Going on Maintenance for Vacation

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  • DerekVTX
    DerekVTX Posts: 287 Member
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    I've never tried to maintain on vacation. I don't take that many vacations lol and only recently started this calorie counting business.... I can tell you I went on a week-long honeymoon last month and gained NINE pounds!!! It was insane - that's actually what prompted me to start this journey.

    I figure, if you focus on maintaining, you might gain a few pounds (under five is my guess). But when you're on vacation, you typically consume foods much higher in sodium (all that restaurant food and "convenience" food) - so when you get back, up your water intake and it should come off in a week or two, plus some.

    You CAN do this!

    My wife gained and lost 2lbs repeatedly over and over and over and over and over and over and over again while we were on our honeymoon.
  • RipperSB
    RipperSB Posts: 315 Member
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    I like your plan. I have reached my maintenance goal, in 2012, and have since been to Walt Disney World three times for vacations. When I look at Reports and look at the weight graph for that period, the line is mostly flat except for these peaks when I returned from WDW. the funny thing is, they remind of an EKG and the peaks, representing the vacations, were the heartbeats.
    There is a lot of walking at WDW and there is a fitness centre that I used daily but there are an awful lot of things to enjoy there too. Bottom line - no matter what the weight gain, I always returned to maintenance weight when I got back home - always.
    Have a fantastic time!

    Even better to hear this as that's where i'm going lol

    Do a Cupcake Crawl, enjoy the funnel cakes, churros, and snacking through the World!
  • SimaN2014
    SimaN2014 Posts: 23 Member
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    I did it in May, for 4 weeks. Didn't have a scale on the vacation. Came back and weighed exactly the same as when I left woooo hooo!!

    It was great. I ate all the things (seemed that way compared to a deficit!), logged everything, didn't gain weight and now have the confidence that when I really do go for maintenance, I will manage it OK.

    Went back on the weight loss track in June and have lost another 3.5 kg since. I definitely say to go for it.

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  • sculli123
    sculli123 Posts: 1,221 Member
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    Just go enjoy yourself. I went on vacation recently and pretty much just ate whatever I wanted. Came back basically the same. And I ate quite a bit of everything.
  • Happymelz
    Happymelz Posts: 536 Member
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    Thanks for the input everyone!
    I'll post back results next Thursday.
  • Limath
    Limath Posts: 89 Member
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    I just got back from a week long cruise, and didn't gain. I was so happy! I either did active shore excursions (snorkeling/hiking), or exercised on the ship every day, and I never once took the elevator - stairs all the way!

    I ate what I wanted, but was still very mindful of portions. We drank every evening. It was disappointing to lose my 70+ day streak, but oh well! :)

    Good luck!
  • laineybz
    laineybz Posts: 704 Member
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    I like your plan. I have reached my maintenance goal, in 2012, and have since been to Walt Disney World three times for vacations. When I look at Reports and look at the weight graph for that period, the line is mostly flat except for these peaks when I returned from WDW. the funny thing is, they remind of an EKG and the peaks, representing the vacations, were the heartbeats.
    There is a lot of walking at WDW and there is a fitness centre that I used daily but there are an awful lot of things to enjoy there too. Bottom line - no matter what the weight gain, I always returned to maintenance weight when I got back home - always.
    Have a fantastic time!

    Even better to hear this as that's where i'm going lol

    Do a Cupcake Crawl, enjoy the funnel cakes, churros, and snacking through the World!

    Lol my friend is a cupcake addict so i'm sure we'll be having a few ;)
  • RaspberryKeytoneBoondoggle
    RaspberryKeytoneBoondoggle Posts: 1,349 Member
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    I went to the UK for two weeks once. I made sure I walked every day, but other than that I ate lots of my 3 c's: chocolate, cheese and chips on too of big meals. I was surprised that when I got home I had maintained my weight. I don't go as crazy on holidays now as I used to, but I usually find if I do gain anything it's only one or two pounds. You have to eat a lot of extra food to gain a pound in a week. If you move from a deficit to maintenance, you'll already feel like you are eating more. I also think it's good to eat extra now and then.
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
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    I never logged on vacation, or usually traveling for work. Because this is my true lifestyle, I just kept eating the way I do, plus a bit more wine or cheese or whatever. But, then, trips tend to lead to lots more walking and other "NEAT" calories so it all evens out for me. Eat a bit more, perhaps, but walk a bit more. But for me, the key is I don't radically alter the way I've been eating when I travel.

