Dreading my vacation
ZhivagosGirl
Posts: 161 Member
Next week I'll be going out of town with my family for a 4 day get-away. If all goes well I should have just cleared the 60 lb loss mark. We'll be eating out essentially every meal and the thought of all those calories is making my head spin and my stomach ache. I've worked so hard since January and I don't want to blow things on this trip. I in no way am giving myself carte blanche to go crazy, I plan to make the best choices I can but as someone who has managed to gain 5 lbs from one meal in the past, it's hard to remain optimistic.
So - what's my best game plan or strategy heading into this? Feedback appreciated.
Lara
So - what's my best game plan or strategy heading into this? Feedback appreciated.
Lara
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Replies
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What activities are planned? What food is planned?1
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ZhivagosGirl wrote: »Next week I'll be going out of town with my family for a 4 day get-away. If all goes well I should have just cleared the 60 lb loss mark. We'll be eating out essentially every meal and the thought of all those calories is making my head spin and my stomach ache. I've worked so hard since January and I don't want to blow things on this trip. I in no way am giving myself carte blanche to go crazy, I plan to make the best choices I can but as someone who has managed to gain 5 lbs from one meal in the past, it's hard to remain optimistic.
So - what's my best game plan or strategy heading into this? Feedback appreciated.
Lara
mathematically you can't actually gain 5 Lbs of actual fat from one meal...
When we're on vacation, I typically just enjoy my vacation...I might have something smaller for breakfast in anticipation for a heavier lunch or dinner, etc. We also usually stay at a condo or cabin so typically on eat out one meal per day...usually lunch...sometimes twice per day. Breakfast is usually always at the condo or cabin because it's just easier that way with kids. We also snack less than when we're home...
Also when I'm on vacation, I'm way more active than I am at home...out and about seeing this and that...most of our vacations also involve being at either the beach or up in the mountains, so hiking and surfing and whatnot are how we spend some of our days.
I've never gained actual weight (fat) other than maybe a Lb or so while on vacation. Most weight gained on vacation is a matter of water retention from eating out and having higher sodium than normal coupled with more inherent waste in your system. Flying also can cause a great deal of bloating which will show on the scale.
Just go enjoy your vacation...come home and get back to the normal things you do. Vacation shouldn't be "dreaded"...that's kind of sad.15 -
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It's going to be hard to do that much damage to your weight loss in four days, and IMPOSSIBLE to do irreversible damage. Accept that you'll most likely gain some weight and let yourself enjoy your time with your family. When you eat out, do the same thing you'd do at any restaurant: watch your beverages, order from the appetizer menu, don't let anyone pressure you into finishing your plate. Offer to split an entree or suggest dining family-style. Maybe plan on skipping a couple of meals - that's a lot of together time if we're talking three meals a day, so maybe skip a couple breakfasts or lunches to take a quiet walk. You've come a long way and I'm sure it wasn't easy, but again, nothing you do over four days is going to blow things forever, so try and give yourself permission to enjoy yourself.6
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Your best game plan depends on what kind of activities you will be doing and whether you'll be able to prepare some or all of your food (or if you'll be eating restaurant food 100% of the time).
You have to keep in mind that when you increase activity and/or sodium, you retain water, so IF you see a bump on the scale immediately afterward, it's going to be mostly water weight which will resolve itself once you get back to your regular routine. Four days isn't long enough to really cause any significant fat gain. Just as an example, I was 2 pounds up after 1 full day at Disneyland last month, because I was eating higher sodium than I normally do and because I drastically increased my activity level for that one day. It was all water weight, as I expected, and it went away within about a week.1 -
@JeromeBarry1 we're going to St. Louis and have so far planned for Grants Farm, Purina Farm, the Endangered Wolf Center, the American Kennel Club Dog Museum (our kids love animals), the Science Museum/Planetarium. No meals are planned, we are staying at a hotel, eating out at restaurants.0
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You'll be walking a lot. Eat reasonably, enjoy a few treats, and stay happy.8
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So, lots of walking (not either sitting by the pool doing nothing or extreme trail hiking or things like that). If it were me, I would plan on packing some high-protein snacks with reasonable calorie counts (so I wouldn't be tempted by super high-calorie snacks), but I would enjoy my restaurant meals. I'd try to limit calories where I can (for example, eliminating any liquid calories or trying to choose lower-calorie restaurant meals), but I wouldn't go crazy. Four days really isn't enough time to do any significant damage if you just keep an eye on things.
I also might wait to weigh in after I got back if I thought that seeing a high number on the scale would freak me out. Maybe give it a week while you're back at your normal routine before weighing in.4 -
Well, if we're eating out a lot, I tend to choose fish or chicken, with the sauce on the side. Just maybe try to avoid things that are 'buttered' or 'smothered in' or 'triple fried' - go for grilled instead. You know what your weaknesses are, you can still eat out and not feel like you've let yourself down. Enjoy your holiday!1
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I'm going to have this problem when I go to NYC in October for 6 days. So far my plan is to do my best at not going overboard, enjoy myself and I know I will be walking A LOT (can't wait to see what my Fitbit says haha).
