What's more important: Nutrition or Gym?
digidoomed
Posts: 151 Member
Hey all,
I'm going on vacation this week and I'm doing some mental gymnastics. I'm not able to go to the gym this week as I have to prepare for my trip after work and leave in a few days. However, I'm still counting my calories and staying in my goals without my exercise calories. I guess I have two questions
1) In scenarios where I'm unable to go to the gym, is that bad if I'm still watching my food intake?
2) Since I'm going to be on vacation, I know I'm not going to be able to cook/prepare my own meals and definitely will be drinking. How can I best stay within my goals, but still have fun during vacation. I'm not saying I'm going to do something like drink a whole 12 pack and 3 pizzas a day, but it will be outside the norm of my regular eating.
I'm going on vacation this week and I'm doing some mental gymnastics. I'm not able to go to the gym this week as I have to prepare for my trip after work and leave in a few days. However, I'm still counting my calories and staying in my goals without my exercise calories. I guess I have two questions
1) In scenarios where I'm unable to go to the gym, is that bad if I'm still watching my food intake?
2) Since I'm going to be on vacation, I know I'm not going to be able to cook/prepare my own meals and definitely will be drinking. How can I best stay within my goals, but still have fun during vacation. I'm not saying I'm going to do something like drink a whole 12 pack and 3 pizzas a day, but it will be outside the norm of my regular eating.
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Replies
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From a weight loss / maintenance / gain perspective, the only thing that makes any difference is calories. Many people lose weight without doing any exercise at all, although it's very helpful for strength, health and general well-being.
Re your holiday - go and enjoy yourself. If you can, choose lighter options at least some of the time. Fruit juices or cocktails with fruit juice in them will be higher calories than a G&T or any other spirit/mixer combination. If you can, have a glass of soda water or water between alcoholic drinks to reduce the number of empty calories that you drink. But mostly, enjoy yourself and just continue where you left off, once you return. Depending on how you think you may react to a weight increase, you may want to avoid stepping on the bathroom scales for a few days - additional food, additional salt, travel, heat and all sorts of other things will cause a weight gain, but it'll largely be water weight and not fat gain. Consider this to be a diet break (which normally means eating at maintenance for a week or two) and just pick up the calorie counting when you get back.
Enjoy your trip.6 -
Weight loss is caused by being in a calorie deficit. It's not going to hurt you if you have to miss the gym. Have a blast enjoy yourself. Keep an eye on your calories if you want. If you see a scale jump it'll probably be from an increase in sodium.2
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I just finished an hour long discussion with my nutrition counselor and she raised this very question. She informed that studies credit exercise with a 20% impact, nutrition plays the larger part. Alcohol is all sugar/carbs, plan to balance it by selecting a meal that highlights the proteins and good fats during the days around it. In other words, get the steak or fish -not a salad or potato.1
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In normal times, people often report they get in a lot of extra walking during vacation. They say their scale was up initially when they first get back, but a lot of it goes away after a week or so, especially if they had traveled by plane.
In these times though, it's hard for me to imagine a vacation...
Going to Home Depot today could have been a mini vacation, lol, but quite a few of the employees were wearing their masks under their noses >.<3 -
seashells1957 wrote: »I just finished an hour long discussion with my nutrition counselor and she raised this very question. She informed that studies credit exercise with a 20% impact, nutrition plays the larger part. Alcohol is all sugar/carbs, plan to balance it by selecting a meal that highlights the proteins and good fats during the days around it. In other words, get the steak or fish -not a salad or potato.
Alcohol is not "all sugar/carbs." Alcohol is its own thing, separate from carbs and protein and fat.7 -
seashells1957 wrote: »I just finished an hour long discussion with my nutrition counselor and she raised this very question. She informed that studies credit exercise with a 20% impact, nutrition plays the larger part. Alcohol is all sugar/carbs, plan to balance it by selecting a meal that highlights the proteins and good fats during the days around it. In other words, get the steak or fish -not a salad or potato.
