Tips for handling vacations?

[ironchef]

I'm looking for some tips on how to handle a mutli-week vacation. I can't make these all S days, right?

I'm into my second month of No-S and really liking it. I've lost about 8 pounds so far. After next week, I'm going away on a vacation for the rest of September in south west WA. I'm really looking forward to this, especially the opportunity to introduce our son to the bush. However, I'm also aware that it could be very easy for my fledgling No-S habits to fall off the perch during the weeks on vacation.

My main concerns:
- The area is a special wine and cheese making region of Western Australia, so eating and drinking is always part of a visit. So, lots of excuses to eat little extras.

- Feeling like I'm "on holiday" and using that as an excuse to not follow rules.

- No internet access, so no HabitCal, daily check in or discussion board to keep me honest.

I don't want to make my vacation all about weight loss, I just want to work out a happy medium where I enjoy a break without pigging out. Any advice, or just a bit of tough love, much appreciated.

[oolala53]

I think you will actually enjoy yourself more if you stick to No S on N days (unless you decide ahead of time to take your two monthly extra S days.) I think if you know you are going to an EXTRA special place, you can decide you'll have one S event if the place merits it. Otherwise, remember the French and the Italians love and enjoy their food but they don't snack. They savor their meals and take their time, which is what vacation is all about. I think you will actually enjoy the meals you do have more, too. I also speak from experience, though I haven't gone to a wine country. I do have coffee or beverages between meals and that can be the perfect way to enjoy a venue when traveling, too. Just being on vacation doesn't change how much more delicious meals are when you're hungry for them or how much more comfortable you feel when not continually full. Just as No S changes the way you think about your normal day, it can change what you think vacation, too. There are other things to be less moderate with. Be moderate with food. Overdose on beauty, walking, laughter, sightseeing, and delight in your surroundings.

[eschano]

I haven't been in the situation before but why not plan one extra mini-meal per day. So you can have one planned wine and cheese snack (keep it small) per day. Otherwise only a glass of wine, no snacking. So instead of having NoS N days and crazy S days you can have two weeks of one S event per day, however, no sugar and no seconds on N days, just one extra mini-meal.
For the Habit calendar: make a paper version to take with you and fill it into the online calendar once back.

Sounds like there's a lovely vacation in fron of you. Enjoy!

[r.jean]

I take an average of 3 extended trips per year, and I do not track during those times. I often do not have easy Internet access on vacation and generally like to get away from technology. Tracking anything has never been my strong point. I start out well but fall off quickly, so I do not try to track on paper while I am gone. I just get back on habitcal when I return.

What works for me is to take it one day at a time. Every day starts as an N day. I try not to snack and try to maintain the three meal one plate structure. I allow S events as they happen. If a special dessert that I want is offered, I have it. If mealtimes get disrupted, I sometimes end up having a snack. I do not worry about beverages; I just try to keep alcohol to a reasonable amount. Lastly, I find there is rarely an excuse for seconds.

Exercise is also a key part. Our vacations tend to be active.

I have always come back from vacation weighing within a couple pounds of what I was when I left. Sometimes I even lose a pound or two. The difficult part occurs when I get back. Getting back to work and to the daily routine can be hard and will sometimes trigger dysfunctional eating.

[ironchef]

Be moderate with food. Overdose on beauty, walking, laughter, sightseeing, and delight in your surroundings.

I love this - what a great way to view enjoying a holiday.

I think I will take a paper version of the HabitCal (thanks eschano).

I'm still breastfeeding, so will go easy on the alcohol, but I do like the idea of special drinks instead of snacks on N-days.

I think I will still keep N and S days as per vanilla No-S. I know myself, and I think I'm too likely to abuse the system if I can declare "S events" at will. It is unlikely there will be anything that I couldn't get at home if I really wanted to.

Good point about the exercising r.jean, I think we'll plan lots of bush walks with the dog. He'll love it

[NoSRocks]

Just popping in, ironchef, and to echo what everyone else has been saying. Just back from vacation myself and apart from wine at dinner, I pretty much stuck to my 3 meals a day routine. I was eating out every day at every meal (apart from continental breakfast in the hotel) and tended to stick to grilled meat dishes ie. chicken, steak. On the occasions where it wasn't so easy to get grilled meats, I'd order a pasta dish for example but left some of it on the plate. I know it can be tempting to finish off the entire portion in a restaurant and its not always easy but don't beat yourself up if you do finish your plate. A vacation is all about having fun & letting your hair down.

[Jethro]

I'm looking for some tips on how to handle a mutli-week vacation. I can't make these all S days, right?

I'm into my second month of No-S and really liking it. I've lost about 8 pounds so far. After next week, I'm going away on a vacation for the rest of September in south west WA. I'm really looking forward to this, especially the opportunity to introduce our son to the bush. However, I'm also aware that it could be very easy for my fledgling No-S habits to fall off the perch during the weeks on vacation.

My main concerns:
- The area is a special wine and cheese making region of Western Australia, so eating and drinking is always part of a visit. So, lots of excuses to eat little extras.

- Feeling like I'm "on holiday" and using that as an excuse to not follow rules.

- No internet access, so no HabitCal, daily check in or discussion board to keep me honest.

I don't want to make my vacation all about weight loss, I just want to work out a happy medium where I enjoy a break without pigging out. Any advice, or just a bit of tough love, much appreciated.

No tough love here. Only gentle love.

My wife and I recently took a one month trip to France and came back 4 pounds skinnier.

Let's address NOS issues on the trip:

1. We always had three meals everyday so you can easily accommodate the one plate per meal rule. if you get multiple servings, mentally create a virtual plate to accommodate all the allowable food in one plate. You are not obligated to eat it all. I never had a Frenchman attempt to make me eat it. If somebody makes a comment, tell them you are full.

