Tips for camping on a diet?

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bbontheb
bbontheb Posts: 718 Member
in Motivation and Support
Bring my scale? Preweigh some foods like oatmeal? Bring measuring cups?

Rest of family and kids do not eat like I do. I am a no/low fodmap diet for stomach issues so I eat a lot of veggies with protein, can't have certain foods, or greasy stuff etc. I haven't eaten out in almost 8 weeks either so it feels scary for me.

Not having battery power and no charging so I can log into MFP? ahhhhhhhhh I might go crazy!

What are your tips that might make this feel a little less stressful?

Replies

  • ElizabethKalmbach
    ElizabethKalmbach Posts: 1,416 Member
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    Are you site camping or backpacking? I camp for about 18 days straight in the summer, and don't usually worry about logging in that time. I eat whatever gets in my way and don't really worry about it for several reasons...

    1. I logged 10k steps just taking my 4-year-old to the privy. Seriously... If you have to walk a block just to pee, and you have to walk a block every time your kid has to pee, it's a lot of steps - even if you feel like you stayed in camp THE WHOLE DAY.
    2. If you DON'T stay in camp and you go canoeing or something? You're burning even more calories.
    3. Your water/electrolyte/digestive system is going to be confused FOR DAYS. Seriously. I gain what looks like 8-10 lbs while I'm off in the woods, even if I'm actually eating at a deficit. Why? Because I've changed my eating pattern, I'm eating preserved foods with lots of salt, I'm sweating like crazy, I'm drinking like crazy, I'm away from my "home toilet" and my body hates me... I don't even bother to weigh myself seriously for about a week after I get home.

    Eat the things on your list of "normal foods" and try to keep things as close as you can to what you would normally have. Remember to hydrate properly, and have fun. Unless this is something you'll be facing once a month forever, it's not going to set you back seriously, even if you goof. Your kids will remember this trip for the rest of their lives. Remember it with them.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    put it into some perspective...it's just a few days camping...that's it..pretty irrelevant when you put it in perspective.

    i camp all of the time and I don't really eat any differently than I do at home...I usually grill some kind of meat for dinner and serve it with some kind of veg and some kind of starch or grain. I usually have eggs and whatnot for breakfast...maybe a yogurt on pack up day...sandwiches and such for lunch.

    also, when I'm camping i'm also doing a lot more moving...hiking...fishing...shooting...milling about camp, etc. All of my moving more than makes up for the copious amounts of beer that flow.
  • bevee28
    bevee28 Posts: 2 Member
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    Make ahead things like chili and soup, put in ziploc bags and freeze flat. They will help keep stuff cold in your cooler and then you just need to heat in a pot and serve.
  • dsneade
    dsneade Posts: 21 Member
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    I went camping for a weekend about a month ago. I separated each protein serving into sandwich bags. I also prepared a few salads in some plastic ware so my veggies were also already measured. I used instant oatmeal for breakfast and shopped for plenty of fresh fruits for snacks. Since I'm usually pretty active on a camping trip I also allowed myself a little more freedom with simple carbs.
    It worked out because that week ended up being one of my biggest loss weeks since March.
  • stevesample76
    stevesample76 Posts: 248 Member
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    Pre-packaging foods and loading up the cooler before you leave is a great way. Plan ahead and you should be fine to stay on track if that is what you want to do. Above all else, go and have fun and enjoy your time with family and friends. Dont ruin your weekend beating yourself up and stressing about food.
  • bbontheb
    bbontheb Posts: 718 Member
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    Thanks for all the tips and advice! I think what worries me is that I have a tendency to "fall off the wagon" so to speak and am really trying healthier habits (been 7 weeks) and moderation. Camping is one of those times where I would eat junk and don't want to this time. I mean, I will still eat my portions of things like chocolate but felt like if I went 5 days without logging, or measuring/weighing it would be hard for me to go back to good habits.

    We aren't camping till the beginning of July. Not backpacking. Just a place with outhouses and water. I'm a little nervous...lol
  • ElizabethKalmbach
    ElizabethKalmbach Posts: 1,416 Member
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    You can also log the old fashioned way. Tiny notepads do not require batteries and can be used to backfill mfp when you get home. :)
  • whmscll
    whmscll Posts: 2,254 Member
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    ElizabethKalmbach wrote: »
    You can also log the old fashioned way. Tiny notepads do not require batteries and can be used to backfill mfp when you get home. :)

    I was just going to say this. Does your food scale run on batteries? If so, take it! Same with measuring cups, etc. i always have trouble with healthy camping recipes because of the no refrigeration issue, and somehow salads while camping are completely unappealing, even though I eat them twice a day at home.
  • bbontheb
    bbontheb Posts: 718 Member
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    Good idea! So not necessarily knowing the calorie count but keeping track of what I am eating anyhow? And salads out camping...I detest usually. Mostly because the veggies fall to the bottom of our coolers in the ice water. Ick!
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    I feel like I would lose weight camping. Hot dogs and hiking? Less food and more activity than normal for me.
  • zdyb23456
    zdyb23456 Posts: 1,706 Member
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    I think I would just eat what everyone else is eating, just mindful of my portions and try to be as active as I can.
    That's what I did last year when we spent a week at the beach with family. I didn't bother logging any food, I ate what everyone else did, just smaller portions than I would have prior to MFP and my goal was hit as close to 20K steps per day on my activity tracker - it was pretty easy. Morning runs on beach, walking around shopping, walking on the beach with the kids... I didn't gain anything that week!
  • bbontheb
    bbontheb Posts: 718 Member
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    It helps a bit that I can't even have hotdogs. Although I may cry a bit. I think I'll plan my food out a bit because I have some restrictions which are really hard to just grab and go sometimes (no wheat, lactose, apple, onion, garlic, sorbitol.malitol, stone fruits, some vegetables). We always make alfredo from scratch while camping and I will surely cry but have to plan something equally appetizing for me. Burgers I guess!
  • MinmoInk
    MinmoInk Posts: 345 Member
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    yes as others have said here I wouldn't really diet especially if you are moving around and camping. Just be mindful of portions and how hungry you are. Don't have to log and since you are worried about falling off the boat, just know youre being more active than what you would be not camping :) then you can get back to your routine

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