Do you vacation from your diet on vacation?

So I was at my goal weight when I headed out on my week long yearly vacation. Two days in my diet has already gone out the window. Watching what I eat, planning my meals and also exercise was not conducive to a relaxing time so I threw the diet out the window. Stopped at a Ben & Jerry's ice cream shop (did have the salad for lunch), Snickers bar as an afternoon snack and  I plan on having pie with dinner. So my question is: Am I a straight glutton or what? I feel like I am trading ten pounds for good memories and I know I will be OK with the exchange from now until I get on the scale, and then OK with it again in a month when I get back down to 160. But why be a 5'11 male who weighs 160 if you cannot have a weeks vacation from life and your diet? The exercise I want to take with me on vacay, but not the diet. What is your guys and gals experiences and thoughts on the matter?

Sorta.  I ate what I wanted for the most part, but my thinking about food had changed, so I was better than I would have been before I started this new life.  And it may just be that you have been more active on vacation, so that will help nullify the extra treats.

Really, everyone needs a break.  It ain't gonna hurt you.

I usually just roughly keep track of my calories and aim for appoximately maintenance, just to ensure I am not getting too out of control. I mostly just try and relax and enjoy myself, knowing I will get right back on track when I get home.

My only goal on vacation is to be aware of what I'm eating, even if it is high calorie. I eat out, I drink microbrewed high calorie beer, I go out for ice cream. The works. I will try and make some 'better' choices (veggies instead of fries with my huge tasty steak, walking instead of getting a cab :) But overall, yes. I also set a weight gain 'limit'
I just got back from vacation and had told myself I was allowed to gain 4 lbs, because 2 extra weeks of dieting was worth the fun. I only gained a pound or two, which was great.

When I think of being at my ideal weight, I don't picture myself as someone who is obsessed with calories when on vacation. Being able to take a break from life (healthy diet included) is what makes a vacation worth while. So eat it up! The healthy stuff will still be here when you get back :D

The thing that occurred to me the other day: the food doesn't make the memories. I went to Ocean City last year and completely binged. I think everyone in my family gained at least 2-8 lbs that week. Looking back, I cannot recall ONE meal that I had. In fact, the only meals I ever remember are ones that are bad. The good ones? Not so much, and if I do, it's only because of the guilt associated with it! When I go on vacation now, I try to splurge on more $$ things as opposed to high calorie things. Instead of haddock I get the crab legs or lobster, etc. . something that's good that I normally wouldn't spend the money to get at home. Also, looking back, on our Ocean City vacation we ate out EVERY meal for seven days which probably contributed immensely to the weight gain because of hidden calories, portion sizes, temptations, etc. I try eating breakfast (cereal, oatmeal, milk, fruit. . .whatever) where I'm staying and packing sandwiches for lunch. By the time dinner comes around, if I do splurge a bit, I'm still right on track! Exercising on vacation is a cinch, and I love to do it! When you are somewhere new there are always exciting places to explore, and I always end up walking so much more than at home!

I agree that no one should diet while on vacation, but your post sounds to me like a slide into binge-mode.  What did you do today other than what you mentioned?  Don't let your vacation become about the food, whether to eat or not to eat.  There's no need to go to extremes.  (Maybe to you it's not so extreme, but to me... ben & jerry's is 240 cal for 1/2 cup of vanilla.  A good sized scoop is about 1 cup if you only got 1 scoop... then a snickers 250 and pie 3-400 all while eating out every meal?)

It's like alexandramr said, the food is NOT what's going to make the memories!  I dunno if you are on the lifestyle kick or just dieting, but if your healthy habits can't stick at all without being a bothersome chore... you should probably revise them and maybe be less intense about your diet?

I do take a vacation from my calorie counting but the good thing is when I'm on vacation I always have more physical activity than normal, so I still lose! I am sendentary on a regualar basis (due to having two jobs/working 60 hours per week or more) so when I'm on vacay I'm free! I am constantly on the go and doing things and food is the last thing on my mind. Thusly when I do eat it's pretty sparingly ~ yet because it's vacation I don't stress over WHAT to eat.

