Vacation and Eating worries- how do you handle it?

teppum42 · Post by **teppum42** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 9:20 am

I am going on two vacations this summer, both with family- one is for almost two weeks to brother's, and one is a week long family "rent a lake house" vacation.

I am totally scared I am going to fall back into old eating habits.

It's only been six months since I've really focused on exercising and eating right, and I don't know that I have the will power, or skills, or savviness to navigate outside the safety of own fridge with the "approved" food I buy and prepare.

family is "big boned" and all brothers, who can just eat whatever they want and not care. Mom, while she tries, likes to skip meals and doesn't eat all that healthy either. Eating and exercising is just not what they focus on, but which has become focus... I'm just scared that being around them, I don't have the will power to keep on track.

How do people handle going on vacation, or even just being with people who don't pay as close to nutrition or what they eat as you do? I'm also concerned with the fact I won't be on own time clock, so I don't know about being able to eat every 3 hours or so like I usually do.

I also won't have access to weight lifting equipment for those times which is freaking me out, as I don't want to regress while I'm gone. I'm looking into the "Body is a Barbell" and those stretchy exercise bands that I can take with me to try and at least not go backwards in training.

Any ideas you have, or ways you have found to deal with this would be much appreciated...

Thanks!

carllecat · Post by **carllecat** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 10:17 am

You meant it when you said vacations... Relax and enjoy the time spent with your family and when you get back home, you can go back to your normal habits!

It feels good sometimes to take a break from dieting and cheat a bit. However, the best tip I can give you is to stick on the 6 meals per day so you can control the intake of food.

Enjoy your time with your family!

Cheers!

clem · Post by **clem** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 10:48 am

Like carlle said.. go enjoy yourself and have a good time! no need to stress out.. when you get back just hit the workouts hard and your body will forgive you! Also it is hard being around people who don't eat/workout like you but just stay focused and do your thing. you never know you could motivate them to start exercising!

clem · Post by **clem** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 12:56 pm

Amatlack I agree with some of the things you said. I wasn't necessarily saying go and binge but just don't stress out about it. Its unreasonable for most people to exercise when they go away and isn't needed. She should try to eat the best she can but its fine if you cheat a bit. The only thing I disagree with is the avoidance of dairy products and the meat you said. However avoiding refined carbs is definitely a must

eviltapanga · Post by **eviltapanga** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 12:58 pm

For sure you can bring dried fruit and things to stash as well! I take a food bag around with me even just when going out for the night. But since you are on vacation, I'd say indulge a little, maybe sleep in and enjoy the occassional treat! Surely the pleasure of the small slice of cheese cake outweighs the health risks

MMM grilled salmon on salad, I'm so ordering that next time I'm out.

I hope you are able to enjoy yourself! Get a good thick band for resistence training, cheap investment!

evilT

carllecat · Post by **carllecat** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 3:48 pm

I do believe in cheating once in a while and it feels good!
I have KFC once a year and this is maximum limit. I do not feel bad after eating that, because I know cheating limit for KFC is only once a year.

I believe in a healthy balanced diet is this is part of balanced diet, otherwise I could not call it "balanced".

However, everyone is different and some prefer not to cheat and I truly respect that.

0.02 cents.

clem · Post by **clem** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 4:31 pm

amatlack you are right you should be able to eat healthy without feeling the need to "cheat". However you can call cheating, binging w/e all it means is that you eat something that isn't healthy or won't contribute to your good health. For carllecat it seems like she has a firm grasp of what "diet" works for her. If someone wants to eat the "cheat" food every so often then thats fine, everyone needs to indulge once in awhile or they'll go crazy. As long as you maintain that healthy lifestyle then i don't see a problem.

carllecat · Post by **carllecat** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 5:32 pm

clem wrote:amatlack you are right you should be able to eat healthy without feeling the need to "cheat". However you can call cheating, binging w/e all it means is that you eat something that isn't healthy or won't contribute to your good health. For carllecat it seems like she has a firm grasp of what "diet" works for her. If someone wants to eat the "cheat" food every so often then thats fine, everyone needs to indulge once in awhile or they'll go crazy. As long as you maintain that healthy lifestyle then i don't see a problem.

AMEN!

Oh and I'm a "he"!

Thanks,

Boss Man · Post by **Boss Man** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 6:41 pm

Mcdonalds bottled Water is healthy, and no doubt their Scrambled Eggs

.

Personally I eat a bit of Mcdonlads sometimes, but it's not the really massive stuff, it's usually just the hamburgers without all the greasy suggary crap they add to it. I used to have some of their fizzy drinks, but I stick the Fresh Orange when I'm in.

The only thing I don't get is having KFC once a year. I could understand like once every three months, but it sound like the Cat is having KFC as a Christmas dinner

carllecat · Post by **carllecat** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 6:59 pm

amatlack wrote:I hear what you're saying, but maybe I'm not being clear on what I'm trying to say. This will be the last thing I add to this since it's going in circles, but I just want to make sure I'm coming across correctly.

Everyone should be able to find healthy alternatives to their favorite unhealthy foods. That way, when you get to craving something "bad," you have something you can go to that's "good." Eventually you get to the point where even if you do eat those "bad" foods, they make you feel sick.

