How do you stay on track when you're on vacation?

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I'm going to be traveling for the next 3 weeks and don't want to lose ground with my weight loss and fitness. Suggestions?
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  • wagnerpe123
    wagnerpe123 Posts: 65 Member
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    When I was on a cruise this summer I vowed to remain active (made sure I got at least 15,000 steps a day) and as for eating, I ate healthy, sensible choices at least through lunch. Then I would be a little more lenient with dinner, dessert and evening drinks.

    I still came back 8lbs heavier, but those pounds disappeared within 7 days (likely water weight/sodium retention).
  • janjunie
    janjunie Posts: 1,200 Member
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    I came back from vacation a few days ago. I'm sure I went way off track when it came to food. I ate buffet breakfast everyday, one buffet dinner, ate massive amounts of pizza (refer to avatar), cookies and nuts just to name a few. I was kind of surprised to only be up 1 lb when I came home. However, my vacation included lots and lots of walking. I also used the hotel treadmill on average every second day and I requested a top floor suite and never took the elevator. I don't worry about what I should and should not eat while on vacation, I enjoy myself and get back on track when I come home.
  • andream1976
    andream1976 Posts: 77 Member
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    Keep tracking. We were on vacation for a week in July, so we were eating out every day. But I did not want to loose momentum, so we packed a lot of our own snacks (we were staying at a water park resort, so most of our days were spent onsite and I could go back to the room if I wanted). I ate breakfast in the room every morning instead of going down to the buffet. Kids ate pop tarts, bagels and cereal in the room, as well. On our last day we did stop for breakfast on our way out of town and I had 3 egg beaters, turkey bacon and toast that was filling and pretty low calorie. When we did eat out, I made sure to avoid fried foods and the bread basket. I had grilled chicken and shrimp, rice, baked potatoes, veggies, steak and salad with low fat dressing. All the dressings I ordered on the side, as well as butter. I went over on my calories only one day and still managed to loose a bit of weight. I am not going to lie, it wasn't easy! I wanted nachos at the water park with everyone else, but I got a bland soft pretzel cause I read that is one of the best choices at snack carts. I wanted those fried cheese curds with my family at the brew house but had salad instead. I would have loved to have a big frozen cocktail, too, but didn't. In the end, I was very proud of myself. I stayed on track while still enjoying some foods I would not have had at home. If you don't have it, get the MFP app. It's free and easy to use on your phone. It will look up restaurants near to you using GPS and find menu items with calories counts, if available. It also has a nifty scanner that you can use to scan any food packaging with a bar code and it will automatically give you the nutrition info for it.
  • victoria_1024
    victoria_1024 Posts: 915 Member
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    I usually don't log on vacations and just try to make good choices and be very active. Sometimes I gain a little but it always comes off right away. Sometimes I surprise myself and even end up losing! Personally I need the break from logging and give myself permission on vacations to relax. Now, with a 3 week vacation I might log some of it just because that's a long time but I would still probably not be as picky as usual.
  • Gisel2015
    Gisel2015 Posts: 4,146 Member
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    Just as Victoria_1024 said, I don't log much on vacation. I don't like to estimate calories and unless the restaurant has nutritional information in their website and it is easy to find in the database, I will not bother logging my food. I also need a break from weighing and logging.

    I try to cook and eat breakfast in and sometimes even log it; that it is easier to do when I am staying in a condo. I don't do fast food; neither my husband or I like it. I don't binge or eat large amount of food, I try to keep my protein up and control my sodium and carbs intake. I drink in moderation and sometimes days go by without a drop of wine, which is the only alcohol that I drink. And since I don't have a sweet tooth, I can eat deserts in moderation too or nothing at all.

    I also try to stay active, however I am having knees and lower back issues, so I had to reduce my activity level while on vacation. I got back also from a three weeks road trip last week, eating most of my food out and with only a 1/2lbs gain. While I was at my sons' house I managed to cook breakfasts and some lunches and dinners too, but I didn't weigh my food or even log it.

    In my opinion one can relax and have a great time without over indulging in food. It all depends how motivated you are and what is important to you. If you gain some weight , you can get back in the saddle when you get back home. Have fun!
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    Limit bread, pasta, alcohol, and dessert. I'm not saying eliminate, but limit, portion control, because it's easy to consume hundreds or thousands of calories in these items alone . Cut your entree in half & dont eat all oif it. Split desserts & appetizers, try not to have both at the same meal. You can still enjoy your trip & local cuisine. A great trip is not dependent on overeating.