I think the most important thing will be to get right back to it when you return home.1 -
wow, life is too short - you should not be dreading a vacation! as others have said, plan ahead and make better choices than you have in the past - but don't dread time off with your family!! enjoy it!6
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Have fun
Walk a ton with the farms and museums
Drink some extra water
Enjoy your meals out1 -
I felt and posted about that same dread last summer in the peak of losing my (60# at that point, 75# now). People said "relax. its a vacation. have fun".........and you know what? They're right.
This is a life-long journey, you can reverse whatever happens in 4 days. Study the menus, make good choices and have a few things you enjoy. Walk a bunch and enjoy the time with your family. Please, please, please don't fret. And if you are flying, wait a few days to get back on the scale. And drink lots of water. You've lost 60#, so clearly you know what you're doing.3 -
Thanks everyone for the tips and encouragement.1
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It's just 4 days. How much can you overeat on 4 days? 1000 kcal per day extra? That's just over a pound gain. I don't know what kids portions look like in the US, but in the UK they often seem to be fried things, like fish sticks, fries, chicken nuggets and the likes. Doesn't sound interesting enough to enjoy with the family, nor particularly low cal. Just make somewhat sensible choices when you chose your meals, really. Anything with cheese? Request less, etc.
And don't panic when you come back. Traveling, especially air travel, but also sitting in a car all day causes water retention.0 -
I'm of a different mind than most people on here. Enjoy your vacation. Be free and enjoy your food and time away. You'll likely spike a bit on the scale when you get back but after a few days of getting back into a deficit you'll find that you didn't gain much. I vacation every year and throw caution to the wind. I'm down 50lbs and working on the last twenty. I have come back from every vacation seemingly more heavy but after a week I'm usually right back to the weight I was before I left. Most of the gain is water weight and retention from planes and/or salty food etc. Life is too short to not enjoy a precious vacation. :-)5
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ZhivagosGirl wrote: »@JeromeBarry1 we're going to St. Louis and have so far planned for Grants Farm, Purina Farm, the Endangered Wolf Center, the American Kennel Club Dog Museum (our kids love animals), the Science Museum/Planetarium. No meals are planned, we are staying at a hotel, eating out at restaurants.
Hey guess what - I am a bit of an expert here. Not only am I from St. Louis, and managed to lose 35 lbs in about a year while living in this city, I am maintaining that loss while still living here AND I recently got back from a 7 day vacation in Florida in which I gained exactly 1 lb of water weight which is already gone 2 days after getting back.
So trust me - the others are right. You actually can't do permanent damage to your weight loss results in only 4 days. You may have a temporary increase from water weight and may in fact gain 1lb of fat (any more would require you eating >1000 cals OVER MAINTENANCE for each of the four days) but really, that's it. And 1 lb? 2 lbs? So what, you obviously know how to lose the weight successfully, so you'll knock that out in no time, if it even happens. Perspective...
Now - on to the fun stuff. You've got some good things planned but I don't see the zoo or botanical gardens on your list - two of my top recommendations for people visiting (and living in) STL. Both are amazing destinations and provide lots of opportunity for walking. I also don't see the City Museum on your list, depending on how old your kids are, this is another one of the things that is considered a must see when visiting. It's a truly unique destination.
Lots of good food options as well, depending on where you are staying there will be local neighborhood choices. If your hotel has a continental breakfast you may want to take advantage of something calorie friendly there, saving room in your financial and calorie budget for other options later in the day.
Enjoy - hopefully the humidity won't be too unbearable!
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The meals that you can do well on are breakfast and lunch. Breakfast especially. You do not need pancakes/waffles and bacon (unless you want it). When I go to Disney (and we eat out a LOT), I generally try to stick to a high fiber cereal in the morning. But you could do oatmeal, or eggs, or yogurt. Whatever floats your boat that keeps you on track.
Lunch is a great place to adhere also. Just about every fast food place has a moderate-calorie option. Always get something in that category.
For dinner, let yourself go and enjoy. Eat something good but just don't be a glutton. Have one dessert. I did all this on my last Disney trip and, combined with the walking (and sweating), I lost almost 5 lbs. I normally gain on those trips.
The other option is to just let it go for 4 days and get right back on track when you get home.3 -
Order from the kids menu or ask for child portions.
Except the kids menus at most restaurants are generally: Hamburger, hot dog, chicken fingers, mac & cheese, or spaghetti. Not very interesting/very bland choices. That would be a sad vacation indeed.
Just make sensible choices, enjoy your vacation and don't overdo it. You're unlikely to gain much, if any, actual fat. When you get back, return to your routine, drink lots of water, and wait a week before weighing yourself. You'll be fine.2 -
Remain optimistic. Made the best choices you can make, enjoy your vacation, and move on with life.
And make sure to eat some good St Louis BBQ while you are there. It's worth it, and eaten in moderation won't hurt your progress.
