Dieting and Vacations

aeloine
aeloine Posts: 2,163 Member
edited November 20 in Health and Weight Loss
Hello! I'm in the middle of a LOOOONG term weight loss journey so the upcoming two week vacation is just another bump in the road rather than an end goal. So for all of the ladies out here who have lost large amounts of weight (50-100 pounds), how did you deal with vacations? I'm going to an all inclusive resort, so cooking my own meals is kind of out of the question. I am unusually active when I go to the beach, so usually lose *some* weight but don't want get off track.

Am I crazy for thinking about bringing my bathroom scale (to track progress) and measuring cups (for the dining room food)?
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Replies

  • aeloine
    aeloine Posts: 2,163 Member
    Thanks for the input you guys! I think I might leave the measuring cups at home!
  • puzzledstill
    puzzledstill Posts: 67 Member
    Enjoy your holiday. On a long weight lose journey I think you also need to work out how to cope with life. How to maintain in the future.
    So yes by all means make some sensible choices. At all inclusive I'm very sensible at breakfast, and have rules like no alcohol before lunch. I too am active - join in power walking or aquacise. My big downfall is cocktails-and they are so calorific -so that probably what I limit most. In the restaurant if it's buffet I walk round first and decide what I really want. The anticipation is part of the fun.
    Hope some of my experience is useful and you find what works for you. Enjoy !
  • Old_Cat_Lady
    Old_Cat_Lady Posts: 1,193 Member
    Funny, I went on a weight loss vacation to Vegas once. Free airline miles had to be used. I walked and walked and ate well. I loved that vacation since I lost a bit of weight. A great memory. I am planning my next "healthy" vacation.
  • meganw2020
    meganw2020 Posts: 107 Member
    No way to bringing the scale and measuring cups. You know what foods are good choices, just make the best choice possible and you will be fine! Enjoy your trip!!
  • juliehmaui2016
    juliehmaui2016 Posts: 32 Member
    Relax and enjoy yourself. Don't go crazy but do indulge. I am leaving on a trip in the next day to France and a big part of it will be the excitement of trying the cuisine and of course the wine. I plan on having a sensible breakfast, light lunch and not worrying when it's dinner time. We will also be doing a lot of walking so that should help keep things a bit in balance. I have waited my whole life to have this holiday and I'm not going to obsess over calories. If you are sensible and reasonable with your food intake you should be just fine. Have a lovely time :smiley:
  • aeloine
    aeloine Posts: 2,163 Member
    juliehmaui2016 wrote: »
    Relax and enjoy yourself. Don't go crazy but do indulge. I am leaving on a trip in the next day to France and a big part of it will be the excitement of trying the cuisine and of course the wine. I plan on having a sensible breakfast, light lunch and not worrying when it's dinner time. We will also be doing a lot of walking so that should help keep things a bit in balance. I have waited my whole life to have this holiday and I'm not going to obsess over calories. If you are sensible and reasonable with your food intake you should be just fine. Have a lovely time :smiley:

    If I was going to France I wouldn't count calories either! Are you excited for all that CHEESE or what??
  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
    The last thing I'm stressing about on holiday is my weight. Enjoy it! I may gain 2-3lbs of actual fat in a week (and my TDEE is 23-500 so that's a lot of splurging haha) Try and stay active but please please please take the deserved mental and physical break!
  • NR81206
    NR81206 Posts: 54 Member
    I go on vacation next week, I'm going to go see my dad who happens to live near the Beach and to be honest I'm kinda stressed about it too. The thing is, I'll be with my family and that will involve eating A LOT of fast food, Mexican food, and anything in family size(we do it every year) I'm just hoping that since I'm not the only one eating healthy this year, we can change things up especially where we eat and what we eat. I would hate to undo what I've done for Pizza, Mexican food, fried chicken, & barbeque or whatever. I will not be taken my scale, bc I'm afraid that will just ruin my vacation, but I will try to log what I eat the best I can and hope for the best.
  • pattilindley
    pattilindley Posts: 47 Member
    I just came back from a week long vacation. I had decided to give myself a week off but not go crazy. We ate out every meal. I made reasonable choices but allowed myself some indulgences. Weighed myself about three days after I got back and was thrilled to see a one pound gain which was gone in a couple of days. I went right back on my meal plan. This served as practice for me because I also have to learn how to maintain without fear after I have reached my goal. Yeah! It is possible. Have fun.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    I figure that calories count the same no matter where I am located. From time and experience I can "eyeball" pretty accurately if I'm in a situation where I must. Husband was amazed when I cut exactly one ounce of cheese off the block for him, for example. So I will log it and I will assume that tons of butter is added to anything that's not salad. It's extra work, but coming back from vacation with your clothes tight and looking like poo is more depressing to me than tracking calories is. YMMV of course.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    Enjoy yourself, eat reasonably - for the most part - and realize that a few days or even 2 weeks is not going to dictate the rest of your life. And be active - explore the sites, get in lots of walking.
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
    I took a maintenance break, but went in knowing I might gain and resolving that I wasn't going to stress overmuch.
  • jordandills
    jordandills Posts: 103 Member
    Enjoy your vacation, indulge within reason, and know that this is just a minor blip on the long term weight loss road.