Original Post by tealparadise:

I agree that no one should diet while on vacation, but your post sounds to me like a slide into binge-mode. 

a snickers bar, ice cream and a slice of pie throughout the day, while on vacation is nothing even close to "binge-mode".

I definitely let loose a little on vacation but like other posters, my thinking about food has changed in general so I don't think I go as crazy on vaca as I used to.  I try to plan better so if I know I am going to have a fruity drink in the afternoon on the beach, I will try to eat a "healthier" breakfast and lunch.  If I know I want ice cream and/or pie for dinner I will try to eat better the rest of the day.  I mean, you definitely can not control what you eat nearly as much on vacation and you should enjoy yourself but I think a little planning will go a long way to have enjoyed vacation memories and feel good about yourself when you get back to the real world.  Good luck!

My view is vacation is absolutly a time to leave the restrictions of normal life behind! But like so many posters, now that my general attitude to food (and alchohol) has changed, I don't find I even want to go a day without vegetables, or eat only desserts for meals. Our last vacation was to Cuba, all-you-can-eat and all-you-can-drink included in our package price. I was kind of scared I would go absolutly nuts. But having all that food and drink available to me whenever I wanted actually made me MORE picky.

I eat "mindfully".  That means, I allow myself to eat what I want, but that doesn't mean I can eat **as much as** I want.  No binging. I still make sure I stay within a certain calorie range (i.e., "the maintenance range"). I don't plan on losing weight, but I do plan to stay at that weight that week. I refuse to gain any weight. In other words, I pay attention to what I eat, and I keep the eating within parameters.  I have a small B&J cone, not the large. I eat 1/2 of the fried seafood w/FF, not all of it.  Or I order a lunch portion, not the dinner portion.  I limit alcoholic drinks, and go for the lower calorie ones. I make sure I balance the unhealthy foods out w/nutritious foods. I still go for walks. Walking is a fun way to spend time with the people with whom you are on vacation.

In other words, "balance".

Where are you going on Vac.? 

When I go to Disney I plan on eating what ever I want.  The avg day of walking is 14 miles.  But if I was sitting on a beach I would eat more fruit.  I tend to eat a lot of fruit when at the beach anyway.  but good ice cream and a candy bar every once in a while will be good for you.  You may even only be able to eat a few bites of the snickers and for ice cream ask for a kiddie size.  for the pie share.  or go for the dainty ones that are full of flavor. 

Don't count just try the high/low rule.   Ex.  healhty dinner = ice cream,  high breakfast = light snack.  high fat burger with steamed veggies.    then it will a wash out in the end.  Your brian needs a break to and if you are at goal you have worked hard and deserve a small mental break

I just got back from vacation 2 weeks ago. Though I did "let loose" a little, I didn't go crazy and my mentality was certainly not that I was "taking a vacation from dieting". I too, like the others, have found that my thinking has changed. (And I'm glad...that's how it should be to maintain your loss!) These are the guidelines I set for myself:

-eat a healthy breakfast and lunch. And not worry about dinner or desert in the evening.

-If what I ordered wasn't amazing, I stopped eating. (deep fried snickers bar, for example)

-I still watched my portions. (Like the Italian restaurant we went to that served  huge pasta portions. Just knowing the number of calories stopped from eating all of it)

-My exercise consisted of walking on the beach or playing with the kids. Nothing formal.

I've realized that in my old thinking I would have kept eating because I equated fun with food. Though the new me still enjoys food, I now have other ways of enjoying myself and have realized that the subsequent heartburn and stomachache are just not worth it.

I just got back from a 5 day vacation and gained 3 pounds. I didn't watch my calories at all. I ate whatever looked good on the menu and drank alcohol. It was a great time!! Today I am back to my regular routine. In the past, when I have gained "vacation weight" it usually comes off pretty easily as long as I stay focused. So it was worth it. For me, eating whatever I want does make good memories. I love dining out and specifically plan which restaurants I want to visit while vacationing. Plus I look at the brightside...I am still 17 pounds lighter than I was when I started dieting in Jan.

