Vacations

#1

I am wrapping up my first vacation on keto, and I’m pretty new so it was a challenge. I think I did ok, and I know I did the best I could - bacon, cheese, avocado omelettes for breakfast. Protein with added fat for lunch, sometimes some greens. Fish and fat for dinner. No sweets, but I’m not sure about sauces in restaurants and I ate more protein than I do at home, so the ole macro profile likely wasn’t perfect. I was in ketosis when I left and Ill be curious to see if I’m in it when I get back. If not, I didn’t veer far and wide and I enjoyed all my meals out and did what I could. We shall see

(Sophie) #2

That’s about all you can do. Don’t sweat it. Life is too short and you should enjoy a vacation, that’s what it’s for.

#3

Thanks for the pep talk, and you’re absolutely right.

I got home last night after a cobb salad at the airport. I ate the bacon, egg, avocado and cheese, a bit of the romaine but the dressing I was sure had bad oils and carbs in it, so I just had a bit of that. It was protein heavy and probably carb-heavy (shredded cheese, the bacon?) because I got home and the meter read “Lo” which means no ketones at all. I was surprised by that, to be honest. Lucnch was shrimp with mozzerella, pesto and avocado on butter lettuce and a salad with oil and vinegar I put on on the side. Breakfast was an omelette and some coffee with MCT and hwc I purchased there. At any rate, it must have been an accumulation of the meals out, the sauces, etc. Onward an forward.
Here’s my question - might it be better to just go off keto for vacations? I say that because I really tried to avoid carbs and bring on the fat this trip, but in the process I ate a lot of fat that wasn’t probably the best kind, and that seems kind of pointless if I’m not in ketosis, even unhealthy? This wasnt pastured meats and uncured organic bacon and raw milk organic grassfed cheeses like I get at home.
Anyone change their eating styles for vacations and I’ m not even meaning so they can binge out on carbs, that’s not what I even want to do. I mean so they can just not try and then not reach the ketosis goal anyway?
I’m not talking one restaurant meal, but days away means more like 7 or 8 restaurant meals in a row. I suspect when I get fat adapted this won’t be a problem as I can skip some meals and work it out better that way, but I’m not yet.
What I’m long-winded asking is that it seems I might have been better off ordering some other items with more veggies and meat and not worrying about trying to get the keto foods since I’m concerned about the quality of them in a restaurant anyway. Hope that makes sense

#4

Aaannnnddd…this morning I got the highest ketone reading I’ve had the whole time. Just like that, it was back up to even higher than usual. I’m pretty shocked and happy and it serves to remind me to my best, and don’t worry too much about any of it.

(Viveca Park) #5

Sounds like you did just fine! Maybe you’re fat adapted after all! Good for you!

(Jay AM) #6

Chasing ketone numbers isn’t a useful exercise. When you’re on vacation, just do what you can. Plenty of people keto without all the extra worry about qualities. Part of being keto is trying to eat more intuitively and not over analyze it. Eat what you know you can, KCKO.

#7

I spent 6 days at Disney last week and tried hard to stay keto. I took my blood meter with me and stayed in the 1.2 range the whole time. So imagine my surprised when I got home and stepped on the scale to find I had gained over 4 pounds in 6 days! I chalked it up to muscle strain and water retention, stayed on the keto train and have now lost it, plus another pound, 5 days later.

Vacations are just difficult! My plan for the future is just to KCKO and not stress if I gain water weight when I get home. It’ll be gone in a few days.

#8

Yeah, if I AM keto-adapted, then I’m not experiencing the hunger blunting people talk about. I might not be eating enough, though. I eat a very high percentage of fat and literally put 2T of butter or more on everything I eat, along with the other fat I cook it in and top it with, so I think this scares me some and I might not be eating quite enough.

I’ve experienced the keto hunger control before, and this aint it. I’ll get there, though.
Today ketones showed 1.3 so I’m definitely getting closer to where I want to be. But because I HAVE ketones does not mean my body knows how to use them fully yet, so that’s where I’m sure I’m at. It could take months more, and that’s ok too

#9

Oh, I’m definitely not chasing keto numbers. I have a busy life and no time for that. I use them, however, to determine how I’m doing and where I’m headed with this because while pricking my finger bugs me not at all, weighing/measuring/tracking drives me bonkers and I 100% refuse to do that. So it’s the easier, softer way for me.

When you’re new, being on vacation away from your own kitchen is difficult. I’m sure for those of you doing keto for years now it’s not a problem and I can’t wait to get there, myself. It’s a learning curve to be sure

(Julie ) #10

Understand right after I started Keto we went down to see family and friends which of course meant eating out. So understand well the frustration. I have been doing this for 11 weeks now and really enjoy it. Feel better and look better too. For as trips at this time the next one that will be long will be in the summer. Not to worried about parents place and or son’s (as he is doing it too) but DH’s mom’s will be a challenge.

(Victoria Mc Coy) #11

I’m on vacation now- my first one since going keto almost 4 months ago. It’s hard not knowing exactly what comes out of those restaurant kitchens for every meal!

I have stayed in ketosis so far, testing daily between .5 and 1.4, but not experiencing satiety like I do at home. I suspect my fat macros are way down, and I’m sorry to say that as an obese woman I am embarrassed to ask for the extra butter and olive oil in restaurants that I know I probably need to feel well. I wish I could get to where I don’t care what others think, but after 30+ years of being obese despite constantly dieting, I know I have internalized the external messages of failure, and still struggle with that shame.

Anyway, I’m starting to feel like I did in my old low cal dieting days again - always mildly hungry. And trying to exercise in this condition is only making it worse. Sigh.

Trying to fast today, and feeling much hungrier than I normally do even in the midst of 5 day fast. Worried that what I’m doing might be moving my BMR down, but I guess as long as I’m in ketosis, I should be able to burn body fat for the caloric deficit, right?

Lots of sunshine and swimming which is lovely, but missing my Kerrygold & EVOO…

#12

I know that feeling!

I suggest you get some really fatty snacks. Nuts. Cheese. Pork rinds. And eat them to satiety.

When I went on hol with friends, we were eating out all the time. I tried to avoid carbs, but got tempted a few times. Meal after meal, the carb craving rose. So did the tiredness.

Then one evening, i just cried off, said I needed a night in. Ended up buying a tin of tuna from the nearest shop. Ate it all, including the oil, with a teaspoon - and had an early night.

The following morning, i started feeling more human.

#13

I bring all that with me, unless I’m boarding a plane then I just figure it out when I get there. But vacations are hard, especially at first. Sounds like you’re doing the very best that you can. I remind myself I’m going to be eating this way forever so one vacation here or there where the macros aren’t perfect doesn’t matter. I will go on more vacations. Each one will become easier. It’s just the way it is.

I TOTALLY get the caring what people think. I have the same problem in reverse. I’m not “In need” of any sort of diet so I feel funny to ask for extras or sides or not the potatoes, veggies please and all that because people say “you don’t have anything to worry about” or whatever else they say. I don’t want to be persnickity with food. I don’t want to be viewed as obsessive (Im not), or trying to get skinnier (I’m not), or difficult (I try very hard not to be). So I feel you on that and you’re not alone