Vacation tips & tricks?

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catsandtea111
catsandtea111 Posts: 31 Member
in Motivation and Support
Hey y’all.

I’ve been feeling good with everything during my weight loss journey and have mixed feelings around how to proceed during vacation.

I feel like somewhere between my ideal + having no plan is most realistic, and seeking some tips & tricks from folks in regards.

Everything will be taken and/or left, so feel free to speak freely based on your own experience.

A note that I’ll be visiting my hometown of Philadelphia from my current home of Austin, so some hearty Italian food will indeed be mixed in somehow. ☺️

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  • goal06082021
    goal06082021 Posts: 2,130 Member
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    My husband and i went out of town for a week back in May. I logged everything i ate as best i could, but i wasn't worried about staying under budget. I didn't go totally buckwild or anything, just stayed accountable, and basically averaged around maintenance (which was reflected on the scale when we got back home). I still tried to make better choices nutritionally, but i didn't worry too much and did enjoy stuff like beer, pizza, ice cream, and the like. (Which is also stuff i eat normally, to be clear - i make room in my budget for it in my day to day life, so that when i am on vacation it doesn't feel like this is my One And Only Chance to drink a damn Yuengling and enjoy a slice because i'M oN VaCaTiOn.) I also brought workout clothes and did at least some purposeful exercise while we were away, and we did a lot of walking most days.

    Ultimately, my feeling is that I'll be doing some amount of active, purposeful weight management for the rest of my life. Once i hit goal, i know i will need to keep using a tool like MFP to maintain. I don't travel often enough to actually worry that much about staying on track while I'm out of town, but I've developed habits around food and exercise that do serve me when I'm not in my own space.
  • richardgavel
    richardgavel Posts: 1,001 Member
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    I agree with the idea of staying roughly around maintenance, accepting the fact that your guesstimates are probably going to be a little less accurate than at home. Also keep in mind this will result in some water weight gain that may take a few days to go back to normal once back in a deficit.
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,353 Member
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    catsandtea111 wrote: »
    Hey y’all.

    I’ve been feeling good with everything during my weight loss journey and have mixed feelings around how to proceed during vacation.

    I feel like somewhere between my ideal + having no plan is most realistic, and seeking some tips & tricks from folks in regards.

    Everything will be taken and/or left, so feel free to speak freely based on your own experience.

    A note that I’ll be visiting my hometown of Philadelphia from my current home of Austin, so some hearty Italian food will indeed be mixed in somehow. ☺️

    If you’re staying at a place that has a breakfast for the guests, there’s usually decent choices. Cheerios. Skim milk. Coffee. Grab an apple or orange as a snack for later.

    That’s one meal you don’t have to worry about. Add a protein shake to that apple or orange? Two meals under your calorie budget. That opens up possibilities for dinner.
  • catsandtea111
    catsandtea111 Posts: 31 Member
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    @goal06082021 – thanks so much for your thoughtful response. I really like the idea of maintenance and that makes a ton of sense. Also, yay to PA beer! ☺️

    @richardgavel — thank you! I’m agreeing with that and appreciate the tip on guesstimate. Hear ya on water weight, too. I had a rude awakening to that one trip and was glad to learn it’s a thing.
  • ITUSGirl51
    ITUSGirl51 Posts: 192 Member
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    I don’t watch calories on vacation. I stay really active, usually a lot of swimming and hikes. I enjoy myself. Nothing more disappointing than not being able to try new foods, so I just eat what I want, but don’t pig out or snack at night. I try to stay away from alcohol because that will add to the weight gain. When I get off the plane from vacation the diet vacation is also over. Typically skip dinner that night and start calorie counting the next day. Will weigh 3 days after I return. It’s worked very well for me.
  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
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    I try to watch portions.
    As a long time member of the Clean Plate Club, it's hard for me to push away a half a plate of food, but that's where I use the "I'm On Vacation!" mantra to my benefit:

    I'm on vacation! I don't have to eat an entire bowl of empty-calorie pasta just because it's there-- I can pick out the capers and olives and yummy sauce until I'm full and somebody else can throw away the leftover carbs!

