So all week so far I have changed my attitude about my weight. I have been walking whenever possible and eating portion appropriate meals. I have eaten when I am hungery and not eaten when I am bored. One thing keeps nagging at me. I always hear people say to stay on plan when on vacation. I totally agree and will be going on one in 2 months. I know this may be a bit premature but I really want to start getting in the right mind set so I don't set myself up to fail.

Anyway, I love to eat and it is one of my favorite things about going on vacation. When on vacation we always try and eat at places that we can't eat at here in MN. Serving sizes are never small and if I don't eat most or all of it I feel like all of this wonderful indulgent food just goes to waste. I can't take it back to the hotel with me otherwise by the end of the week I would be taking a suitcase full of leftovers home. I can't share with my DH because he can eat much more than me (he is 6ft and does not need to loose weight)AND we don't like the same foods.

I guess what I am looking for is for someone to tell me that it is ok to let food go. It is ok to eat at a place knowing that I may never eat there again in my life and let them throw out half of my food.

I dont know if I have any great advice considering I am still going through this crazy journey of weight loss but I think I can add a little bit of encouragement. Ok first let me start off my saying it is ABSOLUTELY true when people say your body will crave what you give it. For example, if you eat junk all the time your body will crave it. I never in a million years believed that if I ate healthy I would actually want healthy food. Seriously, I lived off of mac n cheese, grilled cheese, fries, cinnabons, sugary breads, cheeses, cereal, bagels, everything horrible you can imagine. And I can honestly say after eating healthy (and I dont mean just cutting calories; eating all natural foods) I crave and look forward to my healthy meals! With that being said, if you stick to eating healthy for the next 2 months before your vacation, you really wont crave the bad food! Please trust me. Its science!

Do NOT feel bad about throwing away food. I hate to get biblical but we are not supposed to overeat. That is actually a sin. When you are full and satisfied leave the rest for someone else or throw it away. There is no need to finish everything if you are already full. For most people food is a drug to them. They abuse their proportions and they turn to it for comfort. Learning proportions and eating healthy is like trying to kick a drug addiction. What would you tell a drug addict if he said "Well i paid so much for this cocaine so I might as well use it up and not waste it" You would look at him like hes crazy! Think of your food in that way. Its a drug to your body if it is overused (exaggeration obviously).

Ok Im rambling now. Hope I helped at least a teensy weensy bit!

You know, I've never actually asked to have my portion made smaller at a restaurant, but I find myself wondering now if it would work. I never think about it because I just always take a third or a half or more of what I'm served home and I eat it over several more meals. But on vacation, when leftovers aren't likely to get eaten, maybe restaurants would be willing to make your portion smaller—especially if they knew they'd be saving food while charging you the same amount.

But, if this isn't a possibility—possibly because it's much easier to run a restaurant smoothly when all portions are the same size and thus the process is the same for creating each individual portion—then just leave the food behind. Seriously. Yes, there are starving people in the world. Yes, we are a gluttonous, wasteful society. But how does overeating and adding to the health issues of the country help with any of that? Leave the food behind. It's OK. I believe in recycling and other green-living practices, and I believe in charity and volunteering. But I don't believe that I have to overeat rather than let my food go to waste.

This is a tough subject because so many of us were taught that wasting food is bad. Clean your plate. Who wants the last of these peas? There are people starving in [fill in the blank].

But the fact is, finishing food we don't want/don't need when we are full will not help feed people starving elsewhere in the world (or elsewhere in our own country).

One way I think about this is -- yes, the food is wasted if it is in the garbage, but it is also wasted if I eat it when I am no longer hungry and it just sets me back from having the body I would like to have. It is a waste to consume something just because it is there if it will keep me from reaching a long-term goal.

On a practical level -- if this is consistently a problem, ask for half portions. Many restaurants will provide a half-portion even if it isn't on the menu.

Lastly, (sorry, I know you didn't ask) I believe in splurging on food while on vacation if it is something I can't get at home, or a local specialty (fish tacos in socal, crabcakes in Maryland, real keylime pie in sourth Florida), or is in some other way noteworthy (a spectacular restaurant, renowned bakery, etc). It would be worth it to me to indulge in a cupcake at Magnolia bakery in NYC, but I wouldn't bother with a Dunkin Donut.

(the food waste thing comes into play with me and my kids' leftovers, too. I've gotten past it. I chuck 'em.)

ETA -- LOL, posted at the same time as Petite P!

LOVE this! Such a great way of thinking about it Amy!

WOW! Can I take you guys on vacation with me! I need to make myself a little pocket sized booklet with many of your quotes. I am so encouraged! I can leave food on my plate! Who am I helping/feeding by stuffing myself.

