Weight loss away from home

Daybehavior

Daybehavior

New member
Hey guys. I'm leaving in about a week to visit my mom and sisters in North Carolina. I've been pretty good in the past couple of months but I am terrified that I will gain ten pounds while I'm gone. I just have a really bad feeling.

Right now everything is so structured and conducive for weight loss. Most days I go to school, I go straight to the gym, I eat something, I study a bit, and before I know it, its time for bed. It's really quite disciplined and regimented.

This is what's gonna happen:
Instead of waking up at 7-9 everyday, I'l wake up at 11-12, eat something, lounge around the house, watch tv, eat some more, watch more tv.

I won't have access to a gym and it gets really cold and snowy during winter there. Aside from that, I don't think I'm ready to be running outside of a treadmill.

To make matters worse, I suffer from insomnia and restless legs syndrome (condition in which not moving your body for an extended period of time causes unbearably uncomfortable feelings in you legs and torso until you move). So this is what happens, I can't fall asleep...so I'm just laying there, and THEN the f'ing RLS kicks in and those bouts keep me up even longer so it's a vicious cycle. When this happens I end up not falling asleep until like 7 or 8 in the morning. And then I don't wake up until the middle of the day and this horrible cycle starts all over again. The most severe bouts occur only when I'm away from home because I'm forced into my usual routine when I'm at school. While I'm away, its like anything goes.

Sorry if this was long and whiny but I would appreciate any tips in regards to exercise and keeping a normal sleep cycle. (or any other general tips for that matter).
 
buy some long johns! You can walk comfortably in cold weather if you're bundled. Trust me, I'm in Ohio, and I walk my dog in the snow all the time. It's actually quite refreshing and satisfying. Just make sure you stay FAR away from any slippery roads! My only advice is not wear jeans, especially with long johns, as it feel really stiff. Long johns and sweats work really well. Wool socks are almost a necessity for longer walks.
Make sure you keep your ears and fingers covered as well. While I don't worry about frostbite, personally, your extremities will become painfully cold quick in very cold weather.
Also... See if your mom and sister will want to walk with you! Walking with family or friends is always a nice treat.
 
My plan would be to maintain instead of lose weight while away. Count cals as much as you can, but give yourself a bit extra (ie maintainance cals). You could maybe get one of those walkiing dvd's (where you walk a mile in front of your tv), I'm sure you could talk someone else in the family into doing it with you, might even be fun :)

I've mostly found my family and friends to be supportive of what i'm doing if I give them a heads up, would your family be the same?

There are lots of inside exercises like crunches, squats, walking up and down stairs, vacuuming etc...

anyways just ideas of how I would try to tackle it all.

good luck
 
I want to echo bananas idea that going for maintenance instead of loss when on like, family holidays, vacation etc. is a good way of being a bit easier on yourself without completely letting go of control.

Then you need a good routine that doesn't require any equipment and space at all, Might I suggest a couple of exercises that can be done with anything really.

Bent over row (do it with a suitcase or something), Squats (or like bulgarian split squats if you are inflexible like me), Chair dips, Lying hip extensions, towel flys (google), leg lifts (reverse sit ups, better at not using the hip instead of abs), push ups(can be triceps or chest centric depending on how far from your body your arms are).

And for like, just allround cario jump rope is excellent, burpees is all round body amazing cardio win, something that is called "angel jumps" in danish, dunno the english word. It is basically standing with feet together and hands down your side, then jump and spread legs and swing arms up high and land, then jump back to start position etc. etc.

Lots of good things can be done in no space at all :)

And most important, like banana says, go for maintenance, worry about loosing more weight when you get into a more conductive environment. Just doing maintenance instead of gain when on couch-tv-eat vacation is a complete and utter WIN in my book :)
 
when i go visit my mum in france i fone her up and tell her i have yogurt for breakfast or its cakes every mornin. so you could try putting a order in before u get there, maybe tell her u need lots of fruit in.

if your really keen, do push ups and sit ups when u wake up, in the middle of the day and at nite before bed.
 
