Return from Vacation 2017, still at weight maintenance goal, as planned

Port of Tacoma, July 2017

I've returned from my Pacific Northwest - Seattle, Tacoma, and Olympic Peninsula vacation.

What's working:

1. I had an Air B&N, so I stayed on track with cooking on template foods.

2. I had 1 day off somewhat gray zone foods that don't trigger in the right amounts and mindset. 70% Chocolate at Theo, some rice and beans at great restaurant in Seattle.

Theo Chocolate Factory Tour, 2017

3. I also ate later in the day due to my travel schedule, hiking, and amount of hiking. I took a break from tracking my food and from daily intermittent fasting.


I DID NOT use anything as an excuse to consume known trigger foods. And that ,my blog reading friends, is the reason why I returned home clear headed, rested, happy, pants fit, and I remained in goal weight maintenance range.


Results:  Weight Maintenance: Weighed in within my best weight range this morning at 116 lbs.

Strategy for the next 5 days

0. Time with my kid
1. Unpack & laundry
2. Resume tracking my food at MFP
3. Grocery Shop & cook my Paleo, LCHF foods
4. Work
5. Get as much sleep as possible
6. Keep hydrated
7. Walk
8. Gym 1-2 times.
9. Resume daily weighing
10 String together 5 solid days of 17:7 fasting


What didn't work in the past

1. Staying in hotels for the reason of making waffles or consuming high carb "free" breakfast buffets full of the crap that made and kept me obese and binge eating. It's FREE, it's low cost, I deserve a break said my disease.... Sigh.

2.  Eating everything and anything; BECAUSE VACATION.  I know I can 1-2X per year consume 70% chocolate without triggering my binge eating biochemistry. Next time will probably be Thanksgiving. I tried several samples of 70%, nut free at Theo Chocolate in Seattle.

 I enjoyed the 70% flavors and samples but could feel a normal "stop" signal and then didn't want any chocolate even the next day. In the past, eating higher sugar fudge (raise your hand if you've had Mackinaw Island Fudge on summer vacation), local candy and other junk food resulted in day and week long binge eating with no stops or breaks.

Ditto with the small amount of rice and beans. (my resting heart rate at night and overnight went through the roof 5-10 beats per minute higher average, so I may not eat the rice, next time.)

It's nice to know my trigger biochemistry and to be able to navigate and accept any negative outcomes for my choices. And, it's essential that I don't trigger the food addiction. Last binge trigger took 2-3 weeks to recover from a few macadamia nuts. That many nights with mild, to moderate binge urges. Oh, heck NOOOOO.

3. Eating pizza and fast food late into a travel day was pretty normal, and it didn't sit well for me day in, day out on prior to 2010 vacations. Oh, and then start with that crappy waffle breakfast the next morning. Ouch- joint pain and food cravings all day. What a terrible cycle I put myself in each summer.



















I can only urge you to know your biochemistry and to abstain while traveling if you are in the same boat I'm in, and I know I'm not alone. I still took in the PNW sights, sounds, tastes and smells. I did so with my eyes wide open, a food plan, and the willingness to carry on and carry through from vacation back to normal life.

DEEP THOUGHTS:
Just like my first photo, if those kayakers did not look up from their photo shoot (there's a big white dog on the kayak on the left -by the way) and the barge started to move, how's that going to end? My disease is always there- food addiction looms large, but I can always have a good time on vacation, just outside the shadow.

My food template is my life vest. My habits and thinking  are my boat. My motivation is my paddle.  Onward and here's to abstaining from the foods that take you away from a full, lower emotional and physical pain life we all deserve to live.