Help!! Panicking about vacation weight gain...

[bangzoom6877]

We leave in 5 weeks for our 2-week vacation, which will include 5 nights at Disney World. We're driving from NYC, staying over in North Carolina and in Savannah Georgia. Then we go to Boca Raton to visit some relatives for 4 nights, then on to Disney for 5 nights, then 2 more stops on the way back up. I normally follow Weight Watchers, and I am usually very good with it (lost close to 50 pounds, and have been a Lifetime Member for almost 7 months now). I also exercise regularly (30 to 60 minutes, 5 days per week). However, this is my first big vacation since losing the weight and I am worried...

Normally on vacations I go crazy with eating. I can easily gain 7 pounds on a 7-night cruise. We used to do cruises for big vacations, but we want to take the kids (ages 1 and 3) to Disney this year. We are on the Dining Plan (the regular one, NOT the deluxe one). I have looked at the menus and notice some healthier choices, but also some very tempting, fattening ones. Plus this vacation is 2 weeks total and I know that the stops on I-95 have fast food outlets for food.

I need a plan of action...can someone out there please ease my mind?

Thank you,
Bonnie

 

[mom2aredhead]

I can't help you with the pre and post-Disney part, but I can tell you that you'll do soooo much walking when you're in the parks that you'll probably walk off whatever you eat.

It's VERY tempting on when you're on DDP to try to "get your money's worth" and people tend to go overboard and eat things that they normally wouldn't, just because it's "included". The table service AND counter service meals come with a dessert. Who in the heck eats dessert after every meal? It's perfectly OK to decline it even though it's included. Or get a treat for the kids instead. A lot of places have fruit as an option too, and I found both fruit and salad to be pretty readily available in lots of the parks.

If you look at DDP as a pre-payment plan rather than a way to eat $70 worth of food for $37 dollars, and you continue to make good food choices like you've been doing at home, you'll be OK.

CONGRATS on the weight loss - it's a great accomplishment and you should be very proud of yourself. Have a great trip!!

 

[bangzoom6877]

Thank you so much! I do think dessert after every meal is pretty nutty, especially counter service, but I also did see at a lot of CS places that strawberry yogurt is on the dessert list. Fruit would be nice too, I usually have a piece of fruit with my lunch anyway!

I already feel like we are getting our money's worth with the dining plan because we are doing 5 character meals, and the dining plan is actually saving us money on those alone, and add in the CS meals without even the snacks that are included and we save even more. For us this was so worth it because we had planned to do 5 character meals anyway so that it was easier (and not as hot) for the kids to meet the characters they love.

I also know that fruit is a snack credit, and I notice that there is fruit available at many locations at each park. Plus I guess with the heat and humidity I will not want to eat too much!

Here's my current plan of action:
-still eat lots of fruits and veggies
-avoid the fried foods (they will make me feel weighed down in the heat anyway)
-drink lots of water to stay hydrated (this goes for the entire family)
-either decline the dessert or get the healthier choice if available (yogurt or fruit)
-stay physically comfortable when at the character all-you-can-eat meals (I am usually very good at buffet restaurants because I physically feel sick if I eat too much rich food anyway)
-focus on the fun rather than the food (take pics of the kids with the characters, etc.)
-we are eating breakfast in the room (cereal) with the exception of 2 character breakfasts (one on the morning we leave to go home)

For when we are on the road I think I am more worried. I might not have much of a choice. I guess salads with grilled chicken and lowfat or fat-free dressing are the way to go?

You are also right about the walking and I always forget to factor that into the equation. I think more along the lines of "I will not have time to work out for the days we are at Disney" than about all the walking which is great exercise anyway. Plus I am planning to workout while in Boca since we don't have any set plans that are too crazy and the hotel has a nice gym.

Thanks,
Bonnie

 

[mskayjay]

Well as a member of the 75 club (although I've gained 20 back since a surgery) keep a few things in mind. Your body is used to its energy sources coming in a certain way now. If you overload on anything you are going to feel crummy. It isn't just about gaining pounds back that you can lose again, it is your body very quickly letting you know that it is not happy with what you are giving it! When I lost all my weight and trained my clients I used to tell them to go ahead and taste the dessert and then dump water on it or whatever so they couldn't finish it. You can sample and enjoy and yes you will be walking a lot but ultimately if you eat in a drastically different many you are going to feel nasty! lol Let alone trips to the lu!

