Going to all-inclusive resort: That means all you can eat!

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mztrixx
mztrixx Posts: 12
in Health and Weight Loss
I have had the good fortune to be able to go away this year to the Dominican Republic. The only problem that I can foresee is the fact that the place that I am going to is an all- inclusive resort. The food at this particular place is actually very good. I am afraid that I will undo all the hard effort that I put into loosing my first 30 pounds (I have many more pound to loose).

I am trying to convince myself that I am gonna to take the opportunity to swim, use the gym, walk, and keep myself on track; but, the fact that I can eat delicious (I LOVE Spanish and West Indian foods), and drink (I know that I am going to indulge in the Pina Coladas) is a big worry.

Basically, I need some help/suggestions to get through this wonderful but VERY tempting week.
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Replies

  • Kellster30
    Kellster30 Posts: 63 Member
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    Everything in moderation. Keep active and allow yourself small portions of the delicious food.

    PS. Have fun on your vaca!! I'm going to the Dominican in May!
  • mztrixx
    mztrixx Posts: 12
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    If you haven't been there it is absolutely beautiful; If you have been there, you know what I mean..lol
    Have a wonderful trip and thank you!
  • therealangd
    therealangd Posts: 1,861 Member
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    I would eat my freaking face off. And enjoy every minute of it.

    My philosophy is that one week out of 52 is not going to destroy the work that you do, or the mission you are on.
    One miserable vacation because I can't eat this or can't drink that, would be an absolute waste of time, money, sunshine, vacation.
  • dextertroy
    dextertroy Posts: 14 Member
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    I agree with therealangd. It's your holiday. Go and have a great time. As long as you don't go totally nuts but eat as normal then yes you may put on 3lbs maybe 5 or at worst case 7lbs if you really go for it.

    If your weight loss journey as a whole was a 40 week journey then it's just going to be a 42 week journey instead and you had a brilliant holiday thrown in too. Happy days!
  • mom22yorkies
    mom22yorkies Posts: 29
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    Go on your beautiful vacation and make a point of enjoying every bit of it, even the food. All things in moderation. If you have been on your current plan for a period of time already, I bet you will find that what you crave to eat on vacation will be surprisingly healthy. Have a great time and walk those beaches.
  • frankie2637
    frankie2637 Posts: 66 Member
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    My daughter is taking me to Turkey for 11 nights, all inclusive. My plan is to swim and walk alot and enjoy the food in moderation. I am not going to stress about gaining a few pounds, I can work my butt off and lose them when I get back. I have never had a holiday like this before and I am going to enjoy it. You know you can lose the weight so why worry to much. Enjoy your holiday :)
  • YMark
    YMark Posts: 65 Member
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    I would eat my freaking face off. And enjoy every minute of it.

    My philosophy is that one week out of 52 is not going to destroy the work that you do, or the mission you are on.

    Your "philosophy" might NOT be right for everyone. Ever heard of an alcoholic? For a person that has made huge strides and has many to go (her admission), eating their "freaking face off" might not be the best idea and could very well derail any program they're on. It isn't always easy to jump back on the wagon. Another example is how full gym parking lots are in January, and why they're empty my April.

    Moderation is the key here. And it is very easy to talk about going to the gym on vacation, it is another matter to actually do it. Maybe the OP could make a deal with herself (workout = dessert or something).
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
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    It depends on the resort, but when I went to couples in Jamaica for all inclusive it was a surprisingly healthy week eating-wise. The restaurants were gourmet and the food was fabulous but honestly, it was all so low stress that all my emotional desires to pig-out went away. I found myself eating very modest plates. Also in the heat, I found myself going more for salads and fruits.

    It's the alcohol that will get you, not the food. If you hit all the cocktails you'll probably gain some. I tried to stick mostly to water and/or diet soda but hey, you've paid for the all inclusive so I understand how hard it is to not go there.

    You could counter balance some of it by planning some active excursions. The more walking and swimming you get in, the more cals you'll burn.

