[BernerDoc]

Hello fellow calorie counters!

Next month I'm finally taking my first trip overseas - two weeks in England, Scotland and Ireland. It's a low (ha) budget 3 professional student hostel/backpacking kind of trip, to give you some idea. Well, since January I've lost 30lbs and I'd rather not gain it back in two weeks. Does anyone have tips for keeping things in check while traveling? I'm hoping to hit grocery stores or markets for fruit and small things like that...but any tips from a "been there, done that" would be awesome.

thanks!

[3Beans]

Going to the market is a great idea. And backpacking around can be good exercise in and of itself! You'll probably be doing a lot of sightseeing and stuff too. Try to do as much as possible on your own energy: walking, biking, rowing, whatever's available.

There'll be a lot of local food and drink you'll probably want to try, including different types of beer, if you're into that. Try each thing that's off plan ONCE and share it with your friends.

That's what comes to mind for now. Mostly, have a great time, and don't sweat the small stuff! Trips like this are great opportunities.

[Darkblue]

I usually lose weight when overseas, just from all the walking! Portion sizes over there are often much smaller than here, so between the portions and the walking, I wouldn't worry about counting calories.

One thing that was always fun to do was to eat a good breakfast at the hostel or hotel, and then pick up something for lunch along the way. I had such fun dropping into Marks & Spencer to try different brands of yogurt, fresh fruits we can't get here, soup-to-go, fresh bread, sandwiches, etc. We'd eat dinner out, occasionally in a restaurant, but often a pub. The best lasagne I ever had in my life was in a little pub in Oxford.

Give yourself a treat now and then as well. There are some fun candies in Europe!

I'm envious! Hope you have lots of fun!

[aerogora]

just try to control your eating. Eat when you are hungry and stop when you are satisfied (not full, don't stuff yourself). You should be fine! Plus all that walking, you should do great! Just be conscious of how much you are eating.

But how often are you going to be overseas! This is a great opportunity, don't get to bothered with worrying about calories. Enjoy your trip and even if you don't eat the best, it's not like you will gain 10 pounds in 2 weeks! Have fun!

[BernerDoc]

Thanks for the suggestions, ladies. I'm not a super-vigilant anal retentive calorie counter anyway so it's not like I'm going to pass up the cultural experiences for the sake of every last calorie

I am so excited about this trip!

[zenor77]

I've never heard of anyone gaining weight in Europe. NEVER! Everyone I know loses weight. Portions are smaller, you walk more...

I've never been lucky enough to go, but when I was in BC (Canada) we walked everywhere and I ate what I wanted and lost a few lbs, so I say have fun and enjoy yourself!

Since you are on a budget though, I think shopping at markets is a great idea! On another note I should tell you what my husband has told me about the UK. There aren't really free public restrooms to speak of, the only ones he could find were in Starbucks. I think there are restrooms you can pay for, but they are hard to find and not well kept (according to DH.)

[PinkyPie]

um... I gained weight in Europe, as soon as I moved here... getting used to the food and what is available takes some time. Of course I was not on vacation, but I did a lot of sightseeing in the beginning.

In England, Scotland and Ireland portions are smaller than you are used to in the US. Just a small word of caution though... there are a LOT of fried foods and takeaways and it's easy to lose control there. I would definitely hit a supermarket or a regular market to get things you can snack healthily on.

In Scotland they will fry ANYTHING. It's true. They even fry up snickers and mars bars. The pub culture is also alive and kicking in all three countries - beware of pub food! Even a tuna sandwich at a pub can be FULL of mayo. Things like Sheppard's Pie, Kidney Pie, Steak Pie... these are all pretty heavy (calorie-laden) meals. They all love their fry-ups in the morning as well!

I'm not trying to be discouraging, I just want you to know it's not easy to go to these countries in particular because of the non-diet friendly foods available. That said, there are plenty of things to choose from at the supermarket that you could get to carry around with you. AND there are also restaurants that list Weight Watcher points (for example) or Atkins-friendly meals. Just use your best judgment and stop when you are full (not stuffed) as mentioned by another poster.

You'll be fine - you definitely won't gain back your weight, but you will need to really keep an eye out on what you are putting into your body.

[kmg73]

I lived in London for almost 4 months, so based on that, here a few tips:

1. Keep in mind you will be walking a lot. I didn't diet while I lived there and I lost 8 lbs becaue of all of the walking. It was nothing for me to walk 3-5 miles a day (just touring the city or going to and from work and then going out after work since the days are long there in the summer time).
2. I know in London there are Safeways and Tesco grocery stores. Both have good produce selections and the Safeway used to have some really good hummus, so hitting up a store and stocking up on healthy snacks is a good idea.
3. The smaller the towns you go to, the less healthy options as far as food goes and like others have said, there are lots of fried options everywhere in the UK. In London you can find options, not sure about Scotland (I only visited Scotland for a few days). But I will tell you that the McDonald's and Burger Kings used to have veggie burgers on their menus (hopefully they still do). Sandwich shops were also big in England when I lived there, but not sure about now.

[kmg73]

I forgot to add, when I travel I always take some protein bars or protien mix because you are not always eating on the regular schedule you are used to at home. Have fun on your trip!

[zenor77]

Originally Posted by Velveteen

um... I gained weight in Europe, as soon as I moved here...

Guess I have to take back my NEVER. Oops! Sorry.

[BlueToBlue]

Here are some of my strategies for traveling:

• Oatmeal for breakfast--almost all hotels offer it, it's filling, and a much lower calorie choice than most other breakfast options.
• When eating out, my rule is that I will eat the healthiest choice that appeals to me. I look through the menu, pick out everything that appeals to me, then pick the healthiest choice from those. That way, I still eat what I enjoy but I'm still making good choices.
• Pack low-calorie but high protein and fiber snack bars for emergency situations.
• I pack a sandwich for the flight out (two if it is a long flight). I also pack lots of fruit and healthy snacks to eat on the plane. That way, I don't have to eat airport food. But if you do end up having to buy something to eat at the airport, a banana is a great choice and you can find out at almost any airport (at least in the US).
• Skip desserts. Or, if you really want dessert, split one with a friend.

Try not to stress too much about it. There's no way you'll gain back all 30 lbs in two weeks. If you do gain, well, you lost it once, you'll lose it again. Also, when you get back, remember that you will be retaining water. I easily retain 5 lbs or more of water when I travel and it can be well over a week after I've returned before my body releases it. That first step on a scale can be a doozy; remember that you may be seeing a lot of water weight. I always give myself at least a week after I return from a trip before I worry about whether or not I need to lose weight.