For instance, I LOVE LOVE LOVE cake. Back when I was really overweight, I would buy those small cakes from the grocery store and eat the whole thing in one sitting. These days, I still crave cake. But I learned that when I eat that same cake from the grocery store, it make me sick...I feel nauseated, headachey, nasty. So what I do is make own cake...made from whole grains, sweetened with maple syrup instead of sugar, made with a tofu and pecan or walnut icing...it fills craving for cake, but I don't consider that a "cheat" because it's a part of normal diet, and it's DELICIOUS...even parents love it! It's not something I eat every day, but I don't consider it "bad" and on a black list or anything like that. I get to have cake, and eat it too, if you will.

So I guess original advice to teppum42 was to take it easy on vacation...from personal experience, when you start eating foods that you haven't eaten in a while, it can make you feel bad...lethargic, heavy, gross. I don't know why anyone would want to feel that way, especially on vacation.

best advice is to find those alternatives. If you guys find that eating fast food makes you feel great, good for you. I don't consider McDonald's etc healthy for anyone at any time...but that's just personal opinion.

You are right, even when I cheat I still have something in mind telling me to go rational. But I guess that we all mean to use some critical thinking to stay within the healthy lifestyle. Like you, when I cook a cake, I make sure I find the healthiest recipe possible, but still a cake is a cake. Do not get me wrong, I totally agree with you and get your point.

In less than a month, I am going to see family that lives 2500 miles away and I have not seen them in a year. They will probably be amazed to see how much I have changed and I am not planning to totally let it go... but I won't say no to a couple of beers (I stopped drinking as much as I used to and probably drink no more than 1 beer / month). However, being also an ex-smoker, I know limits and I know and would never accept a cigarette even if I am on vacation. I do not know if you get point. I guess it's all about being critical about yourself and knowing what's good or bad for you and acknowledging what the outcome might be.

carllecat · Post by **carllecat** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 7:02 pm

Boss Man wrote:Mcdonalds bottled Water is healthy, and no doubt their Scrambled Eggs .

Personally I eat a bit of Mcdonlads sometimes, but it's not the really massive stuff, it's usually just the hamburgers without all the greasy suggary crap they add to it. I used to have some of their fizzy drinks, but I stick the Fresh Orange when I'm in.

The only thing I don't get is having KFC once a year. I could understand like once every three months, but it sound like the Cat is having KFC as a Christmas dinner

HA HA HA! The story behind the once a year is that in wife's hometown, the KFC is an all-you-can-eat buffet... so no need to tell you that I don't wanna hear about KFC for another year after savouring such delicacies!

I beat in-law at a competition last time, he is a big man and could not eat the 12 pieces I had myself! Hpoefully, it was whole grain chicken! LMAO!!!

ilurvebroccoli · Post by **ilurvebroccoli** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 9:06 am

I agree with most others. Enjoy yourself, but don't go all out. If you want dessert at dinner one night, have some dessert. Stashing your own foods is a great Idea. You should still try to keep eating healthy, but don't sweat it if your family wants something "cheat worthy" one night. You can indulge every once in a while.

The resistance bands are a great idea. Pack resistance bands and a pair of running shoes and you'll be good. Maybe theres some trails or something near the lake house you can hike on or take a run on.

So basically what I'm trying to say is, don't give up your healthy lifestyle while you're gone, but also don't get down on yourself if you don't stick to it completely.

Part of vacation is enjoying yourself. Sit back, relax, and have a good time!

teppum42 · Post by **teppum42** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 11:23 am

Thanks for all the tips and advice.

I am realizing it is much better for me and stomach to have the occassional "cheat" with the family (say dessert at night) for the week, then to have one whole binge day and say "I give up today". Ugh- the pain and discomfort after realizing I just binged... WHY do we/I do it? I think it's mostly mental, that I'm going to eat everything I haven't eaten in the last two weeks on this one day. I think it's much healthier to eat a small little treat every couple of days (if needed) than to give up a whole day (which turns into part of the following day because I still feel sick). And then try to wean myself off of those small little treats and space them out further.

I don't think it's physical- I am by no means starving myself- it's all mental. I like the idea of healthier cake amatlack mentioned (I emailed you for the recipe), and was thrilled to find oatmeal pancakes that are not unhealthy, to get me through the weekend. Maybe not being so strict on myself will help me to relax about food overall, and I will do less drastic "binge mistakes" and keep steadier on the "lifestyle change" (which I agree, this isn't a diet, it's a lifestyle that I'm still trying to figure out). I don't want to go back to the way I was... but I was that way for so long, eating what I want when I wanted it, it's harder to change your eating habits than I realized. Not just finding the correct information, but putting it into practice as well.

Thank you guys and gals for all of the support!

ilurvebroccoli · Post by **ilurvebroccoli** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 5:33 pm

So, on the binging note, I always feel like, well I just ate (fill in horirbly unhealthy food), so I misewell just go all out....

Thats the common mistake people make. Thats why "cheating" sometimes is not as bad as you think. It actually makes it easier to stick to your healthy habits because you don't feel like you're being deprived of anything.

Boss Man · Post by **Boss Man** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 6:11 pm

Easy solution for those trying to lose weight, but with a slight binge mentality. One meal, either on a Saturday or Sunday, that is a bit iffy, and can only be had, when you know you did what you think is your best to eat and exercise properly the rest of the time.

One small thing as some kind of reward, and to get it out of your system.