywhere, there's a gym where I plan to get some running and swimming in. It won't be the end of th world.
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  • FrenchMob
    FrenchMob Posts: 1,167 Member
    Vacation is a vacation. I have a 7 day Caribbean cruise in a month. Although I'll try and control as much as I can, there will be indulgences. My last 4-day cruise, my booze bill was over $500 - that's about 80 beers or roughly 20 beers a day :laugh: not to mention the buffets. But I did do a lot of walking at the ports. I think I was 6 lbs heavier when I got back, but dropped over half of that in a first few days, so most of it was just water weight. It was worth it regardless.
  • jerryvo
    jerryvo Posts: 66 Member
    It is vacation... go crazy. Spent 4 days in vegas recently and ate horrible (buffets, fried everything) and drank enough to make anyone very happy. Came back +5-6 lbs. 1/2 was water weight from the saltiness of restaurant food and went away in a day or two the other 2-3 pounds took about a week and a half to come off once I was back on my regular routing. The cost of living it up was the loss of 1.5 weeks of progress. A small price to pay in my book.

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