    Otherwise, I'd say it's vacation so just relax. One week of immodest eating isn't going to reverse all the hard work you've put in so far. So long as you have a plan to get right back on track when you get home.
  • cmayfield3
    cmayfield3 Posts: 176 Member
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    What I would probably do: I love fruit, so I would eat a lot of it! It's high in sugar, but it's healthy and filling and keeps you hydrated. I would cut back on starchy carbs. Instead of having rice (little flavor, lots of calories) with a stir-fry or saute I would just have the entree. Have fruit with an omelette for breakfast, no bread. Focus on what is the most flavorful. Have ONE pina colada in a night and nurse it, and have wine or cocktails mixed with 0-cal tonic the rest of the time. Stay active but also don't worry too much about it, like the others said, you should definitely enjoy your vacation!
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    The last resort I stayed at in DR had a terrific selection of good choices in the main buffet, lots of fish, chicken, veggies; the scary part was the desserts! Moderate your alcohol intake, exercise a bit of willpower in the restaurants and you should be ok. (It was easier for me as I spent as much time scuba diving as I could - kinda hard to eat underwater! LOL)
  • Celtic_Queen
    Celtic_Queen Posts: 11
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    We have a place in the DR and go there several times a year (started out going to all inclusives until we built). I agree with the other posters, you're on holiday, enjoy it. I think you will find that you are eating less ANYWAY, because it's so hot...and because it's hot, the pounds just don't stick. I'm 240 lbs now (just started MFP this week) and eat/drink what I like in the DR - yes, even when it's all you can eat buffets - and I ALWAYS lose weight during my time in the heat.. Enjoy SO much. It's my favourite little part of the universe :)
  • knrob
    knrob Posts: 65
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    I just got back from a cruise and was surprised how well i did with the all you can eat food. Drinks, on the other hand, were my down fall. I did however, limit the breads and desserts, didnt use the elevator once, and managed to workout in the gym twice and walk often. Good luck!
  • megmay2591
    megmay2591 Posts: 621 Member
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    I'm also going on vacation to an all inclusive resort, but in Mexico. I've decided that I'll eat lots of fruit and veggies and eat everything "bad" in moderation. I'm definitely going to be enjoying many pina coladas and other iced alcoholic drinks. There will be plenty of time to do some fun exercise! You can do it! :glasses:
  • lin7604
    lin7604 Posts: 3,019 Member
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    i went on a 10 day all inclusive over new years. I usually gain 5-7 lbs on a holiday. this year i gained 2-3 and it all came off with in a week of being home. I made better choices, drank in moderation and still enjoyed everything. I made sure i hit the gym 5 of the 10 days there to keep me in line. I am off on the 20th for another week of all inclusive , i am worried now as my loss has been super slow and i have been between a plateau and gaining since jan. i have only lost a few lbs in total, so it makes it that much harder....
  • BrettPGH
    BrettPGH Posts: 4,720 Member
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    All-inclusive is the best way to travel. Seriously enjoy yourself. This isn't some temporary diet, it's a new way to live your life in relation to food.

    And everyone needs breaks from time to time. That's exactly what a vacation is. If they have a gym use it! As much as possible, to try to mitigate out all the tasty food and beverages you should be enjoying.

    Live your life, enjoy yourself and try to make good decisions. But hell vacation is vacation!
  • AmandaBroun
    AmandaBroun Posts: 126
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    If it's available, hit up the fresh stuff at the grills as much as possible. That was always my favorite, anyway.
  • CynthiaElise
    CynthiaElise Posts: 262 Member
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    I would eat my freaking face off. And enjoy every minute of it.

    My philosophy is that one week out of 52 is not going to destroy the work that you do, or the mission you are on.
    One miserable vacation because I can't eat this or can't drink that, would be an absolute waste of time, money, sunshine, vacation.

    Agreed! Go and enjoy yourself!! You earned it! :)
  • Lena1967
    Lena1967 Posts: 94 Member
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    I went on an all-inclusive to Mexico in December and actually lost a couple of pounds without trying (or getting sick). I hadn't started MFP yet so my at-home regular eating was not that healthy. But I was surprised because I was loading up on freshly made guacamole for every meal, had a drink or two almost every day, and was free-and-easy with the desserts!

    But there were a lot of healthy foods and I did focus on them. Also, I think that, because food wasn't readily accessible unless we were sitting down at a restaurant eating, I did less snacking and that cut back on my overall caloric intake.

    Enjoy your vacation!!
  • tomusiakl
    tomusiakl Posts: 225 Member
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    Have fun. Do everything in moderation. I will be going to an all inclusive hotel in Jamaica in April. I 'm so lookign forward for this break from work.
  • atsteele
    atsteele Posts: 1,358 Member
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    You can go and just enjoy yourself and then deal with the ramifications when you get back home to reality OR...

    You can go with the mentality that just because free food and drink is available, you don't have to partake. You can plan your days so that you can allow for drinking alcohol and a nice dinner complete with a big, fat chocolately dessert. You don't even have to stay within your normal diet constraints (calorie or fat wise) because you probably will be more active and chewing up more calories. But I think that you can enjoy your vacation immensely and STILL be able to maintain or at least not gain a lot of extra weight that you will just have to lose when you get home.

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