Anxiety about weight gain on vacation.

sijomial
sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
Please don't let anxiety spoil your enjoyment of what should be a special time with family/friends/loved ones. That can include enjoying good / new / different foods as well.

With perspective of time a temporary gain really isn't significant, mostly a quick gain is water related and if you do add some fat too then none of us has forgotten how to lose weight.

My numbers were spectacular in gaining 10lbs in 10 days but I had an extra factor in the form of a back injury which restricted my exercise and caused a very swollen back.
The usual temporary gain factors are salty food, more alcohol, air travel, greater volume of food in your system etc etc.

My guess is I gained 7 or 8lbs of water and 2 or 3lbs of fat. Fast forward two weeks and I'm back to goal weight but still got memories of a lovely break and my sun tan.

h55tn8mwzirr.png

Replies

  • gothomson
    gothomson Posts: 215 Member
    Yeah I totally agree. I always put on some weight on holidays, I now just accept that as I've found that when I'm back home, and back to my routines, the weight goes back to what it was before. Holidays are for enjoying the "break from the normal", ok I do more activity holidays but the principle is still the same - just get out and enjoy yourself!
  • skymningen
    skymningen Posts: 532 Member
    Vacations I can tell myself are supposed to be a "treat time", not as in "eat all the treats", but treating yourself. And giving yourself some slack.

    My problem is more the stuff like work related travel. I am going to be on a kind of "retreat" from Monday to Thursday and of course we will be working all day (sitting), there is one 2 hour hike (with local food in the middle which tends to be fairly high in fat and starch) and we will be fed all the time including 2 coffee breaks each day and probably some drinking in the evening. Of course I can refrain from the drinking and from having cake at the coffee break, but my baggage is restricted so I cannot just bring half a bag of healthy snacks to have instead.

    I am so conflicted about it. My thought was that I will have to work hard, so I can slack on the eating and sports. But I am still somewhat scared of the results. And there will be no "it was a holiday, I treated myself to it" thought, just tiredness from working and regret.
  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
    Great post!!
  • RedSierra
    RedSierra Posts: 253 Member
    skymningen wrote: »
    Vacations I can tell myself are supposed to be a "treat time", not as in "eat all the treats", but treating yourself. And giving yourself some slack.

    My problem is more the stuff like work related travel. I am going to be on a kind of "retreat" from Monday to Thursday and of course we will be working all day (sitting), there is one 2 hour hike (with local food in the middle which tends to be fairly high in fat and starch) and we will be fed all the time including 2 coffee breaks each day and probably some drinking in the evening. Of course I can refrain from the drinking and from having cake at the coffee break, but my baggage is restricted so I cannot just bring half a bag of healthy snacks to have instead.

    I am so conflicted about it. My thought was that I will have to work hard, so I can slack on the eating and sports. But I am still somewhat scared of the results. And there will be no "it was a holiday, I treated myself to it" thought, just tiredness from working and regret.

    I feel for you with the work-related travel food problems. I have a medical problem and have to draw the line no matter what's going on.

    My suggestion would be drink a lot of water -- plain water or with a slice of lemon, whatever you prefer, but just drink water. Make water your beverage of choice. It's good for you and will help to fill you up and curb your appetite.
  • skymningen
    skymningen Posts: 532 Member
    RedSierra wrote: »

    My suggestion would be drink a lot of water -- plain water or with a slice of lemon, whatever you prefer, but just drink water. Make water your beverage of choice. It's good for you and will help to fill you up and curb your appetite.

    I do that anyway. I am sitting here at work with my bottle of tap water. Have actually been asked by a coworker today why I am going to the kitchen so often (to fill up the bottle of course). It does help, a little. And I will do it during the "work time". I have more problems with the "break time". And potentially needing more bathroom breaks than will be accommodated.
  • HappyGrape
    HappyGrape Posts: 436 Member
    So for me long term I want to be able to travel a lot, and I don't maintain healthy weight with few lbs up and down but I want to have consistency in how I eat. Eat when hungry. Eat a lot of fresh fruit veggies. Eat not too much. Just forget about it all(and I am not saying that's what you are suggesting but this is what I did between 2011 and 2015) just doesn't work
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    @HappyGrape
    Agreed there isn't a one size fits all approach. Also I wouldn't advocate gluttony or a complete disregard for volume and food/drink choices.
    Having a plan or strategy makes a big difference to the outcome, but that plan should leave room for enjoyment without unrealistic anxiety or guilt.

