Diet & Fitness Blog
Why I Stuffed My Face for 5 Days Straight
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I consider myself a pretty healthy eater. I know that I can't eat a burger and fries every day, and I know that if I do eat a burger, I shouldn’t have fries. I know that my plate shouldn't consist of a pile of carbs, and that I should have wheat toast with breakfast, not a giant everything bagel. I know that a bag of chips isn't a "snack," and that I shouldn't have a bowl of ice cream every night after dinner. I know that I should order a Skinny Vanilla Latte at Starbucks, not a Venti Caramel Macchiato, extra whip, extra caramel.
I also know that I seem to forget all this when I'm on vacation.
I just got back from a five-day trip to Chicago (my sister graduated from University of Chicago -- congrats!), and just like after every vacation, I feel like I gained five pounds of blubber eating stuff I wouldn't normally dream of ordering. It's like the rules don't apply if you're out of town.
When I'm at home and in my regular routine, I eat yogurt and a whole-wheat English muffin for breakfast, or a bowl of cereal and fruit. So why, while on vacation, would I feel the need to eat three pancakes doused in syrup, a side of bacon and possibly a stack of toast slathered with butter?
And why, for lunch, would I feel the need to cram in (almost) four slices of Chicago-style deep dish pizza and two beers?
And for the love of gosh, why would I a.) order a greasy cheeseburger and fries for dinner -- and clean the plate, and then b.) top off my tummy with something called a "Mess" from a place called Treats. (A "mess" is your choice of ice cream, blended ever so deliciously with heaps of whatever combination of toppings you choose. My Mess, just so you fully understand my overindulgence, was coffee ice cream with Oreo chunks and Reese's Peanut Butter Cup morsels. To my credit, I did manage to refrain from whipped cream.)
Mess, indeed. I feel like my whole diet's a mess after this trip and I can't wait to get back in the gym and back to my regular routine. My yogurt this morning was to die for, and my small sandwich and veggies were faaaabulous for lunch.
The secret to not letting a vacation feeding frenzy not totally wreck your diet (besides not over-stuffing your face in the first place, of course), is to get right back on the saddle when it's over. If nothing else, my gluttonous vacation renewed my sense of purpose and I'm back on the healthy eating train with a fierceness. Full steam ahead! Next stop: those darn abs I can't seem to get!
Can you relate? Share with us by commenting below!
Comment by 
said... - Tuesday, June 17, 2008 4:19:00 PM
I do the same thing. On a recent trip to Charleston, SC, I had what was on the menu as "the Big Nasty Biscuit"..it was a biscuit with a fried chicken breast melted cheddar, and sausage gravy. I would never ever ever eat this at home or order it, but i figured i should try true southern cooking, and it was worth it! It was so tasty. But I know that it was a treat that I will rarely ever have, so it felt ok. I always like to taste local cuisine when on vaca. Who wants the rules of everyday life (including watching what you eat) when your enjoying the freedom of your vacation.
Comment by Mark Salinas said... - Tuesday, June 17, 2008 5:44:00 PM
Yes, it does seem to be the time of regression...those darn trips! Oh well back on the saddle! Nice post!
Mark Salinas
Healthy Living today
Comment by said... - Wednesday, June 18, 2008 3:53:00 AM
Such break from routin eating is as necessary as break from work. It keeps the interest and purpose, otherwise one gets so sick and tired of routine life
Comment by 
Denise said... - Wednesday, June 18, 2008 10:15:00 AM
I just came back from a cruise to bermuda. so i can completely relate. it's like temporary insanity. Cruises are heinous on the diet. midnight pizza runs were my downfall. but i completely agree that the key is while you may temporarily lose your mind while away from home it is huge to be able to jump right back in the saddle when you get home. i gained 3.5 lbs during my trip. it is mind boggling how we forget everything while we're away. I was so glad to get back home and get back on the beam. Good luck.
Comment by said... - Friday, June 20, 2008 8:06:00 AM
I do eat what ever I want and I seem to eat a lot on vacation, but I am not eting all the time, jsut 3 meals, so i generally lose weight. when I am at home, I eat to stay awake, out of bordom and while i cook. so all the time!
Comment by dogholla said... - Friday, June 20, 2008 9:35:00 AM
What perfect timing! I'll be in my hometown Chicago 7/4 weekend visiting my sister & facing the same challenge. I'm taking your post with me for support. Course it doesn't hurt that my sister has recently lost 55 lbs. with Weight Watchers!
Thanks.
Comment by said... - Friday, June 20, 2008 10:59:00 AM
Boy can I relate....just returned from four days in Memphis and it was all about ribs and beer, grits and gravy, and the best cheeseburgers! Business trips on expense account is as bad or worse than on vacation....at least on my way home I found a sensible bagel sandwhich with turkey, swiss, mustard and veggies on top to ease my way back to reality....milk to drink instead of beer on the plane!
