tough times- advice?

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emilydawson89
emilydawson89 Posts: 10 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
so lately i've been doing really good but having little snacks that aren't so healthy yet they fit into my calorie goal but i still feel guilty about that. i think that's part of my struggle right now but the big thing on my mind is this weekend. i'm going out of town and won't really get to chose what i eat since it is with my parents and frankly they decide. it's only a day and half trip but it's going to be a tough one. going to see my grandfather for the last time (terminal lung cancer) and i don't want to track over the time we're out. part of the reason is this time needs to go to him and the other reason is 90% of what my parents are going to want is junk food. i feel guilty for the likeliness that i won't track at that time and probably end up eating like *kitten*. i've lost 12lb on this journey so far and i'm so scared to gain any back from this upcoming trip but i feel like i need to give myself a break for now. this was probably a jumble of words but if anyone understands please help.

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  • DX2JX2
    DX2JX2 Posts: 1,921 Member
    edited August 2017
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    Try to make good menu choices if within your control. Limit your portions of the unhealthy stuff if not. Eat it, just don't eat a lot of it.

    Then sneak out afterwards and find something more reasonable to eat. If your family is anything like my family, you'll need the time away from your parents anyway.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    I wouldn't feel guilty about having snacks that fit into your calorie goal. That's the whole point of calorie counting -- that we can eat the foods we enjoy and we don't have to feel guilt about it.

    I also wouldn't force myself to count on a trip like this, to see a dying family member, if I didn't want to. I think if you feel it would take mental energy or emotions that would be better used to deal with this situation, it's okay to take a short break.

    Putting aside guilt over foods, realize that you don't have to be tracking to choose the foods that make you feel better. When I'm stressed and travelling, focusing on eating the foods that make me feel good actually helps. For me, this includes plenty of water, sufficient fiber, not too much fried stuff, not too much caffeine, sufficient protein. Your list may look different, but it's something to think about. How do you take care of yourself, even if you aren't logging or intentionally limiting calories during this time?
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,015 Member
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    I'm really sorry about your grandfather's illness.

    I think your family needs to be the priority right now.

    Focusing on and feeling guilty about food choices is a slippery slope. If your parents go to McDonalds, go with them and don't complain. Just order a salad if that's what you want. Order a double cheeseburger if you'd rather have that.

    It's a day.

    I would consider therapy if you continue to suffer this kind of anxiety over food and food choices. It's dangerous for your mental health.

  • SaraydaB
    SaraydaB Posts: 120 Member
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    Try to practice your portion control, stop when you are full and forget about counting..
  • pinuplove
    pinuplove Posts: 12,874 Member
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    Don't worry about counting or logging. Take what you've learned and use it to make better choices wherever you eat (grilled chicken sandwich instead of a burger, fruit cup instead of fries, water instead of soda, etc.) I'm sorry for the sad purpose of this trip; just focus on your grandfather and the rest of your family and be thankful for the time together. Your food log will still be here when you get back.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    Uhhh...you can't really gain back 12 Lbs in a day and a half...
  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
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    Forget the logging just think about your family.

    Also don't see food as good or bad, eat a wide range of calorie dense foods, hit your protein and fat macros then fill in the spare calories with any thing you like.

    I like corn snacks or ice cream.
  • gearhead426hemi
    gearhead426hemi Posts: 919 Member
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    Just think of what you are doing long term. Is taking a break for a few days going to hurt? Of course not as long as you get back focused again. In the grand scheme of things I personally think its healthier to take a break from time to time as long as you don't make like a monthly habit of it. Family should always be priority #1 so never feel guilt when it comes to family.
  • MommaGem2017
    MommaGem2017 Posts: 405 Member
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    I don't have anything more to and except.... HUGS!!
  • emilydawson89
    emilydawson89 Posts: 10 Member
    edited August 2017
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    so i'm not gonna lie, it turned into 3 days. it was a rough couple days ( little to no sleep, yesterday was a straight 24 hours) and stress eating took over. grandfather had progressively gotten worse so quick and honestly i didn't know how to handle it, he passes this morning and i just took today to grieve but already got my meals planned out for tomorrow. grieving is perfectly okay but at some point i need to take care of myself too as far as eating right and getting sleep. getting technical, yes i did gain a couple pounds of water weight but i feel proud of myself knowing now that stuff comes up and it happens but i know i have the tools to fix it and it's just a matter of using them. thank you all for the advice.
  • Mezzie1024
    Mezzie1024 Posts: 380 Member
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    It sounds like you did well considering the circumstances. I'm sorry for your loss.

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