Even since I got back from my trip I can't get enough to eat! Why? For 3 weeks, I loaded up on a daily basis on the wonderful breakfast buffets, expecially the ones in Swizerland and Austria, that included not only croissants, but delicious whole grain breads, eggs, cakes, meat, cheeses and hot chocolate. Then I snacked the rest of the day at boulangeries using as an excuse that since I had such a big breakfast, I could skip lunch. Later I would have a wonderful dinner complete with wine and dessert. With all the walking, my weight gain was minimal (that was the good news).

I don't normally eat that way at home and I exercise far less without the miles to walk every day, but now that I've gotten used to my vacation eating, I'm having trouble stopping! Help! (just kidding - I know what I have to do and just needed to vent!)

Anyone have a similar problem? (I know, I know - the men probably don't )

I know you've just returned from Switzerland, and I can see you are in crisis from vacation withdrawal. But you've come to the right place, I will talk you down.

First of all, my name is P_M and I'm a traveloholic. (repeat the same, using your name) Whenever I get home from a trip, my brain goes into a state of denial and it won't accept that I'm really home and back in the real world. I hate it when reality catches up with me, it's like a cold shower.

Don't be so hard on yourself. Withdrawals are tough for us addicts, but there is help. You shouldn't try to go cold turkey, so here's what to do:

Go out and buy 12 of your favorite Swiss breakfast items. With each passing day, reduce your breakfast by one item. Follow this standard 12-step program and before you know it, you'll be back to your usual bowl of Cheerios w/skim milk before you know it.

Travel withdrawals are a sickeness, but it can be overcome. You musn't lose faith.



P. S. Leave Nutella and anything chocolate out of this program. It is NOT necessary to give these up, as chocolate is the 5th basic food group.

After my first visit to Germany, I found myself longing for all those meats and cheeses at breakfast, kwren. And I consider the discovery of Nutella as a life-changing event.

flsd, that pretty much sums it up. Ever seen the 1 kilo Nutella mug? Never bought it, but it looks tempting. Would I survive?

Sounds like we're ALL nuts for Nutella.

Hi kwren:

The problem I encounter is that because I travel to Europe every few weeks, my body clock is permanently screwed up and I get hungry at the wrong times, regardless of which side of the Altantic I am on!

I love a good breakfast- none of this meulsi stuff for me, I need PROTEIN! I am always up before 6am, so by 11, I crave a full meal for lunch, with PROTEIN! If my husband is away, I rarely have dinner, but eat it anyway when I don't really need it. He's been away a week now and I have dropped a few pounds by cutting out dinner.

I excercise a lot when I am at home - 1.5 hours of walking a day at least with the dog and usually 4-5 sessions at the gym per week with 40 minutes of Cardio plus weights and abs. I'd be the size of a house if I didn't

The one good thing is that I have NO sweet-tooth at all - I actaully don't like desserts. Bread & butter is my downfall and I could eat a whole fresh loaf of good bread, with an inch of butter on each slice. When hubby is not here I just don't buy bread, so I can avid temptation.

Good luck with controling your urges, but don't give up on the wine (in moderation). I like to believe ALL the stories about the positive health benefits of red wine!

Regards Ger

Too hard. No need to change eating habits. Just cut your left leg off. You'll notice the difference on the scales immediately. Continue as normal.

OK here goes...

My name is Kwren and I am a traveloholic.

Here is my program...
omit one breakfast item per day
<s>meusli</s>
<s>sweets</s> ( :'( )

protein ( and ~gt; )

Nutella

Any program which allows wine and Nutella must be good. I'm more relaxed already! Thanks guys

Hear , Hear, O'Reilly!

If I never saw another sweet or choc again , it would not bother me a bit! But good bread and inches of butter....clear the path!

Oops, forgot one -

if program not working:
<s>left leg</s>
got it now!

Hi KW,

&gt;Even since I got back from my trip I can't get enough to eat! Why? &lt;

Are you pregnant?

Oh, thank you, kwren, for making me feel better! I've been in a deep depression the past week. And it's not just the breakfasts that have me in a dither. It's those darned lunches. Just yesterday we went to San Antonio, stopped at a restaurant along the way, looked for the schnitzel on the menu. Yikes! There wasn't any. What am I supposed to have, a dried up hamburger? Chicken fried steak, the waitress suggested, might be the same. NOT!

Home later, I need my chocolate fix. A-ha, I've brought several bars home. GONE! DD came over and raided the shelf.

I quickly check the &quot;secret&quot; places. (Phew, P_M's is still safe! This week, P_M, this week or else!)

Love the 12-step program, although without a leg, perhaps it would only need to be a 6-step?

Helloooooo! I was only away for about nine days in July, and still am feeling the effects! The worst for me was our last few nights at the Alpenrose in Wengen, where we had a set five-course dinner every night, and even though I wasn't the least bit hungry for the meal, I managed to eat nearly everything. My real downfall was &quot;sampling&quot; the cheese and dessert buffets. I find that when I go to hotels where meals are included, I am pretty good the first few days in restraining myself, but by the end, I am toast. (or should I say strudel...)

&lt;&lt; Are you pregnant?&gt;&gt;

ira - hmmmmm, let me think - and I mean this response in the nicest way - NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Yes, I yelled that! Well, you yelled at me once - I figured I could return the favor LOL)

Aren't 4 kids enough? (Answer...YES!) I didn't expect the men to understand this post and now I see they don't.

kopp - 6 step, good one ! And thanks for reminding me about my secret stash of Swiss chocolate!

skatedancer - I almost took the half board in Lauterbrunnen, but didn't in the end *Whew* because I didn't think it would be the right choice for the kids. Now I can see it wouldn't have been good for me either!

This thread is fantastic!

OK--y'all are holding back something here---and you know there's no recovery without full disclosure.

So what about the 4:00 pm ice cream snack?

enzian, why wait until 4?

What's your favorite? I have 2, the Colonel (Lemon Ice Cream with Vodka - okay, this one's better in the afternoon - and Meringues mit Glace (absolutely to die for - big fluffy, sugary blobs of meringue with 2 scoops of ice cream slathered with mounds of cream)

Why wait 'til 4? Only because that is when we are usually back from our hike. Plus, that seems like a decent interval after all the R&ouml;sti mit Ei, Apfelkuchen, and Gulaschsuppe we had for lunch.

I'm a purist when it comes to ice cream---pure vanilla for me. But the kids always go for zwei K&uuml;geln of the &Uuml;berchocolate flavor of the day, and always &quot;mit Nidle&quot;.

If you do have to cut off your leg, be sure you never put your prosthetic leg into your checked luggage....

Jet lag screws it up, too. I wake up @ 5 AM craving meat, because it's lunch time in Prague, and I just returned. You'll get over it soon enough. Try snacking on nuts. It will kill your appetite for awhile.Maybe find some that are covered in chocolate!! ;-)