    Also, many factors over vacation can lead to a big water weight gain, so when you get home, don't freak out if you "gained 10 lbs" in a week. Likely 80% or more of it will just be water retention and come off in a few days.
  • __TMac__
    __TMac__ Posts: 1,669 Member
    I'm on vacation right now, in fact. I'm eating and drinking what I like, to satisfaction. I am tracking sloppily, and bumped it up to maintenance for the week. I wasn't very hungry this morning so skipped breakfast and just had really good coffee. I took a run through the woods, which was lovely. Tonight is sushi, and I'll have enough for to be sated, but not a blowout. I'll skip dessert because I don't love any of the available options. And I'll have a lightish cocktail or two. Or three. I'll weigh myself when I get home, and will get back to it my usual routine.

    Enjoy!
  • sunfastrose
    sunfastrose Posts: 543 Member
    I start a two week vacation on Monday. It's an extended family vacation I've been going on since I was six, lots of traditions...including eating a lot. You know how often times people eat because they see another person is? Multiply that by being around 40 people. I know that I will gain weight, always have, but it comes straight off after I come back.
  • wdedoelder
    wdedoelder Posts: 59 Member
    I am heading to the Netherlands and France for a few weeks. I am worried as well about putting on weight. Let's just hope that I can walk and jog it off as I eat it
  • zjpq
    zjpq Posts: 198 Member
    edited July 2017
    I try to make sensible choices and weigh up my options. So, since I am not that attached to having say toast with my eggs and bacon in the morning I may skip that so I can enjoy dessert after dinner with less guilt. Give half of my fries to someone else (or sub them for something a bit lower cal), keep it to one glass of soda a day, water the rest of the time unless having cocktails, have tacos or fajitas but only one with a tortilla and the rest over salad for example...etc. I try to balance the calories out a bit more but don't track or measure and still get to enjoy yummy food (and if I bite into something that isn't as good as it looked or 'worth' the calories I don't eat it anyway, I stop and find something else yummier ;) )
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    First, tell us where you're going ! .....! I've lost 75# with plenty of vacations along the way. A few tips,
    1) get up early and walk (or run) to start the day with a good burn
    2) breakfast eggs and vegetables + whole grain toast
    3) lunch + dinner - fresh fish, vegetables, fruit, whatever is local and in season
    4) Avoid day drinking, stick with club soda during the day and enjoy a few beers, wine or vodka and sodas with dinner. If you do drink, try to avoid creamy things like piña coladas, mud slides, etc - HUGE calorie bombs
    5) stay active during the day - swim, hike, ski, paddle, walk
    6) have fun!! No reason why you can't come back to same weight as you left, but NO - no scale!!


  • Ty_Floyd
    Ty_Floyd Posts: 102 Member
    I'm not a lady, so apologies if my input isn't wanted, but I find eating one meal a day on holiday to be the way to maintain my weight.
  • Purplebunnysarah
    Purplebunnysarah Posts: 3,252 Member
    I didn't log on my most recent vacation because I didn't have internet or cellular data at the resort. We went into town at least once a day but honestly I didn't want to bother logging. I may have gained a bit of fat (scale is up 4.2 lbs) but I would bet most of it is water and a bit of constipation. We will see where things are by this time next week.

    My only concession to my healthier lifestyle was bringing my running gear. Ran through downtown Canmore on Saturday for my C25K scheduled workout, but skipped yesterday because I was staying somewhere else at that point and didn't want to run into a bear. Back on exercise plan today.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,610 Member
    I take diet breaks on holidays where I don't log and do eat whatever I want.

    I am also a whole lot more active than usual on holidays. I usually try to include a couple "events" in my holiday. Most recently, we were on holiday for a month, and during that time I included two decent hikes and two long distance cycling events. Plus some training for all of that on the days in between. :)
  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,753 Member
    sarahthes wrote: »
    I didn't log on my most recent vacation because I didn't have internet or cellular data at the resort. We went into town at least once a day but honestly I didn't want to bother logging. I may have gained a bit of fat (scale is up 4.2 lbs) but I would bet most of it is water and a bit of constipation. We will see where things are by this time next week.