2. We always had a glass of wine for lunch and dinner or two for either one, A couple of times, due to miscommunications we wound up with a two litter bottle of wine. What did we do? enjoyed it, got bombed, got silly, became romantically spontaneous, suffered a hangover and started from scratch the next day.

3. We brought an IPad but with so much to do, we barely used it.

If you go to to a dairy place that offers a humongous amounts of cheese, eat enough to consider it a plate meal and skip a meal.

Exercise? According to my pedometer we were doing 12-15 miles per day, probably 40% of it uphill. I think that was enough exercise. If you are actively walking at least 15 minutes a day, you are OK. Besides you can always get back in shape when you return.

Go ahead and have a great time! You deserve it!

[resident0063]

I'd try to keep it to N days too except for a couple days a week. What's helped me when I mess up which is primarily snacking is to remember that I'm not only taking in extra calories but also ruining my appetite for the next meal and making that meal less enjoyable. Keep track via a notebook. I'd read the "what the hell effect" podcast...you'd be one of great discipline to never slip up but I think consequences will be more the degree of how much you slip up and for me whether I toss everything aside and go on a full on binge...good luck have fun on your vacation. Could be worse...my downfall is the cruise or all inclusive resort with round the clock food and booze...those are tough for me.

[nosnos]

Hey there,
Have fun on your holiday- it sounds great! I recently took a 3 week break to indonesia. Tried to keep my n days normal, used the 2 drinks glass ceiling and allowed myself 1 s a day (which sometimes I didn't use, sometimes I exceeded)
I found the structure of no s really helped me get into a good routine and that the holdiday was soo much fun that I really didn't have much time to think about food more than 3 times a day

[ironchef]

Thanks everyone - some great thoughts here and very helpful.
I'm feeling really positive about this break now. In a way, I'm excited to "test drive" No-S on the road.

[ironchef]

Thanks everyone for the tips and encouragement.

We just got back from our two weeks away, and I wanted to update on how things went. I liked the idea of trying to keep normal N and S days, but perhaps allowing special treats if they were truly specific to the region / vacation. So, in the end I borrowed a little from column A, a little from column B. The outcome was a brilliant holiday, and No S habits still going strong. I am thrilled.

I kept my three meal structure all the days we were away. We were away for 10 week days, of those two were S days with events (my father's birthday lunch and a winery lunch with my husband). Of the other 8, 4 were green, and 4 were red. However, every red was due to one consciously chosen S event specific to the vacation, e.g. a dark hot chocolate drink at a factory that makes boutique bean-to-bar chocolate. A lot of the time other things (the view, the music, the company) were far more important than the food, hence the green days.

We did heaps of bush walking; as it is spring now in the south west there were heaps of gorgeous native orchids to see.

I just got home and hopped on the scale, to find I've dropped another pound. That's the first time I've even maintained on a multi-week holiday, let alone lost. And I didn't miss out on anything!

So, thanks all who chimed in with great ideas and moral support. It really helped me view this as a positive thing, instead of an obstacle. You guys rock!

[oolala53]

Fantastic news!

[vmsurbat]

So, thanks all who chimed in with great ideas and moral support. It really helped me view this as a positive thing, instead of an obstacle. You guys rock!

Congratulations! Isn't it wonderful how NoS flexes with all the good things in life?

[kaalii]

what a great vacation thread!

we are going for 6 weeks holidays in july and august... to italy and croatia, my homeland... camping with my van... being outdoors, swimming in the lakes and adriatic sea... visiting roman and medieval sights... driving...

part of it also will be to visit my mum and her awesome cuisine... but i also take long walks with her... and i will introduce noS to her... i know she will love the idea... to bring some order in her permasnacking and not having to go on a diet...

and part of it will be visiting and camping with my friends... that will include some parties...

-im planning on staying on vanilla noS, i will have less internet access - so paper habitcal will be with me...
-im not afraid of red days
-i dont mind putting on some weight
but
-i AM afraid of not getting back to noS if i get derailed... and falling into calorie counting or some other dieting...
i wonder if there is a way to remind oneself in case that happens...

[Merry]

i wonder if there is a way to remind oneself in case that happens...

Well, first order of business is that you HAVE to come post highlights of your trip here! And maybe if you do that, you'll have a way back "in" if you do get derailed.

Second, I'd write yourself a note card that you post somewhere at home--maybe a bathroom mirror, or on the fridge--write to yourself about why you like No-S and why you want to continue with it when you get back, and that no matter what happens on vacation, that doesn't have to be forever--that you want to return to this rather than other methods like counting.

Hope you have a great trip!

[kaalii]

thank you, merry!

and great advice about the post-it note somewhere with and insight or two...

i'll try to do the june challenge neat and green on vanilla noS... challenges keep me focused... i need that at this point... i think the habit is not really set in stone yet...
and then let's see about july and august....

[oolala53]

Do your best to keep reminding yourself of how much PLEASURE you actually get from your delicious meals AND from NOT S'ing every day. It's much more pleasant not just from the pleasure of the discipline but just from how much more total pleasure there is from eating, no?

For most of my No S career, PLEASURE has been THE driving force, but I had to purposely focus on it and let it sink in before, during, and after meals.

But you have a great opportunity to also let the PLEASURE of other activities make their impression on you, too, during this vacation. I'm probably repeating myself, but fill up on the ambience of the REST of your vacation, besides food. WE are so much more than our bodies, and there is life beyond food, while food takes its proper, delightful place, too.

[kaalii]

Do your best to keep reminding yourself of how much PLEASURE you actually get from your delicious meals AND from NOT S'ing every day. It's much more pleasant not just from the pleasure of the discipline but just from how much more total pleasure there is from eating, no?

absolutely, oolala53!

thank you!!