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Monster said:
buy some long johns! You can walk comfortably in cold weather if you're bundled. Trust me, I'm in Ohio, and I walk my dog in the snow all the time. It's actually quite refreshing and satisfying. Just make sure you stay FAR away from any slippery roads! My only advice is not wear jeans, especially with long johns, as it feel really stiff. Long johns and sweats work really well. Wool socks are almost a necessity for longer walks.
Make sure you keep your ears and fingers covered as well. While I don't worry about frostbite, personally, your extremities will become painfully cold quick in very cold weather.
Also... See if your mom and sister will want to walk with you! Walking with family or friends is always a nice treat.
Click to expand...

yeh this is a good tip, try walking to the shop for the paper everyday. you really do need somthing under your jeans in the snow so get some long johns or sweat pants will do you.
 
Thank you all so much for the tips :) I guess I really do need to be more concerned about maintenance above all else. Clever, I really appreciate all those exercise tips. I will certainly be looking those up. You made me realize that this is a very opportune time for me to start RT...I don't know exactly if you would label that as such since I'm an exercise noob :p They have a really spacious garage and I could totally see myself doing jump rope and other stuff in there.

Scott, I haven't done a push in or sit up since high school! haha, but now's a good time to start. Quite funny how you demand yogurt or the cake gets it LOL.

Monster, I guess I'll have to get a whole new wardrobe since we don't have that horrid weather in Texas :p No need for wool socks or long johns here xD
 
Hey man,

Yeah, that RLS can be a pain! Have you had a doctor consult you on it? I had several surgeries on my knee in the last 10 years, and I was on medication (like Vicodin, tramadol (Ultram)) for a couple years straight. After my knee was better, and I ceased the regiment of taking pain medication, I would get RLS (I guess that is a symptom of w/d from taking pain medication for several years). Anyway, they gave me something called Gabapentin or Neurontin or something...I don't even know. But end result, whatever they gave me killed the RLS, which was insanely debilitating. Maybe you could take something as a prophylactic in order to keep RLS at bay, because sleep is important!

RE: eating on the road. I woke up to a pleasant surprise this morning. Hit my goal weight! Incidentally, I just got back from a 6 day business trip, in which I ate 3 meals/ day, and any snack I ate at a restaurant. I read your post this morning thinking you are worried about the EXACT things I was before I left last weekend.

I made a commitment when I got to my destination, to keep my diet intact. It took much, much more work being away from home, because like you, I had my routine. But as soon as I arrived at my destination, I went to the grocery store and got snacks that fit my eating regiment. Then I made sure I saw the calorie count on the menus I ordered from (here in California they HAVE to have the information posted so it's easier). I did have a couple dinners with customers that I ate unhealthy, had some cocktails, etc. but then I forced myself to exercise. I walked/ jogged trails I had never been on. It was not comfortable going out of my normal environment, but now being at my goal shows me it was all worth it!!

You can do it man, honestly. You can maintain your current weight loss style, even in another environment. Just commit right now to putting in the extra work required to make it happen when you are not at home. Just know that when you get there, you are going to have to go out of your way to get the diet, exercise, and lifestyle you are used to where you live. But it is possible!

Good luck,

-Mellon
 
Hah! You're right. It'll take much much much more focus. Thank you kindly for the encouragement and advice, Mel :) Gratz on hitting your goal! What are your plans now? Are you trying to tone up or maintain? A lot of people actually leave the forums after they hit their goal which is kinda unfortunate. This board has helped me so much I feel obliged to stick around and act as a sort of a mentor after I'm done.

RE: RLS. I think my condition is not so serious as to require medical attention. It really is only exacerbated when I'm out of my routine / sleep cycle. (Same thing happens when I visit my dad in California). I think after I'm done with school and get a job, that will keep me in check too. That's awesome how your RLS went away. I thought it was a lifelong condition.
 
One more thing, man. This is IMPORTANT. Get yourself one of those trapper style hats that hang down. They're just as cheap as a knitted hat, but they will keep you 4 times as warm. Here's a link to a picture of the sort of hat I'm talking about.
Your head radiates 50% heat loss from your body. keep it warm!
Google Image Result for http://www.surplusandoutdoors.com/images/product/main/TRAPPER-HAT-OLIVE.jpg
also, DO NOT buy one of these types of hats, they look warm, and are in fact very warm! But you'll look silly!
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_68dc2X9bOzA/TI1Af-z7ghI/AAAAAAAACGg/koFTMYkdwpA/s1600/guards-kl.jpg&imgrefurl=http://steveboss.blogspot.com/2010/09/beefeaters.html&usg=__o2QMWHBw4sXKbvyD-r5gMpX5oE4=&h=766&w=1024&sz=119&hl=en&start=0&sig2=k1v7CXWsVHkMOWLwm6Jmtw&zoom=1&tbnid=dWZwDJUazehcmM:&tbnh=148&tbnw=219&ei=2voDTfadLYPInAfciZXoDQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbeefeater%2Bfur%2Bhat%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26biw%3D1024%26bih%3D604%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=577&vpy=107&dur=3320&hovh=194&hovw=260&tx=171&ty=119&oei=2voDTfadLYPInAfciZXoDQ&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:0
 
