Hi! iam on WW flex plan, getting ready to go on vacation, anyone have any real good ideas to stay on track while iam traveling? Have a few of my own but would like to here some new ones. Thanks Delilah

Hi Delilah, I just came back from vacation, and can't serve as a role model.  Just wanted to say hi and hope you have a good time.

Thanks Tali, Hope you had a good time on your vacation, its hard staying on track when a person is on vacation, but guess i will do my best, its really hard anytime though, huh? Thanks Delilah

Enjoy yourself first of all. Don't sweat it.  For me I didn't suffer too much when coming back from vacation. A week of eating out with friends at work is what did me in.  On vacation I ate whatever I wanted and found that I couldn't eat nearly as much as I used to. I also didn't gain anything that week. I think it's almost impossible to be "good" while on vacation.  I imagine that if you went grocery shopping and bought healthy things to eat for the duration it would be much easier.   On the other hand, you may want to talk to your doctor about a portable IV so you can vein feed your nutrients! hahaha!

we were just set this newsletter this week about exercising. i have copied it below (this is from the dukediet.com website - somehow i got signed up for daily newsletters for free. sometimes they are interesting....) i have lots of ideas and suggestions but some depends on what kind of vacay ou are going on. the important overall theme though is not to allow yourself to fall into "this is vacation. i'm going to splurge." you need to learn how to incorporate healthy choices into a normal lifestyle. vacations and special occasions are part of a normal lifestyle.  does your hotel have a gym? free continental breakfast? what about the area of town you are in? is it safe to take walks? are you going with someone who would be open to walking to you? is it possible to walk to destinations instead of driving or taking a cab? DEFINITELY bring a pedometer and try to get as many steps in as you can. i know no one really wants to spend vacation in the hotel gym, so incorporate exercise in other ways. avoid eating breakfast out - are you staying in a timeshare type place with kitchen etc? if so, buy some fruit and simple breakfast items so you can start off healthy. or even if they don't have a kitchen, bring breakfast bars or something. pack some healthy snacks if you are going to be out all day so that when hubby and kids all go for afternoon ice cream, you can still munch on something without overdoing it or feeling guilty. stick to something light-ish for lunch like salad with grilled chicken or soup and basic sandwich. or even go to chains that you know have goodchoices (like subway or applebees). your best bet is to research your situation - the city, the hotel, your options - and PLAN. planning makes everything much much easier. do you have dinner reservations anywhere specific? look up the menu on their website so you can plan it into your day just as you would when you are at home. i have other things, but like i said depends a lot on what you are doing, where you are going etc...hope some of this helps.... Exercising When You're Away From Home

When you're traveling for business or pleasure, don't let being away from home become an excuse to take a vacation from fitness. While you may not be able to do the same routine you're used to doing at home, there are still plenty of options for staying active when you're on the road. Try the following strategies:

• Bring a pedometer and a pair of walking shoes with you. Aim for 10,000 steps a day. If you're sightseeing, this will probably be easy!
• Pack a resistance band. It will allow you to do strength training in your hotel room.
• Ask if the hotel you're staying in has a fitness center. Nowadays, many hotels do.
• Swim laps in the hotel pool.
• Bring along a fitness video, or ask if the hotel has any available to use.
• Take advantage of layovers and waits in airports by walking through the terminal.
• Plan activities during your trip to add movement to your day. If you're in a rural area, plan hikes or kayak trips; if you're in a city, take a bike tour or just wander and explore the local streets and shops.

If you're having trouble getting motivated to exercise on your trip, try thinking of it as an opportunity to break out of your usual routine. Think about how great you'll feel once your workout is done. Tell yourself you'll just start with five minutes of exercise and then see how you feel. Chances are, once you start moving, you won't want to stop!

Remember, there's always something you can do to stay active no matter where you are. With some creative planning, you can make sure travel doesn't get in the way of your fitness goals.

Thank you so much and all this info is very helpful,  Thank you all for any and all suggestions!.  Delilah!

If I am repeating myself, sorry! I love the bariatric foods available. My favorites are the fruit drinks, dry mix cappacino drinks, dry mix soups, soy chips. I buy Protidiet brand most of the time. These are always in my bag and when the choices really suck, i use those to augment a meal. I liked to have the cappacino for breakfast - only 80 caloires and 15 g of protein, no fat.  That way, if lunch was bigger, that made it better in my mind. I think WW plan is made for adapting to vacation eats. I did not track my food on paper while on vacation, but i would tally up in my mind at least at the end of the day to see where i was. I just do the usual:  I avoid the sauces/cheese on sandwiches, try to eat fruit in place of fries, ask for non fat dressing or at least the dressing on the side, etc. I remove one half of the bun and eat the whole meat filling.  The most important thing...just don't let yourself get too hungry. I also allowed one treat per day, rather than trying to do none and going ape**** at some point! Luckily, our vactions so far have been action-filled, so we moved around at least! You can do it!!!!  Just make a goal to not gain.