Thank you all so much for the words of encouragement! I have been away from this cite for a couple years and am so glad to be back!

Order an appetizer and salad (for example) as your meal. When I went to the shore this past summer, and visited some phenomenal seafood restaurants, I was more than satisfied ordering the appetizer version of my favorite items! Truthfully, it was wonderful ordering a tasty wedge salad with homemade bleu cheese dressing, 4-5 scallops, then even having room for a teeny creme brulee or similar sweet ending. Oh, and don't forget -- ask your server to bring your items out when your husband's entree is ready.

adaem, I hear where you are coming from with regard to preparing early for your trip. The last time I went on a cruise, I committed to better eating habits several months in advance so that I would have control when good food was around me 24x7, and it worked. I'll be going on another cruise in February and, after my last success, I feel so much more confident than I used to. I always used to cave royally on vacations, and I'd end up feeling bad about it not only after the vacation but during. That just isn't right: a person should fully enjoy their vacation.

I think Amy is on to something when she talks about choosing what you expend your calories on—truly decadent and savory indulgences over the every day and mediocre—but these days I am more of a mind for my own lifestyle that I can eat what a place is known for and still do it in a healthy fashion. In fact, when I went to New Orleans recently, I didn't order beignets or hush puppies or fried foods. I ate grilled fish with Cajun seasoning—hold the butter and sauces. They didn't really know what to make of me in Louisiana. LOL! In fact, when my fish arrived, it always had a huge pat of butter on top, as if they could not believe I really wanted it without any such thing. (I removed the butter. ) But the fact is the food was awesome just as I ordered it! I felt I had the legitimate southern food experience, and it was good for me, too. And I was also able to eat the entire thing because it was so low calorie, so... no wasted food.

But that's just the way I roll. I happen to also believe that, if you watch your calories/control portion sizing/etc., and get in some exercise, even if it consists solely of a lot of walking, you can in fact indulge in a bit of fried food and rich dessert here and there and still come out on the other side of your vacation without having done any damage on the scale. (And, well, I tend to eat about 100 calories in dark chocolate every day, so I am already indulging in my way.) In such cases, though, it's probably best to leave some food on the plate. Sample the indulgences—don't inhale them—and don't make them part of every meal or even every day, and you'll be fine.

P.S. Amy, don't tempt me with the key lime pie out of southern Florida. LOL! That's one of my favorite pies, and I am departing on my cruise from Miami.

One other thing you can do while on your vacation is get in some exercise as well That should help with the extra calories.

I agree you don't have to eat the whole thing and yes always ask if there is a half portion! Or eat an appetizer or two as your meal, anything you can do.

Honestly when I go places and it says "comes with serving of bread" I tell the waiter/waitress don't bring it because I won't eat it- specially if it's only me and hubby cuz he won't eat it. If there's a big group of us usually someone says they will eat it so as soon as it comes I pass it right to that person so it's not temptation for me.

And if the server says "oh well I'll just bring it" insist that they don't. I have had servers act like "oh it's just some bread" yada yada and I was like NO- I can't have it and you'll just throw it away so don't bring it out. I mean sheesh people- if I don't want it don't bring it!

Enjoy your trip, just don't overdo it and I agree with the saying- what does eating that excess food do for anyone else? It only hurts YOU.

One of the things I learned years ago in a WW mtg that has stuck with me is that I AM NOT A GARBAGE CAN. You can throw it out or leave it without any issues...take care of you and have fun! All the advice above is fabulous! Just had to put in my 2 cents.

Food goes to waste in equal amounts going into the trash can and going into you when you're not hungry.

I understand your pain - I'm terrible about not eating everything I'm served - so the half-portion idea seems to be a good option.

I always try to be extra active on vacation to "justify" my dinners. Often dinner tends to be the highlight of my days on trips, so I make an effort to eat a very light breakfast and lunch. e.g. in Paris, my mom and I would eat one croissant each for breakfast and split a sandwich for lunch and make sure we were walking or otherwise on our feet all day.

maybe you could think about it in a different way.
for instance, all the time,guilt,energy, it would take to lose that weight. think of it that way. as if it was money. 50, 100, 200?
....this isn't coming out as clear as i meant it to, but you need to decide if gaining weight is worth it to you. if gaining a few isn't that hard to work off, then maybe it is worth it.

however, i think the best idea is a life style/thinking shift. i love food, but if i was going on vacation, i would have the best vacation instead of focusing on the food, the people i'm with. the new environment. doing activities i can't do at home/often. or out of my box.