Losing Weight on Vacation

  • I am on a week vacation at the beach with my family. How do you continue to lose weight while you are eating out all the time (like 2 meals a day)? Also, how to you find a way for exercise? (I can do very little due to healing from a broken ankle)
  • I've had this problem twice so far in May. I went on a 5-day motorcycle trip the first weekend in May. Then I went for a 4-day wining/dining trip to Las Vegas (just got back yesterday).

    For short vacations, the short answer is "Don't try to lose weight". It's really hard. You're out of your regular routine and not always in control of where you go to eat.

    When I'm on vacation I aim for simply Maintaining my weight. If I end up losing, great! If not, if I gained a lb or two or stayed the same, I still feel successful.

    Do your best to eat things similar to what you would be eating at home. Try to journal what you eat and estimate calories/points/whatever. Don't beat yourself up if you gain a little or eat something not in your plan. Remember "Easy on, easy off."

    When you get back, get right back on plan.
  • You know, I usually LOSE weight on vacations, and I never know how.

    Try to keep a mental note for everything you eat. Make sure you try to stay low cal. Like, if you're getting ice cream, don't get the triple scoop, on a waffle cone; get the single scoop in a bowl...restaurant wise, try to stick with sandwhiches, (like the BLT is always good You can sometimes ask for low-fat mayo too) soups, or salads. Fast food places, I know at mcdonalds, their mcchickens are yummy, and under 500 cals.

    Really, your goal should be to MAINTAIN your weight

    Don't plan on losing 10 pounds while you're there. If you maintain, You are good! If you gain one or two pounds, what the ****. It was a great vacatioN! For exercising, well, definitely don't TRY to excercise. Your body needs time to heal itself, and, well, your body is sure smart enough to not go into, "let's gain weight" mode.
  • I also lose weight on holiday - I know that`s rare, but it`s also easy to establish why that is:

    1. no boredom/emotional eating
    2. we usually walk loads
    3. we eat good quality things and not cheap convenience crap
    4. we usually have a late breakfast, a good dinner and not much in-between (and it`s okay if that "not much" is an ice cream cone)
    5. I want to eat different things when it`s sunny and warm
    6. looking at slender, sparsely clad women all day inspires me not to gorge

    You say that No. 2 is out but maybe you could try swimming?
  • You say you are at the beach... is the weather warm enough for you to go swimming?

    I would try going swimming for an hour so, just doing laps in and out of shore. If not, walking on sand is a great exercise because your body needs to balance as its walking. I would recommend long walks on the beach
  • Thanks for all the advice. My father recently started a diet that his doc put him on for heart health and blood sugar. He can't have any carbs, or sugar and he has to stay under 1800 cal/day (which is very little seeing as he is like 6'1"). That is helping us make good decisions as a family. I tried walking on the beach today and the sand was very difficult on my ankle. I dont think I will be doing too many walks on the beach. The resort has a great pool for laps. I think I will make a habit out of swimming. Also, they have a little gym. I did a light workout walking on a treadmill, a couple mins on the bike and stairmaster. I think as long as I try to not gain, I will end up alright. Last night we went to a greek place and I got grilled pork. It seemed to be a lean cut and then I substituted the rice for green beans. It was very good. I could eat like that all the time. I think it was actually quite good for me as well.

    Thank you all for your advice!
  • sounds like you have it pretty much under control. If you do go out for dinner what you can do is ask for a salad, with the dressing on the side instead of on it so you control how much you have, and have a side of veg with it if you want. I find that the veg makes the meal more filling and it adds virtually nothing to your cal count. And im a vegetable fiend!