    My 10lb gain could have been far higher!
    Bubbly was available with every breakfast but only had it to celebrate our 34th wedding anniversary.
    I limit my visits to the buffet. When I'm full I stop eating, my full is a definite calorie surplus though.
    All inclusive resort with "free" alcohol on tap all day doesn't mean I have to get smashed to get value for money.
    I walk a lot, mostly on the beach.
    Normally I train/exercise every day on holiday (for enjoyment) but due to injury probably lost about 10 hours of exercise, I consciously ate a bit less and walked a bit more after my back went "ping".

    I had diet coke in my rum & coke. :)

    To me it's the difference between anxiety that spoils a holiday versus having a perspective about the real consequences of a temporary gain.

  • slimgirljo15
    slimgirljo15 Posts: 269,440 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    @HappyGrape
    Agreed there isn't a one size fits all approach. Also I wouldn't advocate gluttony or a complete disregard for volume and food/drink choices.
    Having a plan or strategy makes a big difference to the outcome, but that plan should leave room for enjoyment without unrealistic anxiety or guilt.

    My 10lb gain could have been far higher!
    Bubbly was available with every breakfast but only had it to celebrate our 34th wedding anniversary.
    I limit my visits to the buffet. When I'm full I stop eating, my full is a definite calorie surplus though.
    All inclusive resort with "free" alcohol on tap all day doesn't mean I have to get smashed to get value for money.
    I walk a lot, mostly on the beach.
    Normally I train/exercise every day on holiday (for enjoyment) but due to injury probably lost about 10 hours of exercise, I consciously ate a bit less and walked a bit more after my back went "ping".

    I had diet coke in my rum & coke. :)

    To me it's the difference between anxiety that spoils a holiday versus having a perspective about the real consequences of a temporary gain.

    I find it hard to believe youve been married 34 years..geez you look great.
    I love your post btw and I totally agree. I no longer sweat the holidays.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    @HappyGrape
    Agreed there isn't a one size fits all approach. Also I wouldn't advocate gluttony or a complete disregard for volume and food/drink choices.
    Having a plan or strategy makes a big difference to the outcome, but that plan should leave room for enjoyment without unrealistic anxiety or guilt.

    My 10lb gain could have been far higher!
    Bubbly was available with every breakfast but only had it to celebrate our 34th wedding anniversary.
    I limit my visits to the buffet. When I'm full I stop eating, my full is a definite calorie surplus though.
    All inclusive resort with "free" alcohol on tap all day doesn't mean I have to get smashed to get value for money.
    I walk a lot, mostly on the beach.
    Normally I train/exercise every day on holiday (for enjoyment) but due to injury probably lost about 10 hours of exercise, I consciously ate a bit less and walked a bit more after my back went "ping".

    I had diet coke in my rum & coke. :)

    To me it's the difference between anxiety that spoils a holiday versus having a perspective about the real consequences of a temporary gain.

    I find it hard to believe youve been married 34 years..geez you look great.
    I love your post btw and I totally agree. I no longer sweat the holidays.

    @slimgirljo15
    Aw thanks! Very kind.
  • teresadannar
    teresadannar Posts: 199 Member
    I was worried about weight gain on vacation this year, we were planning a great vacation that hits at my MFP 1 year anniversary. Funny how things can change in just a few months, now I'm worried if we get to go at all....
  • brenn24179
    brenn24179 Posts: 2,144 Member
    when I went on vacation I learned to not drink soft drinks, not to get too hungry, take healthy snacks. Last vacation I was about the same weight, maybe up a pound or two.
  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,088 Member
    My thoughts.... if one were to go on vacation, put on a few lbs, and come back and go back to their "normal: woe... wouldn't the weight fall off slowly?