Vacation...

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  • heather_hearts_travel
    heather_hearts_travel Posts: 864 Member
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    My all-inclusive survival strategy was to not finish any drink - I'd generally set them down when I was half-way through them. I got the variety of beverages I wanted with half the calories - or something like that. :)

    At the restaurants, I ordered soups and salads and fish as often as they were available and they were generally fantastic. It helps that I love fish. I had one dessert every day except one day (we were at the Italian restaurant) I had ... well, more than one. Ha ha!

    I didn't exercise a whole lot, but we did stroll a bit and took the stairs at every opportunity. I didn't lose, but I didn't gain, and maintenance was my goal.

    Have a great time, and know that a lot of us here are jealous!! :flowerforyou:
  • KathryneJY
    KathryneJY Posts: 83 Member
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    I'm with the majority here. Go enjoy yourself. I'm heading to Mexico in a week and I will not be counting calories. I will be mindful of what I eat, will hit the gym or the pool in the early morning, and walk everywhere I can. Last time I did this, I came back 6 lbs lighter. However, my last vacation was an 8 day kayak trip that involved a lot of activity, hauling heavy things and eating freshly caught fish with abandon. The Mexican vacation will be different, so mindfulness is the order of the day, but I'm not going to obssess over every drink, every bite or every missed minute in the gym. Enjoy yourself! That's what vacations are for!
  • CJ_Holmes
    CJ_Holmes Posts: 759 Member
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    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.

    Just please don't spend a bunch of time in the gym on vacation! Walk, swim, rent bikes, take a dance class, learn to windsurf. Play! You'll probably be getting way more exercise than usual, and giving your body a rest from the usual stuff.

    I did all play activities on my vacation for 3 weeks, and when I came back, I did 3 consecutive pull-ups for the first time ever.

    Actually, you should just invite me along to coach you. I need a vacation, too.
  • MSeel1984
    MSeel1984 Posts: 2,297 Member
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    Hey! I went to Jamaica in August to an all inclusive and am going to Mexico in about 10 days to another all inclusive.

    Here's what I always tried to do:
    1. Get some form of exercise in. One day my husband and I ran on the beach in jamaica. It was gorgeous, and hard. Other days we used teh fitness center and even though we were on the fourth floor we toko the stairs every time.

    2. Eat as healthy as you can at breakfast and lunch. You probably haven't started drinking yet so you can ekep it in check. Most resorts have an omelete station you can request made with egg whites. I did always let myself have a treat at breakfast, but I would also have fruit and healthy stuff too.

    3. Try to fill up on salads and veggies. Especially at the buffets. It's so hard.

    Everyone says enjoy it - but everyone is also different. For me, I can't stomach being a complete glutton for 5-7 days and then coming home. I enjoyed my vacation immensely and ate what I wanted within reason.

    Nothing tastes as good as fit feels. Those pounds CAN be a b**** to get off!

    Yeah, the buffets make amazing salads...I think that's pretty much all I did for lunch the last time. Breakfast I indulged a little more but their oatmeal was so good I usually did that and coffee.
  • MSeel1984
    MSeel1984 Posts: 2,297 Member
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    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.

    Just please don't spend a bunch of time in the gym on vacation! Walk, swim, rent bikes, take a dance class, learn to windsurf. Play! You'll probably be getting way more exercise than usual, and giving your body a rest from the usual stuff.

    I did all play activities on my vacation for 3 weeks, and when I came back, I did 3 consecutive pull-ups for the first time ever.

    Actually, you should just invite me along to coach you. I need a vacation, too.

    Wind surfing sounds amazing!
  • srogers89
    srogers89 Posts: 190 Member
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    Enjoy yourself. I know a lot of people are suggesting you look at menus etc before you go, but depending on where you are going to that might be hard. For example if I went to Thailand I would be eating from street stalls not so many restaurants so a little difficult to plan ahead! Plus it is a holiday and part of the fun is NOT planning ahead and letting the day take you wherever it does.

    Just be mindful of your food choices (to a degree - don't deny yourself as you are on holiday after all!) enjoy your holiday! I'm sure the gym and pool will be enough to at least keep you where you are now vs. putting on wight.
  • Nevermindmygrunge
    Nevermindmygrunge Posts: 5 Member
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    I found that when I went on holiday a couple of times I ended up losing weight due to all the walking I did. However, when I went to go visit family on vacation I ended up gaining about six to seven pounds. I was going out to eat and to family events and not doing quite so much walking or exercise. When I was at a resort, I used the pool more than the workout room to get my daily exercise. I was surprised how many calories I burned even doing light swimming activities.
  • MSeel1984
    MSeel1984 Posts: 2,297 Member
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    The biggest problem I can forsee is all you can drink. We're not drinking alcohol at all this week and we'll enjoy the drinking while we're down there. The goal isn't to get wasted and we drink throughout the day not all at one sitting...but it does add up. Then again we are walking a lot and I'm going to be using the gym more than last time we went.

    The restaurants all have a salad bar-each with different stuff...our favorite restaurant was the Mexican place...squash flower soup so good it could make you cry-seriously...and pumpkin creme brulee...oh my gosh is it Sunday yet? I'm so excited!
  • kristen6022
    kristen6022 Posts: 1,926 Member
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    Update: I thought it you make you feel better to know that after 3 days of eating whatever, and 3 days of keeping to plan (under 1600 net calories), I'm the same as I was last Friday. So, it goes to show that if you get RIGHT back on after vacation, really no damages is done!

    Enjoy your trip, watch portions and be aware how much you are drinking. If you go over, you just correct it when you get back from vacation. That's life. We can't always be perfect :smile:
  • angie007az
    angie007az Posts: 406 Member
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    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!

    I love vacations!! Here's a tip. Stick to vegetables and fish or chicken when you eat. Stay off the empty calories as much as possible. Have a taste of something sweet and dump the rest. Remember you do not have to clean your plate. Enjoy!!
  • angie007az
    angie007az Posts: 406 Member
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    ENJOY YOUR VACATION!!! I am about to go on vacation, too, and I am going to eat, drink and be merry! That's what it's for. It's all inclusive, too, and I'm sure I'll have more drinks than I can count, but that's what it's all about. You work hard all year to go on vacation and not work or stress over anything. Make the best decisions you can. Drinks with Diet Coke instead of regular, egg white omlettes, etc, but just ENJOY it!!!

    Just plan to get right back on track when you get home.

    Especially since this place makes amazing mud slides, margaritas and great rusty nails. Oh my gosh I"m so excited. This week leading up to our trip I'm not drinking at all...which is SUPER tough because I've got some great red wine in the house :)

    If and when I do drink, I have a shot of tequila. Nothing added except perhaps some ice.
    My next vacation will be in April 2014. We are going on a cruise through the Panama Canal. :-) I'm using the trip as motivation to get skinny. I want to be back to the weight I was when I married my husband of 17 years... 135#'s. Wish me luck.

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