I'm right there with you, ennay; if I try to eat a snack and I know dinner isn't far away, I get absolutely ravenous and often wind up wanting more food than I would have otherwise. I think some people have appetites that are slower on the uptake. I tried the "five small meals a day" plan and found that whether I was hungry when I started eating or not, most of the time I was hungriest just when I'd finished.

As for travelling, just do what you can. If you can keep food with you do that, and try to eat all you can from your healthy stash. (And by all you can, I mean as many meals as you can...avoid going to restaurants as much as you can.) Beyond that, just healthy choices, portion control, eat slowly, take walks, and don't worry too much, just get right back on your program when you get home.

One thing I forgot that I like to take when travelling or what not are snack bars. TLC by Kashi are pretty good and I just ordered some Larabars from amazon. I take them hiking, when I go downtown or when I'm travelling.

Also, I'd be glad if there wasn't Dennys but one place my parents really like to eat breakfast is Cracker Barrel. I don't care for breakfast places myself but whenever they travel and their is a Cracker Barrel, they will find it.

argh, I have been wondering this too.

Two weeks from now we are going to Vancouver for a web conference. I am so extremly excited! I have never been a web conference, and some of my most favourtie people in the field are going to be there! (like the guy from csszengarden.com if any of you know it) anyway, I know its going to be SO MUCH EATING!!

There are 3 of going, and we are talking about doing all you can eat sushi and going to his dad's chinease restraunt, etc.... argh, its only 3 nights, so it shouldnt be too bad, but I know I am going to blow it... everyday

Here are the tips that work for me:

1. Breakfast: McD's egg mcmuffin dry/no butter, and I toss one half of the muffin
2. Convenience stores: since they're all over the place and usually low on whole foods, I tend to get things like hard-boiled eggs, whatever fruits or vegetables I might find.
3. Restaurants: I tend to eat one meal a day at a restaurant, and go lean with whole foods (usually vegetable intensive) on the other meals.

And YAY for your sister moving here!

Thanks guys! You wanna know what really ended up happening on my trip?

Well first, my sister found a beautiful house so she's moving back to the States in March (yippee!).

We were pretty busy so that always helps to curb ones appetite. I had forgotten that I do usually lose weight on a holiday because I'm not grazing all day long like I do when home. In between all the driving around to the broker and different houses, we ate 3 meals a day and I had some FF yogurt for a few snacks. The easy answer is to just travel with thin people that naturally dont eat more than 3 meals, and who dont like fastfood. My sister and dad happened to be like that so no chance of stopping for food too often. I would be starving by the next meal. The first breakfast I was pretty good, getting healthy things from the buffet, but I was starving before the others so I realized I needed a big breakfast to keep up with my dad and sis, who apparently get by on far less food (and consequently, I'm guessing, why they have always stayed slim). So I stopped worrying at all and just ate what came naturally. That turned out to be some high calorie things, but a subway turkey/cheese sandwich w/ no dressing for lunch each day because my sis doesn't like other fast food places. The last day I ended up eating at IHOP, had a yummy omelette w/ pancakes and hash browns. Well I ended up losing 1/2 a pound while away so all in all no harm done.

I did get right back on track with my calorie counting as soon as I returned. No idea how many I had while away as I stopped even trying to count with no computer or free time.

Hey, that's great! Good for you! Sounds like you had a good time, too!

Jay