You've lost somewhere near 60lbs. If that doesn't inspire confidence in your abilities to lose weight, ask yourself why? If you said you were going on a 10 day tour of the greatest buffets in the state with the intentions of eating as much as you could at each, there might be cause for concern. But you obviously have your health and weight loss goals in mind, and have proven the ability to eat sensibly. Otherwise you wouldn't have lost the weight you have.
When eating out at places with nothing more than super calorie dense stuff that just isn't "worth it" to me, I often opt for a salad and an app or something. These days there are almost always options.2 -
just booze heavily and eat a ton then deal with it when you get back
problem solved3 -
My husband and I often split meals when we are on vacation. The servings are so much larger than we eat at home.
We will order a salad, burger and (heaven forbid!) fries and share. Or I'll get soup or salad and he will get a pasta. Pasta dinners are humongous! Or, if we have a fridge and microwave, today's dinner is tomorrows lunch/breakfast.
We don't usually have more than one meal out a day. Local groceries provide fruit, beverages, oatmeal, sandwich fixings, snackie things, etc.. Keep a cooler in your room and take it in the car. Then we don't have to dress to go out or worry about stopping to eat if we are out and about. If you fly buy yourself a one shot cooler locally.
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Visit the St. Louis Zoo if you want to see animals.ZhivagosGirl wrote: »@JeromeBarry1 we're going to St. Louis and have so far planned for Grants Farm, Purina Farm, the Endangered Wolf Center, the American Kennel Club Dog Museum (our kids love animals), the Science Museum/Planetarium. No meals are planned, we are staying at a hotel, eating out at restaurants.
One of the highest-rated free attractions in the country and one of the top Zoos.
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When eating, be aware about if it's natural nutritient rich food or a treat (ice cream)..
Notice how your precious body feels (notice eated enough but not stuffed?), could not eat as much? eating a smaller portion..
Try let go on the counting on vacation & enjoy, be aware about portion sizes & how you feel.
Have Fun3 -
robertw486 wrote: »Remain optimistic. Made the best choices you can make, enjoy your vacation, and move on with life.
And make sure to eat some good St Louis BBQ while you are there. It's worth it, and eaten in moderation won't hurt your progress.
You've lost somewhere near 60lbs. If that doesn't inspire confidence in your abilities to lose weight, ask yourself why? If you said you were going on a 10 day tour of the greatest buffets in the state with the intentions of eating as much as you could at each, there might be cause for concern. But you obviously have your health and weight loss goals in mind, and have proven the ability to eat sensibly. Otherwise you wouldn't have lost the weight you have.
When eating out at places with nothing more than super calorie dense stuff that just isn't "worth it" to me, I often opt for a salad and an app or something. These days there are almost always options.
To the bolded... it depends. St. Louis isn't actually known for their barbecue traditionally (I'm from Kansas City and spent a lot of time for work in Memphis). That said, in recent years there has been an uptick in good bbq restaurants in St. Louis (Pappy's, Salt and Smoke, Bogarts, Adam's Smokehouse, and Sugarfire being a few popular choices) but there are still a lot of average and sub par choices out there, but that could be said of just about any cuisine in any city.
Agree with the rest of your post...0 -
ZhivagosGirl wrote: »@JeromeBarry1 we're going to St. Louis and have so far planned for Grants Farm, Purina Farm, the Endangered Wolf Center, the American Kennel Club Dog Museum (our kids love animals), the Science Museum/Planetarium. No meals are planned, we are staying at a hotel, eating out at restaurants.
Maybe purchase something light for breakfast in the morning and keep it in the hotel mini-fridge. Yogurt and fruit or something? Then you may worry less about lunch and dinner.
When eating out I tend to cut my meal in half and bring the rest home. Since I can't do that when out of town I try to order from the appetizer menu, get a salad, or eat a meat/veg meal.0 -
Visit the St. Louis Zoo if you want to see animals.ZhivagosGirl wrote: »@JeromeBarry1 we're going to St. Louis and have so far planned for Grants Farm, Purina Farm, the Endangered Wolf Center, the American Kennel Club Dog Museum (our kids love animals), the Science Museum/Planetarium. No meals are planned, we are staying at a hotel, eating out at restaurants.
One of the highest-rated free attractions in the country and one of the top Zoos.
And lots of steps walking around the zoo!1 -
Probably stated already, but a lot of places now have a low-calorie section on the menu, or list calories on their menu (typical in chains more so than mom & pop places). I'd just eat something from that section. I know someone mentioned kids menu, that's not a bad idea, but not always safe. My biggest problem is the sides...Fries are soo good but soo bad. Steer towards veggies. You can do this
. Also, pack a cooler w/ ice for snacks and bottles of water/0 cal drinks. Can always get more ice at the hotel. That's what my family does...Carrot Sticks, Yogurts, String Cheese, ect. Don't have to worry about them spoiling then since ice is typically free in the hotel. 0 -
Start the day with high protein: eggs or egg whites. And fiber: fruit. Bring protein shakes.
Choose one meal or dessert to splurge on per day. You won't gain fat but you don't want to feel bad. I usually struggle with eating out after being really precise on my diet. I don't eat low fat but something about the fattiness of meals out kills my digestive system.3
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