Hello folks, I've been absent from the forums all summer due to a 4 week european vacation without internet. Good to be back.

Before I left I was petrified that I would gain weight on vacation. I knew my schedule wasn't going to be steady to plan exercise, and the food in europe is enough to make me gain weight just thinking of it.

I'm happy to say I lost 6lbs in 4 weeks! Ok it's not an impressive number but I wasn't expecting to lose any at all. I exercised when I could which was only 2-3 times per week as opposed to everyday at home. I was consistent with my calorie journal though and I think that's what helped most. I did not feel deprived of any of my favorite foods and ate mostly what I wanted in small portions. Here are some of the things I enjoyed on almost a daily basis:

French fries
bread
pork chops
cheese
fruit
pasta
fish
salad

And I still lost 6pounds!!! Plenty of desserts were thrown in there too. Ladies... it CAN be done.

PS - I will add that I did not partake in alcohol at all though.

I wanna know how you went to Europe and didn't drink any wine or beer!

I think part of it when you go on vacations like that is that you're walking so much that you walk everything off. I went to Israel for two weeks at the beginning of the summer and walked probably 10 miles per day over hilly terrain. I ate like a horse and managed to maintain my weight. This was, of course, when I wasn't watching portions and before I went on Weight Watchers. If I had been doing that, I would have definitely lost!

Great job, Wannabe!

Congrats on the weight loss!

6 lbs is nothing to sneeze at - wish I could lose 6 lbs right now! You're not the first person to note that she lost weight on an extended trip to Europe. My cousin went to Italy (I think) a few years ago and said she lost 10 lbs during her 2 week stay there and she ate pasta everyday! I just read this article last night about this woman who went to Paris for 4 weeks and lost 25 lbs (I don't know if I believe the 25 lbs part) and she ate dark chocolate, rich desserts, and French food. She said it was because the French walk everywhere and they take hours for their meals. It's a special time for them. They talk a lot, which means they eat smaller portions and end up feeling full earlier. I'm trying to learn how to eat slowly. It's hard for a food scarfer like myself.

Gratz on that! I know when I went on my honeymoon cruise in last aprt of June first of July I gained 10 pounds! Freaking cruise is food 24/7 and was just eating wayyy to much so I know how hard it can be. I also applaud you working out because I got seriously lazy and didn't go to the gym on the ship. So you rock!

Although I do enjoy wine occassionally I don't like alcohol enough to drink the calories.

I WISH we walked more, but we did end up swimming at the beach every day. Does tanning burn calories?

I've always been fascinated by the myths of european women eating bread, cheese, wine, and butter every day and staying skinny. I read the book French Women Don't Get Fat and am learning to adapt some of the ideas. Limiting processed foods, walking everywhere, drinking a little red wine, and eating fruits/veggies every day really goes a long way in helping one stay nutritionally fit.

good job! just goes to show you can ALWAYS make good choices, no matter where you are. 6lb in 4 weeks is GREAT! dont be so hard on yourself!