    I'm on vacation! I can enjoy one or two slices of amazing pizza and no, I'm not taking that smelly cardboard box back to my hotel room!

    I'm on vacation! If I want a taste of the local beer, I don't need a six pack-- I'll find a hip looking joint and pay someone to pour me one perfect pint!

    I'm on vacation! If I just want to taste that decadent dessert, I'll pay $12.00, take two bites and STOP!
  • catsandtea111
    catsandtea111 Posts: 31 Member
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    @rosebarnalice — thanks for this. Portions are a concern for me and this is a great idea/reminder that keeping them in check goes a long way.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,525 Member
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    I ALWAYS work out on vacation. It's my lifestyle so it's involved in vacation. And while most people, including myself, indulge in vacation food, you can still be aware of how MUCH you're eating. A couple of days of overindulgence won't nix a consistent regimen.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • MsCzar
    MsCzar Posts: 1,042 Member
    edited August 2021
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    I struggle with controlling food intake 'out of context,' especially when those foods are delicious treats I wouldn't ordinarily buy for myself. However, when traveling, I am pretty good at eschewing mundane offerings such as fast food and hotel breakfast items.

    Like rosebarnalice, I'll enjoy the amazing and skip the unremarkable and/or binge-y quantities. So I would advise enjoying the unique and passing on the mundane.

    On this weekend's jaunt, I fully intend to visit both an artisan cheese and specialty fudge shop. Once upon a time, I would have bought huge amounts (at least 2-3 lbs. each of fudge and cheese) and totally binged out on the goodies (gone in 48 hours!) Now, I know exactly what I want and limit my purchases to a reasonable amount that fits into my calorie budget.
  • ehju0901
    ehju0901 Posts: 353 Member
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    I would watch portion sizes and still try to sub-in healthy options. Yeah, if you go out to eat you may REALLY want that burger or pasta dish, but maybe order a salad instead? Or if you are stopping at a convenience store, yeah they sell candy bars and chips; however, most of the time they also sell hard-boiled eggs and fruits.

    I recently was on a vacation and ordered a late night pizza. I decided to substitute cauliflower crust, so at least I felt better about having the pizza if that makes sense.

    Substituting works for me, but may not work for others. I think portion sizes is the easiest thing to control when on vacation. :)
  • catsandtea111
    catsandtea111 Posts: 31 Member
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    @ehju0901 — thanks, I really like that idea with opting the healthier choice and/or making adjustments that create more healthy.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,166 Member
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    This may be a heretical minority report, but honestly, I don't much worry about eating on vacations.

    I like food, so I usually eat more of it on vacations (calorically more, not necessarily volume-wise) as part of enjoying the vacation. Depending on the vacation, I may be more active than usual, or less.

    If any fun activity is an option at all, I usually do at least some, because it doesn't take me long to start feeling grumpy and crummy if I'm too inert for too long. (I've been very active for a couple of decades, including 12+ years where I was still overweight/obese, so I'm not saying this visceral need for exercise developed fast.)

    I don't vacation super frequently, so that week or two a year, maybe a couple or few long weekends mixed in: Those are a drop in the ocean compared to everyday life. I don't worry about it much.

    I lost weight (obese to healthy weight) back in 2015-16, have been at a healthy weight since (with some moderate ups and downs in that healthy range, currently on the lower side at BMI 20-point-something).

    I was a little more careful on vacations while losing, but still more relaxed than when on my regular routine. Now, after being in maintenance for a while, very relaxed.

    IME, the majority of my days determines the majority of my outcomes. 🤷‍♀️
  • snacker127
    snacker127 Posts: 75 Member
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    I agree with @AnnPT77. I am currently on vacation this week, with the snacker family, at our favorite beach. It's one week. I know what to do when I get home and feel I can trust that I will.

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