Hello all! I'm back on phase 1 after gaining back all the weight I previously lost due to some stressful times and horrible food decisions... It's been a week and two days, and I've lost around 10 pounds.. I'm guessing most was water weight since I had my last hoorah the weekend before I started (always goin' out with a bang ) Anyway, I'm going on a vacation to Florida on Monday for 6 days... I'll be in phase 2 during that time. I've already planned a couple of off plan meals that I would like to enjoy (in smaller portions)... does anyone have any tips for helping me stay on plan during this time? We're renting a house so I won't have a gym to exercise in, I'm hoping I can get some walking done... But most of the activities/meals will be planned for me.. Since it's a freakin' family vacation.

Any advice is appreciated!

you can still work out in the house. Crunches, leg lifts, etc. Also if you are not flying you could take some hand weight with you. If you are flying I would leave them at home casue it is a lot of $$ for heavy bags.

It's hard. I have been in this situation LOTS in the last couple of years. I find I only do well when I am mentally ON PLAN, like fully committed. As soon as I give myself permission to go off plan, I am all over the place.

Not being on your own time and being at the mercy of other people's choices for meals and restaurants is a challenge. Hopefully you can tell your family that you are committed to eating healthier and need some support.

When I have a similar situation, I always bring as much of my "own" food as I can. And if possible, I go shopping as soon as I arrive at my destination to make sure I have a few things on hand. Yogurt, fruit, nuts, tuna, salad greens, hummus and veggies, lowfat cheese, etc. etc.

Plan some snacks for the travel day(s) so you are not at the mercy of fast food. If you think fast food is in your future, there is a list around here that shows the best fast food choices for SBD.

If you will be eating out lots, just modify your orders to be as healthy as possible. Of course i have been places where this is impossible (the healthiest thing is cooked-to-mush green beans or iceberg lettuce) but oh well. For breakfasts, you can almost always find plain scrambled eggs and plain oatmeal, which is my go-to restaurant breakfast. Add fruit and/or plain yogurt if they have it. For lunches a salad with dressing on the side and some protein is what I aim for, but as I mentioned before often there is only iceberg lettuce. Just do the best you can with what is offered and hopefully don't starve since you will have a stash of food at home!

If you will have internet access, check in here and join an exercise challenge to help you get lots of walking in. As the previous poster mentioned, you can also do body-weight exercises such as squats/lunges/pushups/planks anywhere and these are great, challenging full-body exercises. I have also brought hand weights with a DVD (30-Day Shred, which only takes about 20 minutes and kicks my butt every time! I found I could usually sneak away from the family for this and no one noticed).

For me, beach vacations are always the easiest to stay on plan. Florida restaurants are always filled with tons of fresh seafood (grilled, of course). Fresh fruits and veggies are a great way to stay hydrated on the beach.

What about some early morning runs or walks in the sand? Or, if you have a laptop, try using youtube for some quick cardio or pilates/yoga videos.

If you're renting a house, you'll have access to a refrigerator, so stock it with healthy snacks. Veggies and hummus, cut fruit, low fat cheese and yogurt, nuts, etc. Vacations don't have to be about constant indulgences!

Exercisetv.tv is a great option if you have internet access and a little space. They have tons of free workouts, from walking to more intense stuff.

I agree 100% w/ what Zeffryn said. I love staying at the beach...the best part of ANY trip to the beach is being able to go out and walk up and down the shore for hours. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh...so peaceful!!! Plus the looser sand is so difficult to walk on, it's a great workout for your calves!!! It really isn't all THAT hard to stay on plan even on vacation...it just takes a little work.

I agree. And was in Florida myself last April. I walked on the beach every morning before we met up with our travel companions. The other advice is great too - pack your own healthy snacks. If you still can, volunteer to help plan/make the meals. Hopefully your family will support your desire to live healthy even on vacation.

and if you have to eat out and there aren't always the best options just watch your portion sizes. Ask for a to go box right away and put away half before you even start eat slow. always helped me!

Thanks everyone for the wonderful tips! Hopefully if I can't lose weight while I'm there I can at least maintain and stay on plan.