Just a little announcement!! 80 pound clippie CLAIMED!!

[lmhall2000]

I had really hoped to have 100 pounds off by today, but I am thrilled to have 80!! It has taken me a year and a half to get these off, and now that I am sooo close to that 100 pound clippie...I know I can get these last 20 off before New Year's!!

Just one little problem, we go on our family Disney vacation in 2 days, free dining! Oh me!! I do plan on walking about 10 miles a day, so hoping that will offset the high fat/high sodium food that is sooo common there...I will fit in some salads, but I do want a cheeseburger! HA!

Anyone else able to handle free dining and not gain any weight? I'm giving myself 3 pounds to gain, because it's mostly water weight from adding the sodium/fat to my otherwise very green/lean diet. Then, I'll give myself a week to get it off and start back strong so I might can get to 170s by October, 160s by November and cruise into my final goal weight of 150s...earning that beautiful 105-110 pound clippie!!!!! And then I'll need to plan next year's GOAL vacation!!

 

[pjlla]

I had really hoped to have 100 pounds off by today, but I am thrilled to have 80!! It has taken me a year and a half to get these off, and now that I am sooo close to that 100 pound clippie...I know I can get these last 20 off before New Year's!!

Just one little problem, we go on our family Disney vacation in 2 days, free dining! Oh me!! I do plan on walking about 10 miles a day, so hoping that will offset the high fat/high sodium food that is sooo common there...I will fit in some salads, but I do want a cheeseburger! HA!

Anyone else able to handle free dining and not gain any weight? I'm giving myself 3 pounds to gain, because it's mostly water weight from adding the sodium/fat to my otherwise very green/lean diet. Then, I'll give myself a week to get it off and start back strong so I might can get to 170s by October, 160s by November and cruise into my final goal weight of 150s...earning that beautiful 105-110 pound clippie!!!!! And then I'll need to plan next year's GOAL vacation!!

First of all.... HUGE congratulations on your accomplishment!! That is terrific!!

Second of all, if you are looking for some advise/ideas about eating at Disney, read on... but if not, just accept my congrats and skip the rest. Don't want to preach and I have NO experience with free dining, so I might just be talking out of turn, but just want to offer a few helpful suggestions.


Yes, you will probably walk a LOT if you do Disney anything like I do Disney. But that being said, it is almost IMPOSSIBLE to "walk off" everything that you will want to eat at Disney.

Many of the foods at Disney are not particularly special. Burgers, fries, pizza, popcorn.... IMHO they aren't any more exciting or special than the ones available at home. Save your calories for things that are TRULY special in a "Disney" way. For you, obviously it will be a cheeseburger (since you've already mentioned it). For me the "special" foods are things like a Dole Whip, a Mickey ice cream bar, and a caramel apple. I usually have one of each of these on each visit (okay.... sometimes more than one Mickey bar ) and in the case of the caramel apple I share it with DD. I don't do a lot of table service dining at Disney for a multitude of reasons (price and time are the top two reasons), so I can't really talk about the choices available at most of those places.


I understand with the free dining that there is a LOT of food... apps, desserts, etc. You need to take yourself out of the mentality of "getting your money's worth" and only eat what you truly want, what you truly LOVE, what tastes DELICIOUS and only as much as you need to fill you until your next meal. It is OKAY to leave food on your plate. Sometimes three bites of an appetizer or dessert is enough!

Next.... there are plenty of healthy snack and meal options available at the World if you are willing to look... lean chicken, fruit, salads, veggie burgers, baby carrots. But you have to be willing to search (or do some research in advance) and you have to not let yourself get soooo hungry that you can't make a GOOD HEALTHY decision!

I know for myself, my best plan is to have ONE "splurge" meal a day while at Disney. I have a super healthy on-plan breakfast (usually) and then choose either lunch or dinner to be something special. The other meal might be a shared chicken wrap or a salad or a veggie burger with baby carrots and grapes. I also usually try to decide if I want to "drink" my calories (a special cocktail) or "eat" my calories (a dessert or sweet treat).... I rarely do both.

STAY HYDRATED! Thirst can disguise itself as hunger!!

SHARE, share, share. Some of the Disney portions are pretty generous and DD and I often share a meal and/or a dessert. (I know that on the DP you may not want to do this, as you could end up with too many credits at the end.... but just something to consider.) You can always go back and order more if you are still hungry.

