I've been very good for the past 5 months. Have lost a total of 54 pounds by forcing myself to prepare food (gasp!!!), eating a diet of lean proteins and vegetables, and excercising constantly. Unfortunately, I am now on a business trip with 2 of my co-workers and am having an awful time controlling myself. We have no refrigerator in our rooms, and are sharing a car so I do not have much say in our restaurant choices. I generally get to choose one destination per day, which is helpful, but it's those other meals that are killing me! I haven't eaten out in restaurants for so long, that the temptation offered makes control difficult. I have tried to order salads and seafood whenever possible, and have gone to the grocery store and bought fruit for my room to substitute for fatty breakfast and snack foods, but I know that I am going to face a reckoning with my scale when I get home. Additionally, trying to adjust my body from eastern time to pacific means that I have been too tired to work out at the hotel gym.

How does everyone else deal with situations like this? Is it okay to call this 10 day period an anomaly and acknowledge that I will have to go back to my stricter pattern when I get home? Even though I am eating way more than I have been recently, I am still exhibiting more control than I would have 6 months ago. I just really don't want to fall back into my old ways!!!

You will be fine. Really.

I just got back from 4 weeks in Asia, no frig in the room or easy to recognize foods to order (as a rule). Just do the best you can, make healthy choices where possible and don't worry about it.

I travel for business all the time and the only thing that really suffers is my nerves trying to eat healthy while traveling. Scale never budges

Eastern to pacific - you realize you are actually gaining hours? 7:00 am in the morning in CA is 10:00 am in NY. You should have NO problems getting up early!

Unfortunately, we have been trying to do our sight seeing in the morning! Granted that does give me time spent hiking and walking up and down hills, but the treadmill is not getting done.

Hiking up and down hills > treadmill.

I spent so much time walking around Japan when I was there, I actually lost 2 lbs despite pretty much eating whatever my hosts ordered for me!!

Traveling is hard. You're trying to eat right and even getting some exercise. I think you'll be just fine, even if there is a reckoning when you get back, as you can get right back on the horse! Just don't become complacent -- keep us posted!!

Seems like you're doing fine already! Walking, hiking, doing your best to stay in control!

I went on 3 trips last Fall and ended up losing a bit of weight from all the walking! (didn't have time to go to the gym but we walked and walked) I had a few drinks, ate some fast food, but by just trying to make the best choice (ditching the fries, diet soda), it turned out ok. I bought some slim fast shakes and apples for breakfast. I think that helped a lot too. I'd join my co workers for their breakfast, but since I had already eaten, I didn't feel deprived with just a coffee. On other trips, the hotel had a small buffet style breakfast, so I went for whole wheat (the best they had) or some cereal with a banana. I carried some fruit and nuts with me in case I got hungry and a bottle of water.

You'll be fine! You've already come a long way. So, keep up with what you are doing And don't be afraid to enjoy yourself a little!

Nature's treadmill is a lot better than any man made one!!

You sound like you are doing really well. I use these sort of times as a practice for maintenance, if I lose weight, I'm a star, if I don't I'm still a star because I have maintained at a time I probably wouldn't have done in the past!

I ended up gaining 3 pounds on my business trip , but have managed to lose those plus another two since getting back . Maybe the increase in calories during that time frame helped to boost my metabolism back into shape. Really glad to see that I can be "bad" for a few days, but did not really have a problem getting back into the routine! I do have to start back at the beginning in re-kicking the caffeine addiction though (you can't go to Seattle and not drink coffee, it's like a law or something!) Thank you all for all of your suggestions and support.

It sounds like you're not doing badly at all Just make the best choices you can and watch your portions, you'll be fine.

Give the hotel gym a try, maybe first thing in the morning before you get busy with work? Usually even if I'm feeling sluggish, once I get going I perk up and get enthused. It might even help with your time zone lag