Eating On Holiday

[beetlemania64]

Can anyone please give me some advise. I am going on holiday in 5 wks which will be 8 wks into LL. I have been really pleased with my progress so far and have not been hungary or wanted to eat. Now being on holiday is going to be another challenge. I am away for 5 days and am not sure what I am going to do with regards to eating. I know that I am 100% committed to LL but do not know if I can actually spend 5 days away with my husband on a holiday that we have every year (without the children) and not eat at least an evening meal with him and have a drink. I am feeling a little confused have been trying to read up on people that have had holidays but am starting now to panic that by eating will undo the good that I would have achieved. When looking at people's profile's it looks as though when they have gone on holiday they have not weighed in until the following week and have therefore not had a weigh in. Does this mean that they have eaten? I can not tell in theory because of already being in Ketosis my thoughts are that if I ate one evening meal with very low carbs based on atkins and drank i.e. vodka my body should stay in ketosis???
Please can someone out there help me any advise would be greatly appreciated as I do not want to make a big mistake.

[Donnalou86]

Hi, I know of a few people who have had total breaks from LL for a holiday, but if this is the option you chose you'd have to expect to put on more than a few lbs because your glycogen would fill back up, and as your LLC has probably explained LLers metabolism is not only decreasing with your weight, it's also 10% lower than normal due to the ketosis. This means that if you had a total blow out instead of building it up gradually on a substantially lower metabolism than before it'll cause quite a gain. However you have to enjoy your holidays and food is obviously part of that. I think your idea of maybe having 2 or 3 packs a day and one meal could be really good. If you have very low carb food. It will probably take you out of ketosis, especially if you had any alchohol. But it shouldn't cause you to put on too much weight at all. I don't think it would be a big mistake to eat on your holiday,I've been on 2 short breaks while on LL and have stayed totally abstinant, however I'm going to a music festival at the beginning of july, I will maybe be in the beginning of RTM by then put I'm planning on having a weekend off the diet simply because there isn't much more choice at a music festival. I'm just going to be very careful what I eat. Good luck with your diet and have fun on your holiday!! xx

[Blonde Logic]

The thing to remember though, if you do get knocked out of Ketosis, and there's every cahnce you would - you will then be hungry, and if you are eating daily, it won't be until you go back to abstaining that the hunger would idssappear, so personally, I would fear that would lead to too great a temptation, and it make become more then one meal a day? Just thinking how it would affect me.

Then, there is the struggle to "get back into the zone".....and a lot of people have struggled with that, and find they keep picking, etc.

It depends on how strong you feel you are I suppose.

I am going away for a month - back to California - home of my favourite and familiar foods, summer BBQ's everynight, 2 parties, etc.....and I am going to abstain. I don't want anything to break my focus on this diet, and I know taking "time off" to eat would do just that.

I was going to do what you said - a few packs and a meal a day - but I decided all those favourite foods will be there the next time we visit, so will have to give thema miss this time.

Its a personal decision.....you would have to be prepared to gain a few pounds maybe, which pushes your goal date further ahead.

Good luck with your decision!!

[x-Katie-x]

I agree with all that's been said, however I'm going away for a month in July and I am planning on eating, admittedly I'm hoping to be as sensible as I can but I am going to eat and drink while I'm away. I know tha I won't be at goal by the time I go and that I'm going to put weight on but I'm prepared for that and accept that, I just don't want to spend my holiday time wishing it were different.

You've got to look at it and see what is best for you.... good luck with it and I'm sure you'll have a great holiday whatever you decide.

[beetlemania64]

Ladies thank you all for your messages you are all right in what you are saying. I think it really is a personal choice at the end of the day. Also, there is the possibility and I will not even eat I will have to wait and see how I am at the time, as I am not a huge binge eater i really think that what I planned on eating will be planned down to the last morsal so what ever happens I will enjoy the sun and try my best not to eat if I can. x

[Dreamer]

I think it is personal choice, and if you are going to eat, try to stick to high protein low carb. I think you have the right idea with that. Only thing I would say is it can take over 24hrs to come out of ketosis, and drinking alcohol while in ketosis can be very dangerous. There's a sticky on this in the cambridge diet forum. I wouldn't risk it

V

[Slimseaa]

Hi Beetle, i went to Egypt on holiday for 2 weeks in November and i ordered 1 chicken salad had 2 spoons and stopped then! I felt so guilty and stuck to my diet after that trhoughout my holiday!

It was very hard work, but tested my willpower. I went to every single restaurant with different cuisines who could think of, with my Hubb, watching him eat. However nothing gave me greater satisfaction knowing that rather than put on weight whilst on holida, i actually came back 12lbs Lighter. So its up to you. If you want to have the 1 tiny meal-protein/salad (if you cannot resist), otherwise just think to yourself you are only going for 5 days and its something that im sure you can avoid.

Think of it this way, your going on holiday to see the place not to eat. Thats what i kept telling myself (i was shocked with my willpowere whilst on holiday), however having that in the back of my mind, kept me totally focused.

Speak to your LLC.

Good luck and enjoy ur holiday (i know its 5 weeks away).

[ladylite]

Hello,

From experience I was very focused at the beginning and managed to abstain all over Christmas, which is like a holiday.