    My only concession to my healthier lifestyle was bringing my running gear. Ran through downtown Canmore on Saturday for my C25K scheduled workout, but skipped yesterday because I was staying somewhere else at that point and didn't want to run into a bear. Back on exercise plan today.
    I've been to Canmore. Loved it.

    I was on vacation for almost two weeks and I was up 5 pounds when I got back. It's all gone today. I ate what I wanted and drank like a fish. I did a load of activities like snorkeling, swimming or hiking and didn't log a bite. Vacations are so cool.
  • MossiO
    MossiO Posts: 164 Member
    I went on my honeymoon to an all-inclusive in Cancun in February. Ate what I wanted, when I wanted, and drank quite a few beers. Gained a few pounds, came right back on plan on our return. It did slow my overall loss for February but I don't regret a thing. I'm in it for the long haul.
  • SafioraLinnea
    SafioraLinnea Posts: 628 Member
    I've lost nearly 60 pounds. I just returned to a deficit after a 2.5 week maintenance break. I'm the same weight I was when I started the break. Apparently intuitive eating = maintenance calories for me.

    Make portion control a goal but do enjoy the food. Ensure you get good exercise in and have fun! Even a pound or two gained is easily lost upon returning to deficit.
  • MakePeasNotWar
    MakePeasNotWar Posts: 1,329 Member
    edited July 2017
    I'm on vacation right now, and I'm aiming for maintenance and eyeballing portions. I may be off by a pound or two by the end of 10 days, but I probably won't need to buy any new pants ;)
  • KevHex
    KevHex Posts: 256 Member
    I'm staying all inclusive in Spain at the moment with a week left. I took my regular protein powder with me and have a shake and banana or grapefruit for breakfast, a healthy buffet lunch with lots of salad and fruit. Dinner is a grilled meat or fish and something on the side. I estimate I'm eating about my calories goal for the day. I'm using my Garmin watch to make sure I get 10000 steps each day and I'm also spending 2 hours doing light swimming (1 hour in the am and one in the pm). I'm logging about 1000 exercise calories a day. I don't drink alcohol so it might be a bit easier for me.

    If I'm hungry I'll eat more. I had a nice burger yesterday. The best thing to do is relax, enjoy yourself and be a bit active.

    I better go, my 10 year old son is causing trouble in the swimming pool. Why is it always my kids!!!!!
  • dutchandkiwi
    dutchandkiwi Posts: 1,389 Member
    edited July 2017
    I have been on my journey for 3.5 years and have had a number of holidays in that period.
    I tend to give myself the room to be in maintenance during that time and logged to the best of my ability. No way I am losing my streak!
    Generally I managed to stay on maintenance with a lot of exercise and being careful in choice. My worst gain over a 4.5 week trip (both work and a subsequent holiday) was 1kg, which was gone three days later. Most of it was water retention due to the long haul flight. In part this water retention is due to food being very salty in the airline food, this to allow you to taste something at high altitude as otherwise it would be even more bland than it already is. Plus flying seems to have people hold on the water more than usual anyway. Not sure why but honestly the difference after three days is significant.

    Do note that I am quite good at the guesstimate game (laboratory background) and because I still eat out on a regular basis for work and private I have learned to choose reasonably low cal. I never brought a scale or measuring cups but in all honesty it would not be a bad move.
  • aeloine
    aeloine Posts: 2,163 Member
    edited July 2017
    zjpq wrote: »
    I try to make sensible choices and weigh up my options. So, since I am not that attached to having say toast with my eggs and bacon in the morning I may skip that so I can enjoy dessert after dinner with less guilt. Give half of my fries to someone else (or sub them for something a bit lower cal), keep it to one glass of soda a day, water the rest of the time unless having cocktails, have tacos or fajitas but only one with a tortilla and the rest over salad for example...etc. I try to balance the calories out a bit more but don't track or measure and still get to enjoy yummy food (and if I bite into something that isn't as good as it looked or 'worth' the calories I don't eat it anyway, I stop and find something else yummier ;) )

    This is actually great advice! I'll be in Mexico but I doubt I'll get to eat at too many authentic places. My family isn't great about getting out of the resorts. I think I might just end up replacing some of the carbs (rice/tortillas) with veg and cross my fingers on the protein!
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