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Daybehavior said:
What are your plans now? Are you trying to tone up or maintain? A lot of people actually leave the forums after they hit their goal which is kinda unfortunate. This board has helped me so much I feel obliged to stick around and act as a sort of a mentor after I'm done.
Click to expand...


Yeah, the plans for me now, to meet the next goal! I am going to start another 10 pound loss after the new year. I really need to be about 160 to have a six pack, get toned, etc. I am by no means unhappy right now with a BMI of 26 man! But you know how it goes. I have the working out bug now, and I have been eating the South Beach diet for four months now, it's kind of ingrained into my way now. Exercise really helps that RLS, even if you have an awesome hat haha... those hats were pretty sweet. I just sweat so much when I run. I picked up a Nike dryfit cap, that pulls the sweat away from your forehead.. good luck running man.

-Mel
 
This is always hard. When I went to my brothers for Thanksgiving I was only gone 5 days. I only gained 1 lb during that week. I ate light for breakfast and lunch so I could have a little more at dinner. I did enjoy eating some of everything but just ate a lot less than I used to. I had pie, cookies, candy, and even a 1/2 slice of cheesecake form the cheesecake factory, I just asked who would like to split a piece with me. I found that just by taking the lead others followed and I noticed we all ate less .Instead of eating like 6-8 cookies I ate 2. I did that with everything. A little of this a little of that. I also got them to go on walks with me.
Now moms are great for trying to get you to stuff your face. Try having a talk with your mom and let her know that you have to do this for your health.
Lyn
 
Thanks Lyn. I will definitely let her know what's going on. I'm gonna be gone for a month so you can imagine how hard its gonna be :)
 
Sorry I was late wishing you a safe trip. Very good tips! I thank you will do fine

Another good tip when you have to be outside for a long time. Wear insulated coveralls! Once my Job as a Security Guard required me to wear coveralls. I had to stay in my car for two shifts at a time, and I had to walk outside in the cold a lot.

Daybehavior, I hope your time with your family is a joyful one!
 
Thanks, Anna :) It's been almost impossible to do anything outside the past couple of days since we got hit with six inches of snow. Hopefully it'll clear up so I can resume my daily jog / stair climbing. The only staircase is outside which connects to the patio.

My mom and stepdad went out of town for Christmas LOL. But they'll be back today and we'll be having our own turkey dinner. However, I was finally got a chance to sit down and make those tacos for my sisters that Lyn suggested. They were freaking awesome! My youngest sister had a bit of a problem with them because she didn't like the stewed textured of the meat but she's a finicky eater anyway. I kinda overdid it and ate six >_< It's cool though since I didnt eat much else for the day.

As for this horrible weight loss thing--As you all have suggested, I'm not trying to kill myself trying to lose my normal 3-5 lbs a week but have been focusing on maintenance and it is DEFINITELY working out for me! I feel so much more calmer. No stress to watch everything I eat like a hawk. No pressure to do my usual hour at a gym. I'm really enjoy the change of pace with the new calisthenics routine I've developed thanks to you all :) I've been here for a week and I've only gained a pound (believe me, that's like a miracle for me). I just need to be a tiny bit more careful about food and I think i'll hover around a 1-2 weight gain by the end of my trip. So thank you all again for your encouragement, tips and support. Love ya (platonically of course)

Well that's pretty much it for now. I'll write one last update when I get back.
 
I am glad you enjoyed your vacation with your family!! One pound gain is not bad for the Christmas holidays. Sure glad you were still able to post and keep us updated on your progress. When I make tacos I just buy the kit in the store. Mostly I buy 2 packs taco season mix, taco sauce, cheese, hamburger meat and lots of veggies and make taco salad. My plate is full with veggies, 12 white corn scoops (tostitos chips), 2 oz of meat; less then 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese and sauce. I have taco salad sometime in the even, very filling. Cost me about 10 points.
 
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