So on Saturday I'm leaving for the beach. I'll be there for a week, with no Internet access. I'm sure there are other people who have taken breaks from MFP. What strategies helped you stay on track?

Thanks in advance!

I would still write down everything you ate along with exercise and log it when you get back.

I agree...write down what you eat but my vacation trick is always to take a walk/swim after each meal/ This way I know that I'm at least burning calories while getting to enjoy the oceanside. I did this one year and actually came back from vacation having lost 4 lbs! Have fun at the beach

4 pounds?! That's AMAZING! Was that over a week or a longer time period?

Keep your diet as close to your normal one - that way, you KNOW what you're putting into your mouth. Overload on the veggies

I just came back from Italy for 11 days, ate pasta, bread, pizza, and drank beer.

But I also had salads, some veggies, fruit, and we walked alot. Everyday.

I didn't bother write stuff down, but did put into practise stuff I had learned from here.
I had control in having portions.
(well, they have smaller portions in italy, so that was easier)
Somehow ended up losing 2 lbs

I would rely on what you have done thus far. You have lost 7 lbs. therefore, you are doing something right. In studies I have read, people who eat the same things over time tend to weigh less.
So...I would try to mimic what you have done at home. Eat the same things for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. By doing this you will know your general caloric intake and be on the right track.

Good luck and have fun!!!! I don't know where you live, but a trip to the beach has to be fun!!!
Enjoy!

Aren't Italians known to be really healthy because of their portion sizes?

I agree with everyone too! I was worried for the same reason...heading to see family next Thursday and will be gone 5 days with no internet. I am going to just bring a notebook and track everything down. Try running on the beach for excersize! It's a great one since your fighting the resistance of the sand. I plan on taking looongggg walks and as said above LOADING UP ON VEGGIES!

Good luck and let us know how it goes when you get back!

We've been on the road in our motorhome for three weeks and I've lost four pounds. It's easier in the motorhome because I cook just like I do at home.

We just finished seven days with no internet access and events that included eating in restaurants. I've been tracking my food and exercise long enough that I know calorie counts for a lot of the foods I eat regularly. i wrote everything down----food, water, exercise----and entered it on MFP when I got back online.

by writing everything down and knowing that I'd be recording it on MFP when I got back, I avoided the feeling that "it doesn't count".

Something that helped me a lot was the decision I made months ago to give up recreational eating. I didn't have to eat the cherries at every fruit stand or the ice cream that the town is famous for or my cousin's special homemade sugar filled dessert. I eat to nourish my body, not for entertainment.

Best wishes and have a great time.

I'm not exactly sure.
Portion sizes for some stuff were smaller.
Fresh Pasta, fresh bread. You could taste the difference.
Pizza had a VERY VERY thin crust. I ate a 10" pizza by myself and didn't feel guilty

Mostly everybody's I saw was drinking wine or water

LOTS of people walking.

And one thing that sorta amazed me.

Lots of people riding bikes. Alot were in bike "uniform" and riding up and down the mountains.
In town, there were kids, middle aged and some older than 60.

BRING YOUR GEAR!
My husband foiled my plans on our mini getaway last month. This time I'm bringing my sneaks and workout wear so I can make the commitment to go to the hotel gym. During naptime for the girls... husband will nap along with them, my arse in the gym :)
I'll have no access, I was considering writing everything down, but I want to allow myself the liberty to enjoy my holiday and trust in *myself*
Good Luck - trust yourself!

It was for a week!!! I kid you not, swimming especially burns a good number of calories. My "trick" was either walking or swimming after each meal and I did some stomach crunches before bed at night. Of course I watched what I ate as well but I find doing that at the beach to be pretty easy since fresh veggies and seafood are our normal meals. Good luck!




4 pounds?! That's AMAZING! Was that over a week or a longer time period?

Just wanted to say that most hotel lobbies now have a computer for open use sometimes 2 or three. Check out your hotel when you get there they might, too. That is unless you are renting a house or condo for the week. Have FUN!!!

Yeah, we're renting a condo, so . . . I wish they did have a computer!

the only thing that works for me:

think about the piece of food for at least a couple of seconds before you put it into your mouth

it stops me from eating things like doritos which are looking at me from the table right now, and stops me from ordering a donut with my friends just cause thats what everyone else is doing, etc

i have a hard time keeping a hardcopy of a food journal, i get bored easily, and i'm a net junkie

Thanks for all the advice! I'll let you guys know how it goes when I get back!

If you can, pack a cooler with fruits and veggies and stuff for sandwiches. I just got back from a trip to Vegas and I took a cooler. I ate out only once (PF Changs) and hit the hotel gym. If there isn't a gym, pack some resistance bands and a jump rope and walk wherever you can.

When I went on vacation this time, it was much different from years past. Our vacation was focused on exercise instead of food!

We walked everywhere and took the stairs.

I actually lost a pound the week I was away!!

Have fun!!

So I'm back from vacation and I thought I should let you guys know how I did . . .

Well, I gained a pound.

BUT the place we rented had a lot of stairs, and I VOLUNTEERED to carry everything up and down. That was a good workout. And I walked on the beach and swam in the ocean.

BUT I went out for dinner every night and had dessert almost every meal.

BUT it was very relaxing.

BUT I didn't log any food, and seeing what I really ate wouldn't be very relaxing.

Today I am back on track! No dessert tonight!

Wait . . . tonight's ice cream night, isn't it? Oh no . . .

WTG!!!
I'm back as well. I gained 7
BUT, I went to Hot Yoga and sweat out 4

AND thinking about going back today to sweat out another 4