Personally, I would say it will be TOUGH to stick to just gaining 3 pounds. On both of my most recent short trips (May 2011 and May 2013) I gained between 4-5 pounds in just 4 days!! And on those trips I averaged about 13+ miles a day of walking (I wear a pedometer) and ate only 1 table service meal. I think it is the sugar that does me in. I am NOT a big sweet eater, but as you can tell by my list of "special foods" that most of them are sweet treats! After 5 years of WW, my body just doesn't know what to do with all of the white carbs!! That being said, I can usually lose about 2 lb. my first week back... the other 2-3 come off a bit slower (of course, I am getting older and my metabolism just isn't what it used to be!).

Anyhow..... you will do great. You are already thinking ahead and planning ahead and that is a big step. Just remember that the MOST IMPORTANT thing is to get RIGHT BACK ON TRACK on your VERY FIRST day home... don't let the vacation-eating mentality drag on for "just one more day."!!! Have an eating plan in place for when you get back!! Maybe make a few meals ahead and have them in the freezer. I know for myself it is tough to get back to healthy eating after a vacation because often the fridge and cupboards are bare and I don't have time to shop immediately.

Best of luck and have a WONDERFUL vacation!................P

 

[bumbershoot]

Woohoo!


You might find that what your stomach actually wants is different than you expect. Or really what it can tolerate. I give myself free reign at Disney but I just do not want all I thought I would want. I just don't have the room.

Fwiw, I give myself 10 lb leeway because I know how bad the sodium messes with me. I haven't hit that, in fact I lost during a 2+ week WDW/universal/cruise trip (gained 5+ last October at the second WW meeting I attended on a long trip to Disneyland though), but mentally allowing it helps a lot. If you don't bloat as bad as I can though, the 3 lbs should be enough.

Have fun!!!!!

 

[lmhall2000]

Many of the foods at Disney are not particularly special. Burgers, fries, pizza, popcorn.... IMHO they aren't any more exciting or special than the ones available at home. Save your calories for things that are TRULY special in a "Disney" way. For you, obviously it will be a cheeseburger (since you've already mentioned it). For me the "special" foods are things like a Dole Whip, a Mickey ice cream bar, and a caramel apple. I usually have one of each of these on each visit (okay.... sometimes more than one Mickey bar ) and in the case of the caramel apple I share it with DD. I don't do a lot of table service dining at Disney for a multitude of reasons (price and time are the top two reasons), so I can't really talk about the choices available at most of those places.


I understand with the free dining that there is a LOT of food... apps, desserts, etc. You need to take yourself out of the mentality of "getting your money's worth" and only eat what you truly want, what you truly LOVE, what tastes DELICIOUS and only as much as you need to fill you until your next meal. It is OKAY to leave food on your plate. Sometimes three bites of an appetizer or dessert is enough!

Next.... there are plenty of healthy snack and meal options available at the World if you are willing to look... lean chicken, fruit, salads, veggie burgers, baby carrots. But you have to be willing to search (or do some research in advance) and you have to not let yourself get soooo hungry that you can't make a GOOD HEALTHY decision!

I know for myself, my best plan is to have ONE "splurge" meal a day while at Disney. I have a super healthy on-plan breakfast (usually) and then choose either lunch or dinner to be something special. The other meal might be a shared chicken wrap or a salad or a veggie burger with baby carrots and grapes. I also usually try to decide if I want to "drink" my calories (a special cocktail) or "eat" my calories (a dessert or sweet treat).... I rarely do both.

STAY HYDRATED! Thirst can disguise itself as hunger!!

SHARE, share, share. Some of the Disney portions are pretty generous and DD and I often share a meal and/or a dessert. (I know that on the DP you may not want to do this, as you could end up with too many credits at the end.... but just something to consider.) You can always go back and order more if you are still hungry.

Personally, I would say it will be TOUGH to stick to just gaining 3 pounds. On both of my most recent short trips (May 2011 and May 2013) I gained between 4-5 pounds in just 4 days!! And on those trips I averaged about 13+ miles a day of walking (I wear a pedometer) and ate only 1 table service meal. I think it is the sugar that does me in. I am NOT a big sweet eater, but as you can tell by my list of "special foods" that most of them are sweet treats! After 5 years of WW, my body just doesn't know what to do with all of the white carbs!! That being said, I can usually lose about 2 lb. my first week back... the other 2-3 come off a bit slower (of course, I am getting older and my metabolism just isn't what it used to be!).