People are satiated by different things. For some it’s meat, for others it’s a potato. Weight loss is not the macro or exercise, it’s whether you are in a caloric deficit.7 -
Nutrition is 80% impact to your weight. Also consider this, a large McDonald french fry is around 500 calories. It would take 45 mins to 1 hour killing yourself on a treadmill to burn 500 cals. It's too easy to consume and too hard to burn. I also believe that exercise is for gaining weight (muscle) not losing. But this is another topic that I'd probably get flamed for.
Making small, wise compromises goes a long way;
- Light beer (Michelob Ultra)
- No fruit drinks
- Watch bread and potato intake
- Watch desert intake
- Most importantly, completely load up on the healthy foods (good fats and protein)3 -
1) In scenarios where I'm unable to go to the gym, is that bad if I'm still watching my food intake?
"Bad" for what?
For fat loss it shoud be neutral if you are using this site as intended, for weight loss if you have some retained soreness (water retention) you might see a drop on the scales out of line with your calorie balance.
For fitness/strength you might see a small decline but that could be compensated for in reduced fatigue and improved freshness - for a short period it's again pretty neutral and you catch up again very quickly.
(It can be actually be positive if you are coming off an intense training block.)
2) Since I'm going to be on vacation, I know I'm not going to be able to cook/prepare my own meals and definitely will be drinking. How can I best stay within my goals, but still have fun during vacation. I'm not saying I'm going to do something like drink a whole 12 pack and 3 pizzas a day, but it will be outside the norm of my regular eating.
Are your everyday goals actually appropriate for allowing yourself to enjoy your vacation? If they aren't you should think about creating some vacation rules.
Yes your food will be different and if you intend tracking calories a lot of guesswork will be involved. You should also enjoy all the food but that doesn't mean enjoying all the food at every mealtime!
There's vast differences in calories in alcoholic drinks, a spirit with a diet mixer is going to far lower than a pina colada for breakfast.
Yes your exercise/activity will be different - I like to explore on foot or on a bike and still use the gym on vacation because I enjoy it. You should also be doing things you enjoy - that's what vacations are for.
I fully expect to return home after vacation significantly heavier but at least half of any gain can be put down to saltier foods, sunshine and flying (water weight in other words).
PS - I hope you don't mind me saying your use of the word "bad" makes me wonder if you have developed a suitable long term view. Will a couple of weeks off plan / different plan have much significance in 6 months time?
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Personally, I would go on holiday and enjoy yourself and get back to "normal" when you're home. In the long run, one week isn't going to make a huge difference. Yes, you can make better choices, like spirits with a low cal mixer instead of a fruit juice cocktail etc. I tend to take this view when I eat out (hence I don't do it very often). Yes, sometimes I will pick a low cal option, but sometimes there's nothing better than good old fish & chips now and again, as part of an overall balanced diet, it's ok.2
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digidoomed wrote: »*snip*
1) In scenarios where I'm unable to go to the gym, is that bad if I'm still watching my food intake?
No. Then again there are ways to exercise without a gym while on vacation. If you're in a resort, there will be facilities (perhaps at additional cost). If you're doing an "active vacation" then your location's terrain and environment will dictate activities (hiking or climbing if you're in the mountains, for example)digidoomed wrote: »2) Since I'm going to be on vacation, I know I'm not going to be able to cook/prepare my own meals and definitely will be drinking. How can I best stay within my goals, but still have fun during vacation. I'm not saying I'm going to do something like drink a whole 12 pack and 3 pizzas a day, but it will be outside the norm of my regular eating.
Fun is relative and does not necessarily include food or drink for everyone. I'm not a huge drinker so not sure I can be of any help to you here other than to suggest lower cal spirits and reduce the number of cocktails.
That said, have lots of fun and stay safe during your travels. Whatever happens nutrition/exercise wise, you can get back on track when you're back home anyway.2 -
I definitely don't think it's bad to watch your food intake without exercise. Me personally I if I can't workout I stop all deficit and increase calories to maintenance until I can hit the gym since I don't like risking any muscle loss, but it depends on your goals. Plus a few weeks off shouldn't make too much difference.
