What’s the most you “gained” on vacation?!

I’ve never weighed before and after vacay but I typically gain 5-7lbs the week of my period

First week long cruise, at least ten pounds. I was 162 by the end of it; that was my wake up call to really watch what I eat. I managed to get down to 145 a couple months later. The lowest I've ever been at my height is 130,

Actual fat gain is under 2#, if that, depending on how long the vacation is. Most of the time, I maintain.

I just got back from a cruise and I gained 6#s. I lost 2# the first night back, 2#s the second night, and hopefully the remaining 2# will disappear tonight.

10 pounds in 7 days...here were the factors:

-Air travel: 6 hours of flying each way.
-Eating out at restaurants: Sodium and carb-heavy foods, alcohol.
-Increased exercise: Strenuous mountain hikes.
-Injury: Got flipped out of a raft into whitewater and slammed against rocks. Bruising and swelling.
-Dehydration: Was probably not drinking enough water for the amount of activity.

When I got back, I drank a ton of water and the extra weight was gone within a week.

5 days in Vegas ...up 5 pds. Lost 2 within a week, took a month to lose the rest. I almost was in panick mode as I was beginning to lose consistently before vacation. I just owned up, got back on calorie counting.

I went to Florida for 17 nights last year and put on about 8lb. Most of it came off pretty quick! I had an amazing time and ate some great food, so no regrets

I can gain 5-7 on the scale in a weekend, let alone a week, but it's mostly water weight and increased digestive system contents in transit. Usually longer vacations are rowing camps, where I eat everything in sight (especially breakfast potatoes with ketchup) like a fiend, hydrate well, row for 5 hours or so a day plus some yoga and walking and stuff, and usually end up at home at the same scale weight as when I left.

Here's a case study I wrote up of a sedentary weekend with major eating/drinking.

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10603949/big-overfeed-ruins-everything-nope

tl;dr: Up 6.4 pounds from a weekend (full calorie & weight details given in post), down below starting weight in less than a week. I've done this quite a few times in the last 3 years, with similar results. And I'm pretty small, and old, besides.

I usually drive, not fly. Flying would make the water retention more extreme, probably.

I go on 3 weeklong vacations every year and I always try to keep up exercise (usually easy with hiking being a primary vacation activity for me), stay hydrated & don't go too nuts with indulgent foods.

For me it's so tied in with my cycle though. Sorry if that is TMI. EVERY time I go on vacation at a certain point in my cycle I come home up by 8 or 9 lb. It falls off quickly since it's mostly sodium/water retention. But if I go on vacation at a different point in my cycle, I'm always pleased because I am within about 2 lb of whatever I was before the trip. It's been like this for 4 years now.

ETA: Business trips are a way different story for me. When I travel for work, it's usually just 2-3 days away from home and I ALWAYS "lose" when I do that. My husband cooks at home and we eat pretty big meals. Even though I watch my calories like a hawk, I find that when I'm on a business trip I eat less often and less food in general. I usually come home a few pounds lighter every time but it comes back with the next weekend and my husband's cooking and a couple beers.

erjones11 wrote: »

I am going on vacation for two weeks.

I plan on counting and tracking my calories as usual. My one concern is not being able to exactly measure portions. Since I will be on vacation I also figure I can get in lots of exercise to. My plan is to just keep doing what I'm doing and I expect to actually lose at least two pounds while on vacation for two weeks.

If it is our goal to be fit for life then why does a vacation have to be a vacation from eating and exercising the way we should? Or a vacation from our diet?

My vacation is for me to relax and enjoy time with my family away from work. Not an eat fest or a binge.

I should say though I pass no judgment if that's not a vacation for you and you want to consume. After all your vacation is your vacation.

I think it is important to know yourself and if you are content continuing your deficit into your vacation there is nothing wrong with that. I am sure many others feel the way you do.

I think if I tried that I would feel deprived and come back resentful which will hurt me more than putting the calorie counter away. I am not saying that as soon as I land I am tying on a feed bag because I have never liked eating really heavy on vacation but I will not be worrying about losing weight either. Honestly if I mostly maintain or even head slightly into the gain column I consider that a win. I believe that this is the same way I will behave after I reach my goal so this is my normal lifestyle.

I leave for vacation in a week. I am so excited. A little nervous. I am 2 pounds shy of my goal weight but I am okay with that. I am hoping no more than 5 pounds. I know I can get that off when I get back.

I always go all-inclusive and usually gain around a stone, most of it from the unlimited beer

Now I'm pushing 40 it's hard to lose it all again, it's not like when I was young and it just fell off once I got back to normal. I can actually put on 7lbs over a weekend if I eat and drink and have fun.

I've put on 6 pound just by having this week off work and not burning calories all day.

SCoil123 wrote: »

I got home last night from 4 days in Vegas and I’m up 7lb.

When I went to Europe for two weeks last Summer I was up 9lb when I got home. Last Summer it took just under 2weeks for the vacation bloat to go away. I had actually gained 1 1/2lb that didn’t fall off and I had to re-lose that through diet and exercise. I typically give myself 2 full weeks to determine if it’s just water retention or if I actually gained at all.

Waiting to see is a good idea! Thank you