 

[mom2aredhead]

We were just there 5/15-5/22 and did a few character meals (Crystal Palace, Tusker House, Playhouse Dine @ H&V, so if you're going to any of those, I can probably answer any specific questions you have. I can tell you that they all had yogurt and fresh fruit - yogurt, melon and pineapple was pretty much at all of them...some had strawberries or blueberries too. Most also had plain scrambled eggs in addition to the cheese covered eggs, and a few have an omelet station (though no egg whites that I recall, the eggs were already mixed.)

(Unfortunately, they also all had biscuts and gravy and bacon, but just be strong!)

Sounds like you already have a good plan in place. It was surprisingly hot and humid the week we were there, and you're right, we just weren't all that hungry because of the heat. Don't stress over it though - have a great time, and jsut remember moderation is the key!

 

[LSchrow]

mom2aredhead pretty much sumed it up:
~ prob the biggest: don't gorge yourself b/c of the DDP (sadly, many do..it can be tempting to get more than the $38 worth & look at the prices rather than the items)
~ don't wait until you're ravenous to eat (pack small granola bars, etc to stave off temptation)
~ you will do a lot of walking, but take opportunities to walk just for the fun of it (a walk around the resort is interesting, fun, & a great way to unwind)
~ try to have a few healthy options in the room (many reasonable grocery stores are near WDW ~ publix, winn-dixie, walmart) so you aren't tempted to hit the resort's "junk food" area when/if the late night munchies hit. also pick up bottled water for the parks & room

hth

 

[Kay1]

I'm in the same boat. We need to travel a lot this summer including two trips to Disney. I'm not one who believes that the walking helps all that much. For my body, for sure, it only helps a little.

I maintained over Spring Break vacation by making up a few rules for myself. It was easy to control nutrition at breakfast so I always did. Once we had brunch in Key West and ordered Lobster Benedict. I saved calories by scraping away as much Hollandaise as possible and doing the same with the egg yolks. I served myself slivers of Key Lime pie on small plates and topped it with reduced-calorie whipped topping.

I read on the internet that a lot of people use the "three bites" rule when eating any dessert and that helped. I also read it's good to eat a dessert that's no larger than the palm of your hand.

Eat slowly and listen to your body. And that's all I've got. Good luck to both of us.

 

[Eeyore's Pal]

Is it possible to drop the DDP at this point?

With two toddlers and your concerns about food, I would think you'd be better with out-of-pocket choices. No automatic dessert with every meal. You could opt to have two appetizers instead of some heavy carb-booming entree. And how much could your little ones actually eat?

That automatic dessert feature is (for me) the primary reason I would not choose DDP.

 

[mello]

We just returned from nearly 3 weeks on the DDP and I weigh the exact same as when we left. We did walk an average of 10 miles a day though! So even though I did eat more than normal, it seems to have all evened out.

One helpful thing when eating out - always start with salad and ice water or iced tea - fill up on those and you won't eat as much later. Even though we got dessert with every meal, in most cases I was too full to take more than a bite or two by the time it got there.

At buffets, instead of trying everything as you go, look it all over first, and decide what would make a nice normal meal. Start with a whole plate of salad. Then get one plate with a small main dish & sides, and don't go back for 2nds. Try a small bite of dessert, just for the taste, and so you don't feel deprived.

The thing that always gets me though is the snacks! Kaki Gori, Mickey Ice Cream Bars, Dole Floats... I have such a sweet tooth.

Happy Eating and Happy Walking!

 

[danceintherain]

Just about every fast food place has healthy options. As long as you lean toward that side you'll probably be ok, and skip the fries. Get a salad or fruit instead.

 

[srdipert]

Since you do have two small kids the kids food and desserts are often not very good. So I always order something that I will like and they will like and give most of it to the kids. Spilt three ways the desserts have a lot fewer calories. Also at CS you can get fruit many times for the dessert and you could eat it or save it for the kids to snack on later. Also the even the main courses aren't great for the kids and the one year old will not be on the plan so sharing with them will decrease how much you eat!