In terms of vacation I don't restrict my eating but I try not to go too crazy or I look like a bloated mess. I tend to have 3 meals and not to snack too much. I try to drink water after drinks, and get lots of walking in. You could always eat light for the day then pick one meal to really go all out for, or save alcohol for one meal or time of day. In the end try not to worry and you can get back to normal when you get back.
Enjoy!4 -
I think you're overthinking things. You're going on vacation. For a week! The age-old formula for dieters on vacation is to try to stay around maintenance calories if possible. Plus a few hundred calories flexibility per day for drinking, so that you don't wreck your vacation trying to live up to some caloric ideal you probably won't live up to anyway. Soon you'll be home and can work off the 1/2 lb you gained from slugging down 15 extra beers. Don't eat whole pizzas etc - that kind of overindulgence will add more than a 1/2 pound and you won't feel good about it later.
I don't see why not working out for a week would make any difference. Go for a walk if you want some exercise and don't have access to a gym. I always do 1-2 mile walks in the morning when I'm out of town, it helps.3 -
You've had a lot of excellent advice here, and I haven't much new to add. Basically, you WILL be moving, just in different ways (beach volleyball, riding a bike, running on the sand, etc, depending on where you're going). Watching the calories and particularly from alcohol will matter most for this brief period of time. Have fun!1
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On vacation I place a couple of rules like making sure that I have a low calorie course before a high calorie one and to make sure I feel that all my high calorie options are "worth it" just to keep things reasonable and sensible. I do not mind gaining a little weight but I do not want to come back mad because I ate foolishly. If I follow my rules I can still enjoy my food but I should avoid eating at least 500 calories each day without any problem. Over the course of an entire week it means I saved myself gaining a pound only because I ate fruit before the pancake breakfast, a salad before the steak and potatoes, and threw away the doughnut because it was too old.
I also want to maintain my exercise habit so I usually do go to a gym early each morning. I skip the strength training and just do some cardio so I am not spending too much time. It is, after all, a vacation.
For weight loss my priority is ALWAYS on food first. I do not mind the extra calories I get but exercise is for fitness.2 -
My "trick" for indulging in restaurants, might be useful for you: I read through the menu, without focus on anything other than what I would like, and usually there are several options I like. Out of the tempting options I choose my order based on my goals, and usually end up with a satisfying meal that's more satisfying and nutritious and less calories than if I chose purely based on cravings or purely based on health.3
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Nutrition. I use a food scale and measuring cups to keep myself on track with portion sizes. I also eat slowly and stop eating when I feel around 80 percent full. Exercise comes second. I bike, swim, and stretch daily. And yes, I have occasional cheat days (I made brownies this weekend and ate at least one per day, so weight spiked up almost a pound. I am also one of those people who weighs every morning at the same time of day. I used to weigh 204 pounds and am now down to 155 with another 10 to 15 pounds to lose.1
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My "trick" for indulging in restaurants, might be useful for you: I read through the menu, without focus on anything other than what I would like, and usually there are several options I like. Out of the tempting options I choose my order based on my goals, and usually end up with a satisfying meal that's more satisfying and nutritious and less calories than if I chose purely based on cravings or purely based on health.
