How to count calories while on Vacation?

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sundaywishes
sundaywishes Posts: 246 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I REALLY need some help/advice here guys! :explode: I'm going on a family vacation in a month to Destin, Florida for 5 days. We will eat out once a day, maybe twice on another day. We don't go to chain restaurants--we go to well known non-chain places in the area for seafood, therefore they will most likely not have nutrition facts the way an Applebee's or Olive Garden would. I do not want to not log my caloric intake for these meals just because I won't know them, but I also don't want to over/underestimate my intake either. I need to know what you guys would do/have done in a situation like this.

Also, I won't JUST be having boiled shrimp or baked salmon, etc. that I could easily look up info for either on this site or another. There will be a meal or two (or three :tongue: ) that I have something that I know I can't get the same quality or dish back home, and these "somethings" will probably include sauces (thin and creamy), sides and other things that you can't possibly know every single ingredient that's included. And I won't just be eating seafood either...if I did I'd get sick lol. I want to enjoy myself in moderation on this vacation, but I don't want to stress about how my calories aren't correct....or even close to.

HELP!!

Replies

  • ChrisRS87
    ChrisRS87 Posts: 781 Member
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    I know it's not the answer you want, but don't! You're going on vacation lol, eat to fullfillment and booze it up! 5 days won't hurt you too much :)

    If you must, go for a jog or something, I'll go for shirtless jogs when I'm on vacation all the time (in semi-crowded areas, it's not for the exercise haha)
  • iluvprettyshoes
    iluvprettyshoes Posts: 605 Member
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    I'm on vacation right now and it's very hard. Many of the foods I have no clue how to log. I'm trying to stick to salads or things that are on the logging menus but you also want to try some of the local cuisines as well (i'm in Canada).

    I did go to the local grocery and buy 2 ice chests, ice and some yogurt, milk, strawberries, bananas, cereal, etc. So I'm only eating out 1 meal per day.

    Good luck to you!!
  • Pedal_Pusher
    Pedal_Pusher Posts: 1,166 Member
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    Vacation is vacation. What happens on vacation stays on vacation..............enjoy, my friend.
  • beansprout13
    beansprout13 Posts: 3 Member
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    Why don't you walk/run every a.m. on the beach? The days you plan on going out to eat, walk longer. And eat a healthy appetizer before you leave, then you won't be so hungry and can bring 1/2 your meal home for leftovers!! But it's vacation -- enjoy it :)
  • soehlerking
    soehlerking Posts: 589 Member
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    Let vacation be a stress-free way to get your exercise in--going hiking or talking long walks. If you go over your calories, so be it, but at least you're enjoying yourself and being active.
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
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    Mind your portions, enjoy your meals thoroughly, NEVER feel like you "must" clean your plate - stop when you're happy with what you've eaten, work out as much as you can, incorporate activity into your fun as much as you can, and assess how you do when you get back.

    Seriously, if you watch what you eat and are mindful about it, you'll do fine.
  • mswells70
    mswells70 Posts: 4 Member
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    I just returned from Destin and Panama City and was contemplating over the same issues about calories. I just decided to not worry about logging in my calories during my vacation. I'm sure I consumed over what I need anyway and decided to start counting again once I returned home. Sorry....I know that's probably not what you wanted to hear.
  • julieh1973
    julieh1973 Posts: 128 Member
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    I don't think this would be a problem for me I love grilled seafood and it is amazing how much of it you can actually eat within a small calorie range. I went out recently for dinner and had about 800 calories left for the day, and ate: a bowl of jambalaya, grilled shrimp, grilled scallops, grilled grouper, sauteed veggies (squash, zuchinni, broccoli, & carrots) & buttered garlic bread and still had calories left even though I was almost too full to move.
  • sundaywishes
    sundaywishes Posts: 246 Member
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    I appreciate the posts! I will be hitting the gym with my normal routine while I'm there so that's not an issue. I'm just a little OCD in the sense that I don't want my numbers to be skewed. I will log my calories when I eat in so that way I can keep a long streak of logging. I will eat in moderation and I guess there is no good answer to this problem but I'd really like one hahaha
  • MaybeAMonkey
    MaybeAMonkey Posts: 247
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    Whenever I eat something in a restaurant that isn't labeled with calories (ie, non-chain restaurants) I usually search for the homemade version - sometimes people have put in a similar recipe on MFP - and I guesstimate how much I've eaten. There are sauces in the MFP database, so you can estimate those. It's not perfect but it does give me a general idea of the ballpark number of calories I have consumed. I also don't eat the entire portion of restaurant food anymore, it's just way too much and I often find it's enough for two people (I try to split with my fiance or bring the leftovers home). If you have a fridge in the place you're staying on vacation you could try that approach. :-/ Good luck and enjoy your trip!!
  • michelec64
    michelec64 Posts: 120 Member
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    Vacation is vacation. What happens on vacation stays on vacation..............enjoy, my friend.

    ^^^THIS

    Do the best you can, but don't stress out over it. Vacations are all about straying away from the daily routine. It's okay if you don't log your calories right down to the last teaspoon of salt. Just pick up where you left off when you get back home. Have a great time.

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