I'm very excited about going to Phoenix in a few weeks with my husband for a weekend getaway. However, I'm scared to death about blowing all of the hard work I've been doing. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to deal with LC & Traveling?

--Kirkwood

Be really careful in restaraunts. Don't be afraid to ask them what's in stuff. I got burned at a japanese restaraunt because I asked what a particular thing was, not what was IN that particular thing. I inadvertantly ate some sugar and PAID for it very soon after (had to stay in the potty). The item was supposed to be soy sauce , but they made it there.

Make and take your own snacks if you can. If you are driving, take a cooler with some cheese, baked chicken, whatever you can make ahead of time and like to eat cold. If you're flying, have a real good meal before you go to kinda hold you over until you get to where you are going and can have a bit more control over what you eat. Take some pork-skins, nuts or seeds to snack on if you think you might want to munch on the plane.

Good luck! And have a great time!

I travelled recently and had to deal with airport food and restaurants. I took along some snacks and found that in most restaurants the staff will gladly substitute extra veggies for the potatoes or rice. They'll leave off croutons on a Caesar salad and have your dressing on the side if you're concerned about the carb count. Water is available everywhere so you can keep up with this quite easily. My main problem was in airports where all the food is nasty. I stuck to decaff coffee and water and some peanuts. I survived and you can too. It just takes some planning.
Have a great trip and with a little forethought, you will have a wonderful time.

Cheers,
Lara

Sounds like a time when you can enjoy some nice salads prepared just for you by someone else!!! Breakfast shouldn't be too bad...just skip the toast. My favourite restaurant will give me a slice or two of tomatoes instead of potatoes... When I eat out I try and keep it simple, so that I know there aren't a lot of extra ingredients I'm sure about.

For me, nothing better than a nice steak and a salad.

Enjoy your vacation, I'm sure you've earned it!!

Keep in mind that even if you DO end up indulging a little bit, it's not the end of the world, and u can get right back on track as soon as u get home. Just do the best u can, and u'll be fine

we had no real choice but to eat alot of carbs for a week this summer - a week long music festival where you're camping and your food is provided with the price of the ticket. the food was vegetarian (to avoid food poisoning - cooking for 6000 hungry women can't be easy..... ) going into town every day was out of the question.

anyway, we felt physically awful - our energy dropped which was difficult because it's a huge piece of land that we were on (lots of walking and carting stuff around) and there was that heat wave and we kept getting dehydrated even tho we drank water like fiends....

we didn't gain any weight back tho - i guess because it was all so physically hard. next year, we'll plan better - maybe take a cookstove and some meat in a good cooler. i don't know what those dehydrated meals are like - the ones that can be purchased at hiking/backpacking equipment stores - i have a feeling they're loaded with carbs.... has anybody ever tried those while on a camping vacation?

One thing I've noticed about eating out in restaurants is that I'll know when even a tiny bit of sugar is used to prepare something. I posted this somewhere else a few weeks ago, but it applies here so here goes. I ordered steamed brocoli with my prime rib and it tasted SO sweet! I asked the waiter to go ask the cook if it had any sugar in it...he came back and said yes, they use a small amount of brown sugar with butter when steaming it. I told him I couldn't eat sugar....He then asked if I wanted rice instead (lol) .. I said no, that's okay I just won't eat it. A few minutes later, the manager shows up and insists that he take my brocolli back to the kitchen and have the chef steam some fresh with just butter and no sugar.

I thought that was really cool of them to go through that much trouble to make sure I was happy. I guess the point is...ASK what is in stuff if you're not sure. If you even think you taste something sweet, have them go ask the cook. (Don't take the waiter's word for it, they'll fudge an answer often if they don't really know) . You'll be amazed at how your sweet taste buds work now!

When I eat at any restaurant I make sure they have the foods I normally eat before stepping foot in there.. I would phone ahead to see what their menus have to offer.. I usually order my favorite all time chicken wings (plain) or a bit of lemon on them and a large caesar salad with extra dressing minus the croutons...

Thanks, Everyone!

Part of me is pretty darn proud of myself because my biggest worry is my eating, and not getting on a plane.

What a world...what a world...

--Kirkwood

I spent a week in Puerto Vallarta Mexico this summer and for the first 2 days I did great with my WOE and then I relaxed. The alchohol began to flow and by the 7th day I was drinking up to 8 fruity, frothy, sugary alchoholic beverages a day and eating nachos while in the pool.

I gained about 6 pounds while I was away and the day I got home I started eating LC again. It didnt take long for it to come off, but I shouldnt have put it on in the first place. Your commitment level will be tested, but you make your decisions and no one else.

Have a GREEEEEAAAAAT Vacation
Shannon

You're coming down to the desert at a most beautiful time of the year! Down here you will find that there are quite a number of health conscious places to eat that have low carb stuff on the menu or at least the chef is aware of what we are trying to do. Check your phone book and ask the concierge or someone from the local health food store (Wild Oats I think) about some good places for you.

Most of the upscale and/or health-oriented restaurants are very good about doing a special low carb meal in NM, so I assume that you'll have the same experience in AZ. Just check a head.

Lots of wonderful meat and cheese down here, and green chili (made with chicken, green chilis, spices)(a tomato-less hot salsa...but it does have onions) also, some of them use flour for thickeners instead of letting it cook down to thicken naturally.

Enjoy!