And here I was thinking I'd come up with an original dieting idea LOL I always scan the menu and look for the 2-3 things I want the most, then I pick the one that's the best for my diet / healthiest. It's amazing how often this reroutes me from, say, a fried shrimp platter to a nice piece of salmon, and saves me 500-1000 calories with very little loss (if any) of satisfaction. And I certainly feel much better afterward, having made a reasonably healthy choice instead of throwing my diet to the wind for an hour.4 -
I know people are saying don’t mix fruit juice with alcohol to get less calories, but in fact a small amount of 100% fruit juice (no sugar added) is actually much healthier than something like a Diet Coke mixer. If you think NUTRITION rather than calories, you should be OK. No empty carbs, if you get shrimp, great, but NOT fried or breaded. Stay away from all fried foods! Stick to salads with a light protein like chicken, shrimp or crab, and make sure the dressing is on the side, low cal and you just drizzle a little bit it on. Eat fish. Don’t have any heavy sauces or butter. Avoid red meat. Avoid unhealthy snack food like chips, eat salt free nuts instead (in moderation.) Eat small portions at restaurants. If you can, take half home to go, and have the rest for lunch the next day. Get the biggest bang for your calories, eating only the most nutritious food you can eat. BUT if you’re at a restaurant known for its specialty dessert, have a few tastes, just don’t eat the whole thing.1
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My "trick" for indulging in restaurants, might be useful for you: I read through the menu, without focus on anything other than what I would like, and usually there are several options I like. Out of the tempting options I choose my order based on my goals, and usually end up with a satisfying meal that's more satisfying and nutritious and less calories than if I chose purely based on cravings or purely based on health.
And here I was thinking I'd come up with an original dieting idea LOL I always scan the menu and look for the 2-3 things I want the most, then I pick the one that's the best for my diet / healthiest. It's amazing how often this reroutes me from, say, a fried shrimp platter to a nice piece of salmon, and saves me 500-1000 calories with very little loss (if any) of satisfaction. And I certainly feel much better afterward, having made a reasonably healthy choice instead of throwing my diet to the wind for an hour.
TBH if any of us came up with an original dieting idea, either the idea would be *kitten* or the person would be a billionaire 0 -
AliciaHollywood wrote: »I know people are saying don’t mix fruit juice with alcohol to get less calories, but in fact a small amount of 100% fruit juice (no sugar added) is actually much healthier than something like a Diet Coke mixer. If you think NUTRITION rather than calories, you should be OK. No empty carbs, if you get shrimp, great, but NOT fried or breaded. Stay away from all fried foods! Stick to salads with a light protein like chicken, shrimp or crab, and make sure the dressing is on the side, low cal and you just drizzle a little bit it on. Eat fish. Don’t have any heavy sauces or butter. Avoid red meat. Avoid unhealthy snack food like chips, eat salt free nuts instead (in moderation.) Eat small portions at restaurants. If you can, take half home to go, and have the rest for lunch the next day. Get the biggest bang for your calories, eating only the most nutritious food you can eat. BUT if you’re at a restaurant known for its specialty dessert, have a few tastes, just don’t eat the whole thing.
Did I just time warp into 1950?10 -
On vacation I usually don't gain weight but actually lose weight. While I do eat more because I want to try all the yummy food a country has to offer. But usually my vacations are quite active as in I walk a lot during sightseeing and other things.
The only holiday where I actually gained a bit was my 10 days in Creete as I was relaxing by the pool or beach a lot and didn't do a lot of more active things.
So if you plan to be active all day I wouldn't be worried about the calories to much as you will burn a lot anyway during your active days.2 -
AliciaHollywood wrote: »I know people are saying don’t mix fruit juice with alcohol to get less calories, but in fact a small amount of 100% fruit juice (no sugar added) is actually much healthier than something like a Diet Coke mixer. If you think NUTRITION rather than calories, you should be OK. No empty carbs, if you get shrimp, great, but NOT fried or breaded. Stay away from all fried foods! Stick to salads with a light protein like chicken, shrimp or crab, and make sure the dressing is on the side, low cal and you just drizzle a little bit it on. Eat fish. Don’t have any heavy sauces or butter. Avoid red meat. Avoid unhealthy snack food like chips, eat salt free nuts instead (in moderation.) Eat small portions at restaurants. If you can, take half home to go, and have the rest for lunch the next day. Get the biggest bang for your calories, eating only the most nutritious food you can eat. BUT if you’re at a restaurant known for its specialty dessert, have a few tastes, just don’t eat the whole thing.
