Holiday/Vacation weight gain

emhow
emhow Posts: 79 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Okay so in the first two weeks of June I am going to Greece. In these two weeks I plan not to log at all and just enjoy myself. However, I really don't want to gain while I am away... So is there any way I can calculate how many calories I would have to eat per day to gain over the course of the holiday? So I can at least stay within a rough calorie goal.. I will be swimming and gymming a bit while I am away as well... It's just I really want those ice creams by the pool and those cocktails at night!!!

Any ideas? :)

Replies

  • Lesley2901
    Lesley2901 Posts: 372 Member
    I'm sure I read somewhere that you need to eat an extra 3500 calories over what you require in order to gain 1lb in weight.
  • londoneye
    londoneye Posts: 200 Member
    Just stay active and enjoy yourself! And seriously, have you ever tried the tomatoes in Greece? SO delicious. I think I could live on Greek tomatoes and olive oil. Plus they do loads of grilled meat and fish which is really healthy. I think it will be easy to maintain, and if you gain a couple, just get right back in the saddle when you're back!
  • runnerchick69
    runnerchick69 Posts: 317 Member
    Okay so in the first two weeks of June I am going to Greece. In these two weeks I plan not to log at all and just enjoy myself. However, I really don't want to gain while I am away... So is there any way I can calculate how many calories I would have to eat per day to gain over the course of the holiday? So I can at least stay within a rough calorie goal.. I will be swimming and gymming a bit while I am away as well... It's just I really want those ice creams by the pool and those cocktails at night!!!

    Any ideas? :)

    My advice is don't worry about it. We went to Cancun last year and I ate and drank some serious calories. I'm not saying all my choice were bad since I had a ton of fresh fruit, my fair share of vegetables and I got in a few runs too. The day after I got home I was up 6 pounds (we were gone for 10 days) but within a month I was pretty much back to normal. Once I was home that next day we were back to eating normal, getting regular exercise and not eating dessert at every meal LOL There are times when you just have to live your life. You know when you get home you'll get back on track AND you've already planned to work out while you're there so that in and of itself will help battle some weight gain. We walked quite a bit when we were in Mexico and we took some day trips like zip lining in the jungle...all that climbing burns caloreis :)
  • emhow
    emhow Posts: 79 Member
    Yes I love Greek food so so so so much... This is the problem.. I just know I'll eat a tonne of it... But I guess it is healthy :) I'm just so scared because knowing my old eating habits.. It's going to be very hard to stop indulging!

    So to gain one pound I have to eat 3500 calories over my maintenance calorie goal? So that's like 5500 calories a day!! Okay... I should be fine...!?
  • emhow
    emhow Posts: 79 Member
    Okay so in the first two weeks of June I am going to Greece. In these two weeks I plan not to log at all and just enjoy myself. However, I really don't want to gain while I am away... So is there any way I can calculate how many calories I would have to eat per day to gain over the course of the holiday? So I can at least stay within a rough calorie goal.. I will be swimming and gymming a bit while I am away as well... It's just I really want those ice creams by the pool and those cocktails at night!!!

    Any ideas? :)

    My advice is don't worry about it. We went to Cancun last year and I ate and drank some serious calories. I'm not saying all my choice were bad since I had a ton of fresh fruit, my fair share of vegetables and I got in a few runs too. The day after I got home I was up 6 pounds (we were gone for 10 days) but within a month I was pretty much back to normal. Once I was home that next day we were back to eating normal, getting regular exercise and not eating dessert at every meal LOL There are times when you just have to live your life. You know when you get home you'll get back on track AND you've already planned to work out while you're there so that in and of itself will help battle some weight gain. We walked quite a bit when we were in Mexico and we took some day trips like zip lining in the jungle...all that climbing burns caloreis :)


    You're right... I really do need to just relax and enjoy myself. Especially when I've had a real bad year! Can't wait. Also, I've always wanted to go to cancun!!! Lucky duck xx
  • Mamoonie
    Mamoonie Posts: 328
    Enjoy yourself, forget about logging and dieting and possible weight gains etc. Just have fun!
    You may gain 1 lb or 2, but you'll get rid of it within 3 weeks I'd say.

    I've done this too last summer, didn't care at all about what I ate or drank, how many calories I'd consume or how many calories I might burn while swimming or walking etc.
    I completely freed my head and guess what? I ate like a pig, had an alcoholic cocktail every night for 2 weeks and I didn't gain any weight at all. I went swimming in the sea, walked a lot, and my hotel had loads of stairs (70 from my room to dining room), and from beach to hotel was a nice hill ;-)

    Same around XMas and NYE: I took off for 3 weeks, no working out, no logging food, no watching calories. I really enjoyed those days, enjoyed the food and cookies and everything. After those 3 weeks, I took 3 weeks to lose what I gained during, and then lost some more :-)

    Enjoy, don't worry about any gain! You'll come home from holidays with an empty, free head and full of motivation!
  • Aperture_Science
    Aperture_Science Posts: 840 Member
    I'm sure I read somewhere that you need to eat an extra 3500 calories over what you require in order to gain 1lb in weight.

    Yep this.

    But OP please don't panic when you come back and step on the scales and you weight heavier. Greece is nice nad hot, you will be eating differently than currently, you will probably have a few alcoholic drinks, you will travel by plane, you may well take a little more salt than you would normally. All of these factors are likely to cause you to retain more water than normal. This, with a little more "in transit" food and maybe even a slight "real" gain will cause the scales to jump.

    Don't panic! Get back to your regular eating and exercise pattern and drink plenty of water and you will lose the holiday water weight quickly (probably over a few days).

    Enjoy your holiday.
  • emhow
    emhow Posts: 79 Member
    Thank you thank you guys :) I'm feeling a lot better about it already!!! Can't wait!
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    So to gain one pound I have to eat 3500 calories over my maintenance calorie goal? So that's like 5500 calories a day!! Okay... I should be fine...!?
    Only if you were considering gaining 1lb a day! MFP gives you a 500 cal deficit to lose 1lb a week. Eat 500 cals more than that a day (or plus in your stats with a maintain goal) and you'll stay the same. 500 cals more a day (about four tablespoons of taramasalata) and you'll gain 1lb a week.

    Don't forget that at home we're pretty inactive behind our desks all day, and even if you're not having an adventure holiday you'll naturally walk around more (and swim, and banana boat...)

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