Sound like you already have some great plans and at Disney you will do a lot of walking. The crappy part will probably be the fast food on the way down. Maybe you can pack some healthy snacks and stop at like Subway or some place that offers some healthier choices.

 

[DizzDoll]

First of all - congratulations on your weight loss. Very excellent, indeed.

All the OPs are correct - there's so many healthy choices now that it's pretty painless not to go overboard while at WDW. You have some character buffets planned - feel free to take an apple or a banana with you to crunch and munch in the parks. For your fast food stops before and after, you can have a regular (small) sized burger with your garden salad, and a yogurt parfait, without blowing your diet. But I would stay with water and not diet soda because of the recent studies being done on the diet sodas and their negative impact on our health. So with a good strategy and some serious walking (remember - you're at Disney!!!) the good news is you will most likely maintain your weight or, best case scenario, lose a few pounds. Either way it's good. Enjoy, and congratulations again.

 

[Raiderhouse]

Well, I gained a couple of pounds. Who cares!! you are on vacation!! I did not watch what I ate...so if you do that you should be fine. Like others have stated you will get plenty of exercise!!!!

 

[cadeesmom]

I know how you feel. I have been a lifetime WW member for around 18 months now with a 45 pound weight loss. I have great leader who told us on vacation we have three options:
1) Stay on track, want a weight loss (not an option for me at Disney?!)
2) I am going to eat sensibly, not expecting to lose, but not gaining either (smaller cheats)
3) Forget the whole plan, eat what you want, and get back on plan when you get back.

Okay, I am terrified of gaining my weight back, but for the past two years, I have picked option 3. I will eat my normal breakfast (cereal bar and fruit). For lunch I eat sensibly ( no burgers and limited fried foods) and for dinner I blow it out of the water: eat whatever I want.

In two years, I have not gained a pound, but if I were to I would know exactly what to do when I got home.

Disney is a place to live your dreams, not worry about calories!! You walk so much anyway....

Btw, I have found that if you are doing one plan before Disney (in my case flex; points) and you switch to the other (core) it helps to get back on track.

 

[Dizneydaz]

Congrats on weight loss!

My DM and I have been 4 times now using DDP. Our 5th time will be this Sept. As others have stated, we too didn't gain any weight while at WDW. We did alot of walking as well as swimming-we usually hit both the waterparks and stay all day.

One thing we do, and it's not just so we don't gain weight, but so we don't waste food, is share many of our meals. (non-buffet, of course). We found that if we didn't share them we would never be able to eat our dessert. We would take it back to our room for a late night snack , or breakfast. Now that was when appetizers were inc. but we still plan on doing some sharing when we go in Sept. We've never had a problem sharing and besides the benefit of not being too full, it's allowed us to try a few more restaurants each trip.

We also share many CS meals.

 

[figaromeetsmarie]

If you are up for it.....go to DTD and do some dancing one or two nights~ Seriously! Dancing loses SOOO many calories and it is fun too!

 

[Floridagal23]

I live about 40 minutes north of boca (palm beach area) and I know boca has similar restaurants to us - lots of places with seafood, etc, and the usual upscale chain restaurants like cheesecake factory, brio, etc so I am sure you can always find some delish salads, seafood, etc - especially if you guys go to downtown delray or las olas in ft laud (close by). Tons of fresh seafood, veggies, etc. Have fun!

 

[hvivona]

I usually gain weight every year on our disney trip even when I try to eat reasonably healthy. This year I added a little something. I took this stuff called "Cheaters Relief" 15 min before and 15 min after each meal. Its a carb and fat blocker. It totally worked! I didn't gain a pound on this trip!!! If you want more info on it just google it or look it up on Bodybuilding.com. Have fun on your trip!

 

[bangzoom6877]

Thanks to everyone for all of the great advice, and for congratulating me on my efforts! You guys are so great!