If I followed your advice, I would give up after a day. Why would anyone avoid red meat? Some people, like me, despise all fish. If that works for you, OK, but for someone going on vacation... Vacation is for enjoying, not punishing yourself. Also, the hotels I usually stay in only have a mini fridge (if that) so I don’t know how that whole left over thing would work on vacation either. Now I have to store it and have plastic utensils to finish it the next day??
OP eat what you enjoy and count the calories (as best you can from restaurants). Yes, you might gain weight on vacation. So what? Don’t go nuts and everything will be fine.
Have a great trip and return to normal eating and exercising habits when vacation is over.10 -
There's a lot of replies here, so I just want to say thank you to everyone's advice. I've mentioned before that I'm an avid over thinker, and I felt like I've been making better progress this time around as far as my eating and was worried about jeopardizing it. But everyone's right, I think I will just enjoy my vacation while making the best decisions in the moment. Overall I'm excited as I haven't gone on vacation with my friends in over a year2
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Personally, when I go on vacation (or eat food prepared by someone other than me), I try to eat mindfully. Eat when hungry and stop eating when I feel satiated. That generally works for me but I have been really focused on knowing when my body is hungry and when it has had enough. It’s honestly a skill that took me some time to hone. When I get back to a place where I’m in full control, I get back to calorie counting. The two combined has really helped me on my journey. But it all depends on the individual. For me, this allows extra flexibility and less anxiety. But mindful eating is not for everyone and it does take some getting used to.
I would think of this time as a diet break, enjoy yourself while on vacation, and get back to business once home.0 -
This is a little bit like the chicken and egg debate.
Personally, I think nutrition is more important.
But I also think it depends on your goals.
I also believe vacation is a time when we should all relax and enjoy life. I mean don’t go wild and eat an entire chocolate cake. When I go on vacation, I don’t worry about every bite and exercise when I can. When I get back home, i quickly move back into me routines.
Enjoy!3 -
Diet is king. You can't maintain a healthy weight without proper diet. Good foods fuels.your body. I can tell a huge difference when I eat right.1
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Are you asking if it's bad not going to the gym, if you're still watching your intake?digidoomed wrote: »1) In scenarios where I'm unable to go to the gym, is that bad if I'm still watching my food intake?
No it's not. You just have to eat to match your activity level and you'll maintain your weight.
Figure out your estimated Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) and try keep your calories around there (mine is 2375 calories a day to maintain my weight.)digidoomed wrote: »2) Since I'm going to be on vacation, I know I'm not going to be able to cook/prepare my own meals and definitely will be drinking. How can I best stay within my goals, but still have fun during vacation. I'm not saying I'm going to do something like drink a whole 12 pack and 3 pizzas a day, but it will be outside the norm of my regular eating.
Be deliberate when and what you eat. I would plan where/what you want to eat FOR SURE the day before. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. Like if there's a steak you have got to eat...then eat it! But understand that maybe the sides are just run-of-the-mill, and you won't miss too much by skipping it. Mashed potatoes are pretty much mashed potatoes wherever you go.
Maybe pack some snacks that can stave off being hungry for the first thing you see. Carry a Camelbak or some reservoir to drink. Sometimes, you're hungry because you're dehydrated. Where do you carry all this...?
😊 Rucking. Just walking with weight essentially, in a backpack. It's much better than walking, and more like jogging without the impact. Seeing as you're gonna be walking on vacation...carry all the things you and whomever else needs for the day in a backpack. Start off with maybe like 10 or 15 pounds. It really is good for strength, core, and cardio. Works your back And shoulders. And it will help your posture.
As for exercise: You can still do bodyweight exercises that will burn 100 calories in just 10 minutes. That's what I do everyday. They involve the legs so you burn more calories even when you're done.
Hope this helps!0 -
deepsea117 wrote: »digidoomed wrote: »1) In scenarios where I'm unable to go to the gym, is that bad if I'm still watching my food intake?
Figure out your estimated Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) and try keep your calories around there (mine is 2375 calories a day to maintain my weight.)
TDEE, not RMR.
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