Do you count calories / log MFP on vacations?

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nickb2124
nickb2124 Posts: 8 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am going on a 10 day trip, and I really don't want it to throw me off track. Pretty sure we'll do a lot of walking but also quite a bit of eating... I have never been able to log during vacation - I'm only able to do that when I'm in my regular routine and eat most of my meals at home (where I know for sure what goes in...). Should I just let go for a while (trying to eat responsibly)? Any advice will be appreciated.
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  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,644 Member
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    I don't log on vacation.
  • swirlybee
    swirlybee Posts: 497 Member
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    I log when it's a short vacation, but for a 10-day trip, I don't. I think I probably should, but I end up stopping after the third day. Long vacations usually involve a flight somewhere in a different time zone and I'm super bloated so my weight is all wonky. I'm still mindful of what I eat and I'm still mentally adding up my calories.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    I don't.

    I did once this year, just to see, and ended up at maintenance as while there was loads of food, there was loads of walking too!
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
    edited November 2018
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    no. too much of a hassle, being that none of the food has their nutritional information available.
  • maureenkhilde
    maureenkhilde Posts: 850 Member
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    I do, but I am still in the losing weight category. Maybe if I was on a break or maintaining I would feel different. I will log via my I-phone. I think one of these there is no one correct answer items. Only you know how much you might go off course if you do not log at all.
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,978 Member
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    I watch my portion sizes and keep an idea on how much I'm having throughout the day while still enjoying myself. But, I also don't do much on vacation and my idea of a good time is plopping my bum on the beach for a week and nothing else.
  • funjen1972
    funjen1972 Posts: 949 Member
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    I do, just because I'm obsessed with it. My day is not complete unless I log!
  • nickb2124
    nickb2124 Posts: 8 Member
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    If you do log, how would you go about it? It is so complicated to figure out the nutritional value of outside food... at home it feels like having a rough estimate of a meal a couple of times a week is ok, but when on vacation, it feels that my estimate for a day can easily be 1.5X-2X wrong.
  • mtaratoot
    mtaratoot Posts: 13,327 Member
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    I still log, but I don't use a scale. If it's just a week or so, I am still pretty good at estimating.

    I was just on a week trip as part of a life celebration, so there was lots of food. I just make a close guess as to what I ate and how much. It helps, and I also think it helps me look at my history over time. There was one banquet (cocktails, appetizers, wine, food, more food, dessert....) I just made a totally SWAG for calories and made up a recipe that was protein, fat, and carbs to get to that amount of calories. Was it accurate? Maybe. Maybe not. Certainly more accurate than logging a zero (not logging).

    When I'm on a multi-day dive trip or river trip, I log even LOOSER. I made a recipe I call "Rafter Rations" and another I call "Diver Rations." They are a HUGE amount of calories just allocated across fat, protein, and carbs. I just log that IN ADVANCE for one of my meals each day I'm going to be gone. Then I eat whatever the walrus I want. Tri-tip? You bet! Bacon, eggs, and hash browns? Yes please. And more bacon. Gravy on the potatoes? Uh-huh! But on those trips I'm also very active.

    It works for me; whatever works for you... works for YOU!
  • krael65
    krael65 Posts: 306 Member
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    I take a 2 week vacation every year. I don't log, but I do stay mindful about what I am eating. For me, vacation means lots of walking, a little bit more "fun food" than I normally eat, and extra beer/wine. We stay in a beach house, buy our groceries, and rarely eat at restaurants, so it's fairly easy to control what I eat. I tend to maintain my weight while on vacation. I think it helps me to go into it with the mindset that I'm not going to go completely off the rails.

    If I'm on a mini-vacation like a girl's weekend, I don't limit food/drinks, and don't log or track at all.

    Either way, it does not make a significant difference in my weight (once all the water weight settles down and I go back to my normal routine).
  • lesdarts180
    lesdarts180 Posts: 2,748 Member
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    I'm on holiday right now and I am logging as best I can. I don't worry about nutrients, just try to get some idea of calories. I allow myself a higher calorie allowance than usual and I am fairly active. I find I can estimate portion sizes roughly. I don't count stuff like lettuce and I'm careful with dessert and drinks. It helps me to keep track of things.
    However, I'm retired and I have a lot of holidays so I would find it really difficult to lose weight if I didn't try to stay on track.
    As others have said, find what works for you.
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
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    i do my best to log. but i don't scrimp on calories
  • jo_nz
    jo_nz Posts: 548 Member
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    I don't. I vaguely aim to keep an eye on portions.

    I actually find that often I do less snacking between meals, and also after a couple of days of indulgence I am ready to find "normal" food again.

    My last holiday I had a big jump on the scales when I got home (water weight mostly), then went back to my normal routine gladly.
  • leanjogreen18
    leanjogreen18 Posts: 2,492 Member
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    I log but I don't stress about anything and I usually try to stay within my maintainance calories.

    It seems to help me see why I went up or down on the scale i.e. too much alcohol - I'm dehydrated or sodium filled dinners - I'm probably retaining water.

    It also seems to help recalabrate my eyeballing calories/portions.

    BUT I don't normally stress about calories so if this stresses you then I'd let it go, vacation is about fun & relaxation.
  • Running2Fit
    Running2Fit Posts: 702 Member
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    I don’t log on vacation. I’m mindful of what I eat and try to pick healthy options. Usually, I’m so active on vacations that I end up losing weight even without counting calories at all.

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