    ^^This. And my mantra, "Moderation, moderation, moderation".. I've never gained on business trips/vacation either. The odd pound on comes right off over the 2-3 weeks after I get home (depending on TOM etc).
  • Kate7294
    Kate7294 Posts: 783 Member
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    One of my MFP pal's just did this. I think she actually lost a pound. I did give her one tip I read somewhere....half-ing an order with a friend then order a salad or sides with it.
  • kwantlen2051
    kwantlen2051 Posts: 455 Member
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    Its definitely hard to log when on holiday and maintain. I went on 3 holidays this year and gained a few lbs each time. I had to work hard to get rid of the extra weight after each holiday and really watch my calories after. Am still working on the lbs I gained from the last one! Good luck and just enjoy!
  • jmcdonald2011
    jmcdonald2011 Posts: 181 Member
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    I start holidays tomorrow. I have accepted that i may gain a few pounds - but i am going to log and i am going to walk. Even if i gain a couple i am still going to be honest with myself.
  • hmrambling
    hmrambling Posts: 321 Member
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    I just got back from a week long cruise, and didn't gain. I was so happy! I either did active shore excursions (snorkeling/hiking), or exercised on the ship every day, and I never once took the elevator - stairs all the way!

    I ate what I wanted, but was still very mindful of portions. We drank every evening. It was disappointing to lose my 70+ day streak, but oh well! :)

    Good luck!

    This is encouraging. I sail on Thursday. Hope to have similar results.
  • Dean_IsStayinLean
    Dean_IsStayinLean Posts: 71 Member
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    same here - just returned from a week at the beach. I'd been logging daily since January 1st, and have lost 45 lbs this year. I went on vacation last week and decided not to log, just for a break. We ate out everyday and I honestly ate what I wanted. I did hit the hotel gym a few mornings but did not get a satisfying cardio workout in due to the different equipment and environment. Net result = I was up 2.5 lbs from the day I left, in one week. It's been 3 days since we're back, I'm back into logging, and I'm back to the weight I was before vacation. It came right back off as the small gains usually do second time around. I suspect my BF% is up a little bit.

    Go and enjoy!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    I gained two pounds while on vacations and it took me a month to go back to my pre-vacations weight, but I ate a bit over maintenance, so it's normal.

    You won't gain while eating at maintenance, maybe just water weight but you'll lose it in no time (I was actually 6 pounds over my lowest when I came back and lost 4 of those in 3 days). The hard part is actually staying under maintenance for me :laugh:
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
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    While I was losing, every 6 months (summer and CHristmas vacations), I took 2 weeks and ate at maintenance. It did not hinder my progress, and it was actually a great mental boost, making it easier to get back at it after vacation.
  • _imperfextionisbeauty_
    _imperfextionisbeauty_ Posts: 266 Member
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    I was just gone for 8 days and maintained - no gains. It's hard especially when I couldn't log to see where I was during day. I still went to the gym and made healthy food choices. Good luck! :)
  • dawnmcneil10
    dawnmcneil10 Posts: 638 Member
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    I did this a few years ago when selling a home, switched to maintenance during the negotiations and sale of the home and I'm so glad I did. It wasn't that food or exercise stressed me out it was just that one more thing to deal with when there was so many other things that I HAD to deal with. I kept eating well and kept moving I just didn't really concern myself over every detail. I would suggest you keep in touch with MFP and log on the non stress days at the least though because you can easily slide back into "convenient" things like grabbing an extra coffee or a handful of chips just because they're in front of you.

    I LOVE the idea that you're looking to do this during vacation though, most people like to go crazy and going for maintenance is awesome because you'll be doing a sort of test run.
  • Happymelz
    Happymelz Posts: 536 Member
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    I just got back from vacation last night and I'm back to weight loss calories today.
    I ate what I wanted (within reason) and did a TON of walking every day.
    I don't know yet if I gained or stayed the same because I know if I weigh this morning I'll just show water weight, but I didn't do as badly as I thought I would.

    Besides...if I gain 1-2 lbs no big deal.

    Thanks all for the input! :drinker:

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