Comment by said... - Friday, June 20, 2008 11:21:00 AM
I was recently in Toronto for my friend's birthday, and we decided that calories were also considered in the exchange rate, and therefore worth less than they are in the states and essentially decided they didn't count. This is turn allowed me to eat the largest portion of Poutine you'd ever seen, as well as a slew of Spanish tapas for tinner, and then syrup soaked pancakes at The Golden Griddle (I don't care what anyone says their syrup is to die for). I did get back on the saddle though as soon I got back!
Comment by Kel said... - Friday, June 20, 2008 12:44:00 PM
My husband and I took a cruise for our honeymoon 5 years ago. He gained 10 pounds! When it was time to order an entree, he tried them all! (To this day he considers it his best vacation ever.) He's never gained a pound more since... but losing those 10 pounds hasn't happened either. Now he plans for vacations and eats smaller portions, even (especially) if it's unhealthy food. Here's to lessons learned!
Comment by said... - Friday, June 20, 2008 1:26:00 PM
I am typically a nutrition freak. At home, I always behave - never more than 1600 calories a day - I run, power walk and strength train. My husband and I drove to NC for vacation and I lost my mind, I had 1/2 a deep dish pizza, pop tarts and red wine for dinner one night - gross - he couldn't beleive it - neither could I. I have learned to bring along as much food as I can - so I don't make ridiculous choices.
Comment by said... - Friday, June 20, 2008 1:40:00 PM
I must admit my stomach started to turn at the thought of what you claimed you ate. That being said, I think its important to keep in mind to keep a focus on what's important in the long term. For some of us eating is more important and for others feeling and looking good is more important.
For me the reward is treating yourself when away....
Comment by said... - Friday, June 20, 2008 1:44:00 PM
I guess we all end up to doing it one time or another in our lifetime. I eat things i normally would not eat if i was back home but i still keep my portions in check.
Comment by said... - Friday, June 20, 2008 2:00:00 PM
i love eating healthy! Healthy food makes me feel way better than junk. but when im on vacation or with my friends, its like i need the junk to make the day seem more like a party. its stupid how we think that food smothered with greese or sugar will be "fun" to eat but in reality, it just makes us guilty, sick, and fill ourselves with remorse. im suffering right now from the "ill start tomorrow again!" drama but each night i say the same thing and each night i fail! im determined now though! thanks, this article really helped clear my head! :):):)
Comment by Alex said... - Friday, June 20, 2008 2:29:00 PM
Congrats to you if you can set your mind on healthy eating just right after getting back from a vacation. It takes a lot of self-control and determination to do it. I have a huge issue with food specially junk-food and sweets. For a while, I told people “I’m a foodie, I love to eat”, and felt proud of it. Now, not so much. Although I’m skinny, I have a belly (I used to be a ballerina and had the perfect abs, not the six-pack kind, but flat and well defined). Nowadays, I can’t find a way to stop myself from eating. I eat three meals a day with a lot of in-between snacks that range from healthy almonds and fruit, to a bag of Sun Chips, ice-cream, brownies, cookies, and so on. I know people might think that I can eat whatever I want because I don’t gain weight, but inside I know that’s not healthy, and I also know that this belly could lead to possible diabetes or heart problems. I need feedback ASAP. What can I do to stop focusing on food? I work 40 hours a week seating in front of a computer reading and typing, and have a tight schedule due to a 45-minute drive everyday from home to work and back. Any ideas?????????????????
Comment by said... - Friday, June 20, 2008 8:18:00 PM
I certainly can relate to this. We (my husband & I) just came back from a trip to California & Hawaii. We moved to Iowa 2 years ago (small town) & they don't have some of the foods we liked in CA, so I was going to make sure I eat some of the things I haven't had in awhile, like Caspers hot dogs, Jack in the Box chabatta burger, fresh dungeness crab to name a few. I did have all the items I was wanting & then some. Besides eating, we drank a lot more alcohol than we usually do. So by the time we got back 6 weeks later I had gained 8 pounds!! We are back at the gym and eating a lot more healthy. We really noticed the difference in how our bodies were feeling when we were eating whatever we wanted, ugh! Happy to be back to our regular routine. Sounds like most of us fall off the healthy eating while we are on vacation.
Comment by said... - Friday, June 20, 2008 9:08:00 PM
Pigging out on vacation may not be all that bad if you move enough to compensate. We go on cruise vacations every year. Since the ship is so big and there is so much to see on the islands we walk an awful lot. Last trip I gain just one pound. Trust me when I say I ate a lot. I ate three lobster tails at one sitting!
Comment by said... - Saturday, June 21, 2008 10:34:00 PM
I am on a WeightWatchers diet, but today I had been celebrating Saturday! I don't know what makes me think that food can differentiate good and fun days from the routine... I feel like I fall off the truck and celebrating for the last 3 days… How would I get back into my saddle? What am I celebrating? Life! How can I do it with healthier food choices?
Comment by said... - Monday, June 15, 2009 1:13:00 PM
i was on a nine day cruise and i did the same thing.my breakfast consisted of coffee, oatmeal with prunes and brown sugar,egg omelet with everything, home fries,four slices of bacon,three sausages,three danishes and either orange juice or an orange,but i dont think ill do that again! loaded
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