All of this advice is wonderful and sounds like many things I actually do now regularly when I go out. I know all about feeling terrible physically when I eat the way my body is not used to...back in February on my sister's birthday we ordered food from this wonderful Middle Eastern restaurant near where we live (my niece was sick so we couldn't go there, so we ordered in). I love their bread and the last time I had eaten there, I was pregnant and of course ate to my heart's content! Well on my sister's birthday, I ate a TON of that bread, plus other food, and felt so sick. I thought I was going to lose it all but somehow managed to keep it down. Of course I felt this way after having a piece of cake too!

As far as going out one night and going dancing, I have two little ones and that is not an option for us, but I appreciate the advice. I know that dancing burns tons of calories and is excellent cardio exercise! The workout DVDs I use regularly include a lot of dancing which I love!

We are planning to hit Publix before checking in. We want to pick up cereal and milk & soymilk for the room for breakfasts (and I only eat the very healthy cereals, no sugary ones...and the kids love cheerios). We are only doing two character breakfasts, and I will choose the healthier choices. Maybe grab the yogurt, fruit and oatmeal first then see if I have room for a little bit of egg or something not so bad.

For dinner buffets, I will do what I did last summer when we spent two days in Lancaster, PA. I will look over all the food, as AP suggested, see what I really want to have, fill up on salad, take lots of fresh veggies and a healthy protein selection, avoiding the fried and rich foods with creamy sauces. Or if I need to have a taste of those, just take a tiny spoonful and take a bite or 2 at the table. I did that for 2 days straight in Lancaster eating at all-you-can-eat buffets and family-style places and I got on the scale 3 days after returning home, and lost 0.8 of a pound! I followed the WW Core (non-counting) that week, but the maintenance plan, which allows more of the foods not on the core list.

I don't know how many of you are familiar with the Core Weight Watchers program (the non-counting plan), but you eat off of a huge list of foods until you are satisfied (not full or stuffed). I have mastered how to recognize this feeling, since I switched from flex (points) to core last July. So at buffets I am ready to tackle the foods there and pick out the core from the non-core items, and work from there. Helps keep my bread in check too, which brings me to my next thing...

My biggest weakness while on vacation...breads, danish, desserts. Mostly the first 2. I would go on cruises in the past and eat so many of those little danish at breakfast....actually throughout the entire morning! I would go to the gym and grab a danish at the deck buffet on my eay back to the cabin (an oxymoron, I know!), shower and get dressed then head to breakfast in the dining room, eat at least one more fruit danish plus at least one croissant (usually 2 or three, granted they are not the large croissants but still, eat 3 of those small ones and you discover one large one is actually LESS!), full hot breakfast (sometimes the lighter option, but look at all the other damage I had done!), coffee, juice, and then go and do some activity and then at the later part of the morning, when going out to the deck, of course you pass the buffet again, so grab another danish or 2 to snack on. Wow, just writing this is embarrassing me when I see how I ate back then! I did this on my last cruise, because even though I was in excellent shape at the time and wore a size 4, I knew we were trying to get pregnant again so I didn't care what I ate. Wow, I look at what I wrote about breakfast alone on a past vacation, and I know I will not be doing this again!

Okay, so the above does not even talk about my obsession with the bread basket each afternoon at lunch AND each night at dinner...wow, I really did gain all my vacation weight in bread and baked goods! I think if I simply avoid those, or only allow myself one or 2 per day instead of per hour I will be just fine!

All right so now I realize I really will be fine at Disney and on this entire trip! For one, there will not be food at my disposal 24/7 which makes a huge difference. Again, factor in the July Florida heat. And there are tons of healthy options at all fast food outlets. Well maybe not tons but at least a few. I love all of your ideas and they have put my mind at ease very much. My fear has been leaving for vacation my current size (I wear a 4), and returning with none of my clothes fitting, and having to wear Disney apparel in larger sizes all the way home! Well, the Disney apparel part is not so bad!

Anyway I am going to end this crazy long message now, but thank you all for "listening"! It means a lot to me. I now feel officially "therapized". LOL, is that even a word?

Thank you so much,
Bonnie

 

[frannn]

So, I started exercising now, to take a few lbs off before we get there. I have just started substituting my breakfast with an Atkins shake also.