I am going to Portugal and Spain as of next week and I will not be counting calories or formally excercising.

Reason being is that when I went to Italy a couple of years ago it was HOT. I barely ate anything and if I did it was gelatto. Once we got into northern Italy my appetite kicked in and I ate a lot. When I got back home I weighed the exact same.

On vaction it is easier for me to just listening to what my body needs. I am usually so busy sightseeing, walking and figuring out the language that the only real meal I would eat would be dinner. It would be hard for me to count calories and would have to eyeball the entire time.

I say enjoy yourself first and foremost.

I never stick to my diet on vacation, but I atleast try to keep my portions normal. I went to Hawaii for two weeks in the winter and gained 5lbs. It's fine as long as you can get back on track right when you get home. For me I found out the hard way that going off my diet makes it 10x harder to get back on. But I also don't think a vacation is a vacation unless you splurge and enjoy all the good stuff. I'd rather gain 5lbs and have the best memories than remember my vacation as trying to avoid temptation the entire time.

Original Post by alexandramr:

The thing that occurred to me the other day: the food doesn't make the memories. I went to Ocean City last year and completely binged. I think everyone in my family gained at least 2-8 lbs that week. Looking back, I cannot recall ONE meal that I had.

Last year my hub and I went to Italy and I ate (and ate well- lots of pizza, pasta, gelato) and I remember the meals VERY well...*drool just thinking about them* We have wonderful memories of the food we ate, even took pictures of just about every meal! lol

I try to keep the eating in keeping with my activity level. If I'm very active while on vacation, I eat whatever (I came back from IT weighing the exact same as the day I left). If I'm just lazing around, I'm more mindful of my intake.

I eat a bit more calories than usual, but keep most portions small.  I aim for
my weight maintenance level even though I am still trying to lose a few more pounds.  Also, I keep up my activity level by walking/touring as much as possible.  I usually promise myself I will use the hotel gym...but I never have.  :P

Remember you are on vacation and it's only a week... how much damage do you really think you could do in such a short period of time by enjoying the foods of the area?  Even if you gain a pound or two, it won't be the end of the world...just return to your normal eating/activity levels when you get back home. 

Have fun! :)

I'm heading to the beach for a week this Friday and will not even allow myself to so much as read a "Nutrition Facts" label while there. Vacations are for relaxation and good times with those you care about, not cringing at the thought of "binging" on something you would have eaten every day before changing your eating habits without thinking twice. Like many of the posters above said, it is a week... Big deal! Have fun, eat everthing your tastebuds desire and get back to losing when you get home! Bon Appetit!

I'm so glad to have found this string of posts. I'm headed on vacation next week and have started to worry about not "going overboard" while away from cc and my computer.  I just started cc a couple weeks ago and have only lost 2 pounds thus far, so I'm not in the same place as some posters.

Your suggestions have been great though. I think I'll try the "maintenance" plan. I won't plan on losing any weight, but just try to maintain the couple pounds I've lost so far.

Thankfully we're going camping, so I will cook most of our meals and there's lots of walking, swimming, kayaking to do.

Thanks everyone for putting your thoughts down - very helpful to others!

I don't really know. I don't vacation often, and I've only recently started dieting. But this post reminded me of my time in Paris last April (my first real vacation since I was in Middle School).  I came home to find I had lost at least 2lbs. I think it's from the miles and miles of walking we did. We walked everywhere. I almost hated taking the metro because it would mean we would miss out on the sites on the way to different museums and such. I usually ate 2-3 meals a day, with ice cream and such during the day. The portions there aren't nearly as huge as here in the states, and that's a good thing. I ate less calories than I usually do at home, but I never felt hungry. 

This is why I hate those relaxation type vacations, to a beach resort or something. I can't stand paying a thousand dollars or so to sit on a beach, do nothing, and eat all day. Same thing when I went on a cruise when I was a kid. Nothing to do but sit around and eat, everyone in my family gained wait after that trip. I'm more of a go to a country with tons sites to see type of a person, where a lot of walking is involved.

I don't count calories, but I will pay attention to what I am eating.