A little worried....

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Stenobun
Stenobun Posts: 166 Member
in Motivation and Support
About two and a half weeks ago, after gaining back 2/3rds of the weight I had worked very hard to lose a few years before, I started working to lose weight again. I've been eating right, weighing food, watching calories, and walking A LOT. As of this morning, I was down 11 of those pounds I had gained back.

Here's the part I'm worried about. In less than a week I'm going on a 10-day vacation to Italy. I know I'm going to be walking a lot, but I'm concerned about coming back weighing more than when I left.

It's my first vacation in over a year, and I'm determined to enjoy it. Also, I don't want to annoy my travel companions with obnoxious worrying about all the wonderful food we're going to eat. But I probably wouldn't even be able to log my calories anyway, since I'm likely not going to even know what it is I'm eating half the time.

Do any of you have any traveling stories you can share to help me make good decisions while I'm gone?

Replies

  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,573 Member
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    I never gained weight on vacation because I was always walking around a lot more. My problem was after vacation..being out of the habit of logging and watching what I ate and walking a lot less..
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,573 Member
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    Just enjoy. Don't go crazy one way or the other. Make sensible but fun choices. Then get back on track when you return. I'd keep pasta to a minimum lol.
  • chubby_checkers
    chubby_checkers Posts: 2,353 Member
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    Don't go balls to the wall shoving food in your face. Just eat sensibly and be mindful of your portions. The good thing is, they probably won't plop down a family sized feast in front of you. Just relax and enjoy your vacation.
  • jkwolly
    jkwolly Posts: 3,049 Member
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    Eat what you want, just eat smaller portions. Be mindful of what you've consumed for the day, and just try and stick around to something more manageable.

    Nothing wrong with enjoying yourself, you don't HAVE to go crazy.

    ....But I'd go ham on some wine, pizza, and fresh pasta right about now!

    Enjoy!
  • mikkimomof3
    mikkimomof3 Posts: 224 Member
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    I really think if you just watch your portions, you will be fine! Eat what you want, but if the serving is large, eat only half. Enjoy your vacation, and if you put on a few pounds, just be ready to hit it hard when you get home!
  • pinkiezoom
    pinkiezoom Posts: 409 Member
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    I usually lose on holiday, but thats because i walk/swim etc a lot more than i do at my desk job lol!
    make sure you have whatever you want, but just remember what 75gms of pasta looks like etc, and dont go nuts, you dont have to log everything to the last gram, but just be mindful, also check out how many cals good quality icecream and pizza has in it, as you WILL be enjoying some of that in Italy surely lol!
    I dont drink so dont have to worry about extra hol cals from that. Drink lots of water, you cant be sure of how much salt is in food you dont cook, and salt is a nightmare for piling on weight ( not fat obviously but the water retention can be a bit shocking! )
    Just go, have an amazing time, and you will be fine x
  • healthygreek
    healthygreek Posts: 2,137 Member
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    wizzybeth wrote: »
    I never gained weight on vacation because I was always walking around a lot more. My problem was after vacation..being out of the habit of logging and watching what I ate and walking a lot less..

    This!
  • DebraYvonne
    DebraYvonne Posts: 632 Member
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    enjoy the trip of a lifetime -- take in the sights and the company you are with!! just eat in moderation!
  • HardcoreP0rk
    HardcoreP0rk Posts: 936 Member
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    wizzybeth wrote: »
    Just enjoy. Don't go crazy one way or the other. Make sensible but fun choices. Then get back on track when you return. I'd keep pasta to a minimum lol.

    This. Do simple, sensible things like moderating your alcohol consumption and splitting dessert with friends. You'll be fine. Enjoy your vacation. You've earned it.
  • philpottl
    philpottl Posts: 8 Member
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    With every meal/snack make sure you drink lots of water (between the wine!) that will help you temper the amount you eat. You can still enjoy all the great food but the water will help fill you up and you will likely not overeat. Also - I would skip the bread, it's just a small item to leave out and you will not miss it since you'll be enjoying all the other great pastas and foods. But whatever you do, don't get hung up on this. It's only 10 days in a much longer journey to good health.
  • prettygirlstorm1
    prettygirlstorm1 Posts: 722 Member
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    Enjoy yourself. If you are walking alot you will be burning off some calories. I would not worry while I was on vacation!!! Eat in moderation and have fun!!! Once you get back you can go back to your regular routine. Have a wonderful time!!!
  • Timorous_Beastie
    Timorous_Beastie Posts: 595 Member
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    I can solve all your problems. Come live in my house for those ten days, and I'll go to Italy for you. ;)

    Alternately, just go and enjoy yourself and worry about things when you get back. It's ten days. Even if you went over your maintenance amount by a thousand calories every single day of your vacation, you'd gain less than three pounds. I'd rather come home from a great vacation three pounds heavier than get back and wish I'd relaxed more, had more fun and ate more yummies.
  • Dragn77
    Dragn77 Posts: 810 Member
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    Keep in mind too, that even if you do gain, its temporary. Youll be eating a bit more more likely than not, but then, with all the walking your level of activity is changing as well. At least for me, any change in how I eat / fitness level is something that gives my body a reason to need to adjust..and with adjustments come either a gain or loss...

    Also, when I travel, the sodium is what hits me on the scale, my travels generally are about 4-6 days, and it takes about a week for my body to settle back down from all the change in routine.

    So yeah, just enjoy yourself, be mindful of your portions, take advantage of all those walks and sightseeing to offset the additional calories youll be eating, drink a lot of water to combat the additional sodium.. Then when you get back just get right back on track.

    But important to ENJOY YOURSELF! Oh what I would do to go to Italy! Enjoy it for me too!!! LoL
  • milkywayward
    milkywayward Posts: 27 Member
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    As long as you eat reasonable portions of food it should be okay. I've never had a problem with people being annoyed with my food choices while on holiday or at parties — I feel like the anxiety people have that this will happen far, far outweighs the actual degree to which it happens. Sometimes when I'm at a restaurant and order something like grilled fish with salad someone will make a comment to the effect of "wow, that looks healthy". That's it. And sometimes people will follow my lead and go, "You know what? I don't actually need or necessarily want to splurge at this meal." Most places have some relatively low calorie option, you don't have to overindulge, you don't have to eat dessert. If you do gain weight on holiday it should be minimal unless you use your holiday as an excuse to binge — and a fair chunk of it will be water weight from the sodium in restaurant food.
  • LITtlerMeCO
    LITtlerMeCO Posts: 130 Member
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    Make sure you have an idea of how many calories are in typical Italian food, take pictures of your meals (you can tell people you are documenting your trip), and paper record what you eat later from those pictures/estimate your exercise. That's what I did when I went to China last fall and I didn't gain while I was there.

    Above all, enjoy your trip!

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