How many of you gain weight while traveling and how do those of you who don't avoid that? I came back from my 2 month vacation much fatter than I was before I left home!

I usually lose 2-5 pounds when I travel in Europe, because of all the walking and eating healthier things than I eat at home.

In fact I lost 5 lbs. on a 3-day trip to Montréal this summer I suppose because I walked about 15 miles a day.

Vacationing in general makes me lose weight. I walk a LOT, I eat less, I don't snack, and I drink a LOT of water.

It doesn't matter how many miles I walk in Europe, I always seem to gain pounds!

Wrong continent?

TracyB, FINALLY someone else with my problem. All you people who eat whatever you want and walk it off and lose 5 lbs in France or Italy -- I HATE YOU ALL!! I always gain weight. If I'm really careful, it's only a couple of pounds and I can lose it within a month of returning home without too much pain.

I tend to lose, or at least stay the same, for the same reasons that St. Cirq cited. However, if I were to take a 2 month vacation, it might be another story....ha.

I agree that all the walking, stair climbing, less snacking, etc. all contributes. My habits tend to be healthier on the road than at home.

I lost 3 pounds in Italy in July, when I figured I would actually gain from all that great food.

It's ok, Marilyn... I might 'lose' 2 lbs. while on Europe vacation, but nothing compares to the battle on the homefront the other 350 days of the year! I've 'lost' 100 lbs by now, I'm sure (the same 10 over and over).. at home, you sit at desk, eat convenience foods, and do a million other things besides walk every day.
So if we brag about losing on vacation, it's just b/c it's such a thrill to lose at all

Travelnut is right...those pounds lost usually come back on again once I'm home. Perhaps if I just traveled all the time I would be a Skinny Minnie? Hmmmmm.....something to think about.

I always gain at least 3-4 pounds so I allow for that when buying any clothes for the trip. I would rather do that than turn down a delicious once-in-a-lifetime dessert. Part of the fun of the trip is allowing yourself to indulge in culinary extravagances. You can always lose those souvenir pounds when you get back.

I eat a richer, higher calorie diet on trips - because of eating out more often and less cooking from scratch. But I usually stay the same weight or lose 5 or 6 lbs on a 3 week trip. I suppose that is because of the extra walking and especially stair climbing - on the tube, scaling castles and monuments, etc. I walk a fair amount at home but not every single day and I almost never have to climb more than one flight of stairs at home.

Also find that I stay the same or lose a couple pounds. Even when visiting Italy and having my daily gelato fix, I still find that all the walking & stair-climbing offsets the extra calories.

My reply is similiar to Stcirq except for the losing part - I don't gain whilst on vacation because I walk more, and don't eat as much JUNK. But I don't lose it either.
My problem is after I get back home and I am sitting at the computer for hours planning the next trip and I do gain weight then.
Lose weight? I am not familiar with that situation. I seem to gain 10 pounds every decade. 130 in my 30's , 140 in my 40's - well, you get the picture and I'm in my 60's now.
But I have to say that I *feel* thin when I am traveling and walking a lot!!!!

I stay about the same even though I do walk a lot because I eat so much more, and so much more fattening things, when on vacation than at home. At home, I rarely eat 3 meals a day, and eat very simply for dinner many times (salad or just vegetables and cous-cous or something) and don't put sauces or oil/butter on my food a lot, and don't have dessert every day.

On vacation, I just can't eat that simply (and wouldn't want to as I like trying different restaurants and desserts) and even morning coffee is calorie laden when it's cafe au lait versus plain black at home.

I don't know that either method is really healthier or not, I suppose I eat healthier at home in some ways, but it's mainly just I eat more on vacation. I never snack much at all at home, so would snack more on vacation as there is nowhere to go but the direction of more.

I'm a major walker, and tend to lose a few pounds in places like France, Italy and Spain, where breakfast is not a big deal. Despite enjoying gelato, cheeses, desserts and so forth that I would definitley not have at home.

Have stayed the same or gained slightly after trips to England and Scotland, where the huge "full breakfast" included in the room rate does not seem to deter me from having the same lunch and dinner I'd have either way.

Most people eat much heavier while travelling. The average Frenchman, as an example, probably don't have fois gras more than once a year while an American (such as me) is tempted by the availability of such foods and wants to try as many dishes as possible while the opportunity is there.

Lesli, you just gave me a horrid thought. We plan to do Scotland and Ireland in April and I hadn't thought of those huge breakfasts and then sitting in a car half the day.

You're absolutely right about doing tons more walking in coutries like France and Italy. Oh no....I'm probably going to come back the size of a house. Better start trying to lose 10 or so pounds before I go!

Ok, I'll try for a new attitude. It?s just because I live such a healthy lifestyle at home that I gain weight on vacation. I think the equation for me goes something like this:

At home I eat healthy foods, watch my intake, and get a fair amount of exercise. On vacation I eat more, higher calorie food, still watch my intake, still get a fair amount of exercise. Voila! 3 extra pounds!

Fergie, I love the concept of ?souvenir pounds?. That phrase has now entered my travel vocabulary.

I typically lose 5-10 pounds on 2-3 week vacations. I don't really watch what I eat because I want to try new things, but I do walk hours every day so it seems to burn it off. You would think that I would learn my lesson and walk more when I get home so I can continue losing the other 50 pounds that should come off...

Marilyn, I think your way is much better...that's the way it should be! You keep yourself healthy most of the year so you can enjoy your vacation. If you gain weight, no big deal...you balance it right back when you get home.

That's far better than losing weight on vacation and gaining it all back again, plus some.

As for me, I've adopted a few things I've learned in Europe here at home. It freaked me out that I could eat what I wanted there but pounds came off anyway. I mean, how stationary was I at home where the consistent walking in Europe made such a difference? Kind of embarrassing, if you ask me.

The weight has stayed off, plus more weight gone. It just takes a few changes and a lot of willpower and discipline.

I wear size 8 at home, but when I travel I bring one size 10 pants just in case, lol.
I do go out of my way though to climb stairs, do aerobic breathing, etc. to keep the lbs off while traveling. I bring a yoga stretch band which helps alot too.
There is just too much good food to try to limit myself, besides I'm on vacation!