    These are my strategies to stay reasonably on track during vaca, which is what you asked. Not everyone wants to stay on track during vaca, so that's their choice. Just remember, there are consequences.
  • jps2222
    jps2222 Posts: 61 Member
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    Thanks for all the replies. I'll be having about half my meals at restaurants and about half at people's houses, so am hoping it won't be too onerous, and I think I'll definitely keep logging because I find it really helps me keep perspective. And hoping it's not too hot to stay active! Appreciate everyone's insights and strategies.
  • hiyomi
    hiyomi Posts: 906 Member
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    On all the vacations I have been on, I have never had to worry about what I eat because I simply walk excessive amounts simply from exploring new areas, sight seeing and walking around. And by excessive, I mean I walked 25 miles in 3 days when I went to Vegas a few weeks ago! The last trip before that I was totaling almost 4 miles per day and that's that we mostly stayed at an event at a hotel! Of course I don't go crazy on food, but I do indulge and not once have I come back from vacation and gained weight! Now unless you plan to be sitting in a spa all day or your hotel room, I wouldn't worry too much!
  • leahkathleen13
    leahkathleen13 Posts: 272 Member
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    Keep a mini goal In mind with a timeframe that happens after vaca. For instance... I want to be able to wear that whatever it is to that special event after vaca...... I fell prey to the mental trap of using vaca as a goal then reaching the goal and feeling "done".
  • _piaffe
    _piaffe Posts: 163 Member
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    The only thing that works for me is logging everything, starting every day with a dedicated workout of some kind (walking a lot is presumed, but isn't enough to earn my inevitable vacation calorie overage) and limiting / focusing my carb intake.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    edited August 2016
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    I keep active (we walk loads every day on vacation), I still watch my portion sizes just as I do at home and make good choices. I keep the breads on offer to a minimum as I feel they are wasted calories.
    I also find when it comes to dessert, I'll usually share one with hubby or I'll eat half of the portion I've been given.
    We cruise twice a year and never gain on holidays doing this.

    I don't log my food any longer and I have never logged food while on vacation - I treated it as a break from the whole process and also that let me see I could go it alone and not need to log.
  • kazminchu
    kazminchu Posts: 250 Member
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    I never stay on track during my holidays, we only go once a year and I want to enjoy myself! So for that week, I will stuff myself with bread, fried food, ice cream, baked goods, and everything else.

    Last year I gained 7lbs on holiday, and lost it within a few weeks. No big deal.

    What I also do is reduce my calories slightly on the run up to my holiday to earn myself extra, I do this for events and suchlike as well. It's easier for me to eat 100 calories less every day for a week than it is for me to not eat delicious food when everyone else is.
  • subakwa
    subakwa Posts: 347 Member
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    I've just come back from a fortnight (2 weeks for non-Brits!) away in Cyprus. I lost a pound whilst away.

    My tactic was to keep on doing what I was doing! Logging, making sensible choices - lots of salad, not so much bread, very little alcohol - and interspersing my holiday delight of reading in the sun with active time.

    I had pizza one night, ice-cream a few times, and 3 beers. Do you know what? That was enough. Although eating and drinking are usually a big thing on holiday the new normal was just fine too. I didn't feel like I missed out on anything. What I ate, especially the hellim/halloumi done on the charcoal BBQ each night, was delicious. Fresh salads, olives, juicy peaches - all very satisfying.

  • RachelElser
    RachelElser Posts: 427 Member
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    what kind of vacation? Will you have access to a fridge and microwave? Can you go out to lunch, put half in a to-go box and then eat it for dinner? Or vice versa (lunch the next day of course)? Is there a place to do some exercise, like the hotel gym? I use them and never see anyone else! Or look up some hotel room exercises and do them at night just to stay active. Also eat smart when you are out- half portions if available, and stop at grocery stores and buy a bag of mixed fruit to snack on while you travel rather than chips or candy.
    Good luck!
  • Angierae75
    Angierae75 Posts: 417 Member
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    I don't. It's a vacation. I make smart choices, but I'm not going to spend my vacation angsting about food.
  • Taliko
    Taliko Posts: 82 Member
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    I just came back from a two week vacation, one of which was camping in the sticks and I didn't have a cell signal, so I certainly wasn't logging. I did try to eat moderately small portion sizes but I certainly wasn't going to forgo s'mores, beer, other fun camp foods. The second week was restaurant week and I ate some decent salads along with pizza, burgers etc! But not large portion sizes, no fries, water to drink.
    Long story short, had a lot of fun, didn't think too hard about it. Came back 6 lbs heavier, but I was on my period! The weight was gone in a week so I'm guessing I did an OK job at maintenance.

    Try to have fun on vacations. That's what they're for! Just don't forget to hop right back on the wagon when you get home. That's the important bit.
  • leajas1
    leajas1 Posts: 823 Member
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    I always bring my own snacks (a Quest Bar and Cave Man bar - enough to have one each every day). Then only eat out for my 3 squares. I pretty much only eat protein during the day, but then for dinner I have a satisfying meal: appetizer, main meal, dessert. This way, I don't let go completely, but I can still enjoy myself. Of course, I exercise every day. If there is not a fitness room where I"m staying I scout out a local gym and pay the guest fee. There are also tons of free on line videos you can do. Good luck!
  • maidengirl_
    maidengirl_ Posts: 283 Member
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    I purposely do not log on vacation. I just make a note in my diary and enjoy myself. Then its back to business when I get back. I typically don't gain or lose on holiday anyway.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
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    I don't, but I don't take 3 week vacations, either.