Going on Vacation. Any tips for minimize the damage....?

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  • peter56765
    peter56765 Posts: 352 Member
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    Just like you didn't gain all your weight in one single week, you're not going to gain everything back in just one week either. Changing your diet and exercising for long term health is indeed a lifestyle change but vacations are meant to be a break from our regular routines. Leave the exercise stuff and protein bars at home - unless you really enjoy those things of course. There's something to be said for hiking and swimming on vacation afterall. But if you weren't going to otherwise do those things, don't feel you need to add them. Simply put: don't let diet and exercise control what you do or don't do on your vacation. Strive to live healthy the other 51 weeks of the year and the one week you just enjoy yourself will take care of itself.
  • TuffChixRule
    TuffChixRule Posts: 190 Member
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    I just got back from a long Labor Day weekend, and I survived being in South Carolina, surrounded by delicious food and alcohol everywhere. Fortunately my hotel room had a mini fridge and a microwave so I was able to store my food I brought. Also did not go to the restaurants that were within walking distance of the hotel. I explored the area, swam in the hotel pool and did not worry about logging absolutely everything. But I still had an idea of what I was eating and how many calories I ate. As everyone has stated before, portion control and moderation is the key. Enjoy your vacation and remember you will not undo all your hard work in one week :)
  • Owlfan88
    Owlfan88 Posts: 187 Member
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    One thing I do sometimes when eating out is to remember that the portion sizes are often huge. So I will sometimes order one or two appetizers and no main dish. Or appetizer and soup or salad. Depends on what looks best. Especially if you don't have a way to save/reheat leftovers, I'm likely to eat too much rather than waste the food.
  • dubird
    dubird Posts: 1,849 Member
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    Aim for smaller portions and make sure to do a lot of walking around. Or other activities. *ahem* If you get back and haven't gained any or only a pound or two, you've come out ahead and didn't spend the entire time stressing over it! That's what I did for the cruise we took. I didn't have internet access, so I kept a separate list of what I ate and estimated best I could, went on excursions that included a lot of physical activity, and did good with dinners since the portions were much smaller. When I got back, I had gained one pound and that's because OMGCHOCOLATEMELTINGCAKE for dessert several times. ^_^; So, all in all, I was able to keep to about maintenance with estimations and I didn't stress myself over it. Vacations are supposed to be for relaxing and having fun, so do so!
  • ShellyBell999
    ShellyBell999 Posts: 1,482 Member
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    Just like at home;
    eat fresh foods not processed,
    find activities that burn calories ie; hiking, swimming, dancing etc.
    Have fun!!
  • elbrujo53
    elbrujo53 Posts: 55 Member
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    ShellyBell999 wrote: »
    Just like at home;
    eat fresh foods not processed,
    find activities that burn calories ie; hiking, swimming, dancing etc.
    Have fun!!

    I haven't thought on dancing, but that definitely sounds like a lot of fun...!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    ShellyBell999 wrote: »
    Just like at home;
    eat fresh foods not processed    ,
    find activities that burn calories ie; hiking, swimming, dancing etc.
    Have fun!!

    Because that is so easy when you eat out all the time...
  • maxit
    maxit Posts: 880 Member
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    Eating out on vacation I aim for fresh fruit, baked and broiled seafood or lean meat, dressings on the side when I do a salad, drinks OR dessert (not both), and when I get home, any weight gained comes off within a few weeks of "normal" eating.
  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
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    I just got back from vacation. I managed to pack on a few pounds. Not a big deal, I'm back to watching my food intake and regular exercise.

    Most importantly I had a lot of fun on vacation. That's the point of vacation right?
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
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    BigGuy47 wrote: »
    I just got back from vacation. I managed to pack on a few pounds. Not a big deal, I'm back to watching my food intake and regular exercise.

    Most importantly I had a lot of fun on vacation. That's the point of vacation right?

    This!!
  • elbrujo53
    elbrujo53 Posts: 55 Member
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    dubird wrote: »
    Aim for smaller portions and make sure to do a lot of walking around. Or other activities. *ahem* If you get back and haven't gained any or only a pound or two, you've come out ahead and didn't spend the entire time stressing over it! That's what I did for the cruise we took. I didn't have internet access, so I kept a separate list of what I ate and estimated best I could, went on excursions that included a lot of physical activity, and did good with dinners since the portions were much smaller. When I got back, I had gained one pound and that's because OMGCHOCOLATEMELTINGCAKE for dessert several times. ^_^; So, all in all, I was able to keep to about maintenance with estimations and I didn't stress myself over it. Vacations are supposed to be for relaxing and having fun, so do so!

    LOL... That's it..!
  • CharleneMarie_723
    CharleneMarie_723 Posts: 11 Member
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    I travel for work so I am gone, sometimes overseas for 18-24 days a month. Eating out is very hard because you don't know if something is prepared with milk or cream, etc. Everyone above has great advice. Stay as active as you can and try to resemble some sort of normalcy with at least one meal a day. When I vacation, I eat a normal breakfast such as two eggs and a package of oatmeal, etc, a piece of fruit and cereal bar for lunch, then a normal dinner. Split an app with your other half, same with dessert. I always try to get broiled fish if it is an option. Vacation is a time for relaxing, visiting a new place, and enjoying your time so don't sweat everything. With that being said, it is also not an eating free-for-all. I would aim for maintenance and be happy with only a 1-2lb weight gain if the vacation is a week long.
  • scolaris
    scolaris Posts: 2,145 Member
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    Good ideas here! I'll be spending a week in DC next month & want to enjoy sensibly. Plus, add lots of extra walking!!!
  • Somebody_Loved
    Somebody_Loved Posts: 498 Member
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    I echo was others have said. I went to Vegas a couple weekends ago and splurged every day. Ate what I wanted and drank to excess. When I got home the scale was up 6 pounds. 2 weeks later I'm back down to my pre-vacation weight.

    Enjoy your vacation and try not to overthink it. Any fluctuation you see on the scale will mostly be water and will have no bearing on your progress in the long run. And congrats on your great progress so far!
  • elbrujo53
    elbrujo53 Posts: 55 Member
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    Somebody_Loved wrote: »
    I echo was others have said. I went to Vegas a couple weekends ago and splurged every day. Ate what I wanted and drank to excess. When I got home the scale was up 6 pounds. 2 weeks later I'm back down to my pre-vacation weight.

    Enjoy your vacation and try not to overthink it. Any fluctuation you see on the scale will mostly be water and will have no bearing on your progress in the long run. And congrats on your great progress so far!

    Thanks a lot!!
  • Strawblackcat
    Strawblackcat Posts: 944 Member
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    When my family and I go on vacation, we like to book a hotel that has suite-style rooms that include a kitchen. The first thing we always do when we get there is to go to the grocery store and get our food for the rest of the vacation. We cook most meals at the hotel, and only eat 1-2 dinners out at a restaurant. We do this mostly to save money, though. We would all much prefer to stay at he beach for an extra 2 days and cook for ourselves rather than stay for less time and eat out for every meal!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Another tip - Yelp if your friend. Don't waste your calories on mediocre food!
  • elbrujo53
    elbrujo53 Posts: 55 Member
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    Francl27 wrote: »
    Another tip - Yelp if your friend. Don't waste your calories on mediocre food!

    Great tip ! every calorie count, so let's use them wisely...! Thanks!
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    It's vacation, go have fun. Be conscientious, use moderation and you're golden.
  • barryplumber
    barryplumber Posts: 401 Member
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    Accept it .....you now have a new lifestyle it's all up to you

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