How do you all cope on an 'All Inclusive Holiday'??

I take my scale with me on vacation. I eat when it is great, and pass when it is not. I eat really small for two meals a day and save for the one big meal. I try to exercise while on vacation. Either swimming or hiking.

1. Continue to exercise first thing. a. High intensity interval training: sprint 30 seconds. Rest 90. Times 10. a. Or jump rope. c. Or calistenics. d. Go on lots of walking tours. 2. Typically when on vacation I only eat brunch and linner, and have a snack of dried nuts or fruit in between because I am out there seeing everything. Also, on my days off I fast from 2000-1200 and only eat during an 8 hour window so that my body starts burning fat after the first 12 hours and not just sugar. 3. Study out the food offered and only pick your favorites. Eat a highly nourishing meal so that you aren't starving by the time you hit the dessert table. Wait 15 minutes and only then Go BACK UP for the dessert. Don't take any on your first trip. They will look much less attractive after your hunger is satiated. 4. Eat a HALF portion of any treat. That way you can try both the eclair and the cream puff. You can also only eat the cream, and not the puff. I don't "waste" or is it waist? calories on drink whether they be alcohol or soda. 5. Keep posting, if only in a journal. You want to keep you good habits and hold yourself accountable.

To each his or her own, I understand that, but I do not understand the "throw caution to the wind" approach to eating on vacation. If that works for you then have at it but it seems to me to be completely counterproductive to what we are here for - losing weight. If your new way of eating is truly a lifestyle change, then you dont bounce from mindful eating to pigging out over night, maintain that for two weeks and then go back to the straight and narrow path - thats like vegetarians indulging in bacon every sunday. And I dont understand how the focus of a holiday, whether it is all inclusive or not, is food. Are you going on vacation just to eat? I would think you would be able to do that far more cheaply by staying home and going restaurant hopping.

When I go on holiday, my focus is on the activities I am hoping to participate in, the people I will meet, the sites I will see, not what am I going to eat next. On my last vacation (Alaska cruise - it was marvelous) I had my phone with me so I used the app and tried to estimate as best I could. I avoided what I knew to be carb or calorie dense stuff, ate lots of chicken, simply prepared things, watched my alcohol intake, and didnt have desserts or any splurges until the last day. I reasoned that if I started into the desserts from the first night, I wouldnt be able to control it, so I avoided them! One thing I will note is that my trip did not have buffets.

Even without going over my calorie budgets each day, I had a fabulous time, and the food is the last thing I will remember about the trip (though the crab was exceptional). And I got back home without gaining an ounce. Actually, with all the extra activity, I think I lost a pound or two. Sorry, I dont want to sound holier than thou, but it is entirely possible to have a good time without food being the focus.

So I guess you have to decide whether you are a short term or long term gratifier - can you accept that you will gain weight and abandon all moderation, or maintain your vigilance and go home with confidence?

I try not to eat many if any sweets, that is just me, seems to help

I eat when I want and I don't eat when I don't want. I don't eat anything for the sake of eating it, I just eat when I'm hungry. I probably drink a little too much, but frankly I tend to maintain on these trips so I can't be drinking too over my TDEE.

I don't track...but then again, we swim, we snorkel, we do stuff, we walk a lot and most of all make sure to get full use out of the amenities in our hotel room.

AKA, we boink a lot.