Anyhow..... you will do great. You are already thinking ahead and planning ahead and that is a big step. Just remember that the MOST IMPORTANT thing is to get RIGHT BACK ON TRACK on your VERY FIRST day home... don't let the vacation-eating mentality drag on for "just one more day."!!! Have an eating plan in place for when you get back!! Maybe make a few meals ahead and have them in the freezer. I know for myself it is tough to get back to healthy eating after a vacation because often the fridge and cupboards are bare and I don't have time to shop immediately.

Best of luck and have a WONDERFUL vacation!................P

AWESOME advice!!!! You are thinking right up my alley!! I worked soo hard to get here and really want to be in the 170s in a few weeks, so to do that I have to be diligent with food! Here is my plan, much of what you said help cement it!

No appetizers on our plan, that saves many calories! HA!

Just one snack (fruit) one QS (splitting this with dh so we will only eat half ) and one table service meal (getting the whole thing here, but have made a deal with myself that I will just eat half...mainly because that would probably be a full serving!! For dessert, I'll let myself have 2 bites of everything I never feel great after eating a whole cupcake, but two bites is perfect! I did order myself a birthday cake and I will cut a slim sliver and eat the whole piece!!! I love birthday cake!!

I never drink calories, always water or unsweet tea, but if I can't find a decent piece of fruit I may have to settle for a cup of orange juice. I have had mixed results with Disney...one year I lost a pound while there!! One cruise I gained 6 pounds!! But lost 5 the first week back...I think it was all the flying and irregularity and another cruise I gained 3 pounds and it came off quickly...just excited that I fit into clothes I've never fit into and feeling them tight will keep me eating those half portions!!

Wow! 13 miles a day, I wish I had a fitbit to track! I know I will be at least 10 miles a day, I walk an 18 minute mile and I do NOT like to sit except when eating or riding rides..so it'll be go go go!!

Thanks so much for the tips and encouragement!!!

 

[bumbershoot]

...just excited that I fit into clothes I've never fit into and feeling them tight will keep me eating those half portions!!

I have the same feeling at this point (if you don't have signatures turned on, I've lost 84ish). Gone are the days when a tight waistband would mess with my head so much I'd run off and eat MORE! I'll take that tightness and do something about it now!

 

[Desiree]

Wow congratulations!!!

 

[wiigirl]

Congratulations!

 

[lisah0711]

Congratulations!

Enjoy your trip and get right back on plan.

 

[FireDancer]

Congratulations, 80 is a big deal.

The first piece of advice I'd give is just because it is free dining doesn't mean you have to eat everything on offer. It seems as though many people have this idea that they have to eat the biggest or most expensive entrees and use all their credits or they are somehow wasting it. Don't think like that. Just eat the same amount as you would at home and stop, even if you throw away a credit or two.

I'd also try to eat as closely while on vacation as you do at home. I truly believe that healthy people don't make wholesale changes to their lifestyles while on vacation. There is a big difference between having a treat or two and throwing caution to the wind and completely changing what you do while on vacation. I think part of the lifestyle change that comes with living healthier is the change that you don't let go on vacation or around holidays.

Good luck and enjoy the trip.

 

[ohMom]

TARA!!! this is FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

just saw this, congrats!!!

 

[dreamseeker9]

CONGRATULATIONS! You are an inspiration!

Have an amazing trip! I'm sure you will manage to eat healthy, while allowing a few treats here and there, and will have a wonderful trip.

 

[klmorg]

Congrats!! I have just lost 76 pounds myself so I know how great you feel. I have reached my goal weight and am actually about 4 pounds below where everyone around me thinks I should be...lol. I went from a size 18W down to a now size 8 or 6. (mostly 6's except for some jean brands )

Anyway, our trip is approaching fast so I too have been planning my strategies for not gaining more than 2 pounds or so...I am a runner, not sure if you run but that's a good way to keep yourself in check. We will be there for 8 days and I will run on at least 4 of them. I am also bringing an exercise ball with me and a few free weights to keep my daily routines in check, and can easily do those and my sit ups in our room. As for the food intake...I will allow myself our one table service meal that comes on the dining plan..but will make healthy choices. My QS meals will likely lean towards plain grilled chicken or something close to that...which I love on a bun with a tomato slice anyway...and some fruit. I will allow myself some sweets but I won't need many...as they are not my weakness. All in all I plan to enjoy myself and just keep as much of my routine going that I can...who knows...maybe we wont even gain a pound!! It is MAGIC after all...