All I can say is that I started eating thinking I could get back on the wagon and it is proving to be so so difficult. It is a nightmare to get back that focus, although I believe some people can do this.

Good luck with whatever you chose.

[beetlemania64]

Hi Slimseaa

Many thanks for your reply. I fully understand what you have written and yes you are totally right. I really think that I am going to see how I am when I get out there and I sit down on that first night. Hopefully my will power will over take my apparent need to eat.

Hi Beetle, i went to Egypt on holiday for 2 weeks in November and i ordered 1 chicken salad had 2 spoons and stopped then! I felt so guilty and stuck to my diet after that trhoughout my holiday!

It was very hard work, but tested my willpower. I went to every single restaurant with different cuisines who could think of, with my Hubb, watching him eat. However nothing gave me greater satisfaction knowing that rather than put on weight whilst on holida, i actually came back 12lbs Lighter. So its up to you. If you want to have the 1 tiny meal-protein/salad (if you cannot resist), otherwise just think to yourself you are only going for 5 days and its something that im sure you can avoid.

Think of it this way, your going on holiday to see the place not to eat. Thats what i kept telling myself (i was shocked with my willpowere whilst on holiday), however having that in the back of my mind, kept me totally focused.

Speak to your LLC.

Good luck and enjoy ur holiday (i know its 5 weeks away).

[Slimseaa]

Good on you bettle, just see what ur like when you go out there and see if u can maintain the same willpower then what you have already been following now!

[Donnalou86]

This thread got me thinking about my festival weekend. Not sure whether I should just go back to abstaining for the 2 days I'm away even if I'm in RTM. I'm worried about the lack of food options available there, but if I just took packs I could makwe them up (or have an extra bar even) and I wouldnt have to bother with the food they have there. Hmmm guess will see whats happening at the time

[Goombagirl]

Hi Beetle, I went skiing on week 7 (2007) and was a bit concerned about my calorie intake. I needn't have worried - the only problem was finding toilets on the mountain. Not eating was fine - I cooked for the family and didn't feel I was missing out. I actually lost 10 pounds in the 2 weeks - all that exercise. This year I have enjoyed the food and my skiing is better now I'm lighter. There will be other holidays when you can enjoy food without worrying about LL, but I agree it is a difficult and personal decision. Enjoy your holiday whatever you decide.

[Miss_Bettany]

Right well I'm probably going to make myself a bit unpopular here, but my view on this, and on the chap going to the festival, is DON'T DO IT!

I've done a wedding, funeral, 2 christenings, NYE with a 4 course meal, Christmas, AND a weekend in a 4 star Marriott hotel without eating. No, it wasn't easy, especially Christmas, but what you have to think is that this is the only year for the rest of your life that you will miss out on the food...and lets face it, it'll all still be there next year won't it?

The holiday away...in the hotel we stayed in, and in restaurants, I have smiled sweetly at the head waiter and explained that at the moment I am unable to eat solid food, and does he think chef would be so kind as to make my pack up in a blender and bring it out with the main course? Without fail that has been done for me, with a smile and a nod and no problem. I have sat with my husband in all kinds of eating situations, and coped. I have a large jug of iced water, sometimes I take water flavourings and others I don't (tipping white powder into a drink in a pub is a little risky these days...lol!) and I have black coffee and my shake has been brought to me in a large wine glass, on a plate with a doily and presented beautifully.

The holiday away on your own once a year is what we do too, our only break without the children. But it isn't really about the food is it? It is being together, enjoying each others company, uninterrupted nookie, and having a lovely time away. You don't need food and wine to make that happen you know!

If your husband is supportive in what you are doing, as mine is (we are going to Austria in June for a week and I am taking all packs with me...I am close to the end now and desperately want to try the food there but he has told me we will go back one day and then I can) then he will understand. My hubby passes me the menu and asks what he is having to eat, then I choose him something I don't fancy that he likes.


The festival...take bottled water and bars, and avoid the greasy, crap ridden, overcooked and under nutricious burger stalls like the plague!!! That way you can laugh at all your mates when they end up with dodgy tummys, lol!!

Just my 2p, that's all. Sorry for rambling!

[looby lou]

Hi I am going to NEW York in 9 weeks to get married I;ve never been before and I really dont want to be worrying about making up food packs I just really want to take a break from LL then come back and re start yes I know I will put on weight but there wont be any alcohol I'm not really that fond of drinking. I guess I'm in the same position as you on deciding what to do for the best I just dont want to look back on my wedding day and remember chicken soup!!
Lindsey

[Blonde Logic]

Couldn't agree with you more actually Miss B. For me, this diet was a COMMITTMENT I made to myself. I've missed my birthday meal, others birthday meals, family reunion buffets, etc., and will now be missing several BBQs an an extremely important party for my mum. BUt thats life! Next year, I will eat at those events, and this year I don't simple as.

I vowed when I started this, that I would not eat one grain of anything until I was done, and have acheived that so far. No chance of my jeapordising that now. In it to win it and all.

I just feel the diet is more important then a few meals.

But it is a personal choice. And this is my choice. Abstinance, all the way, come hell or high water.