Question for those of you that eat a low carb diet.

[SandS_K]

So I tend to stick to a low carb diet, I have lost about 70 pounds over the last 5 years. I don't consider it a diet, but more of a lifestyle. Since we will have the dining plan, I plan on indulging on items that I would normally not eat very often. I am hoping to maintain my current weight, based on all the walking we will be doing. I do normally work out every day (30 min dvd in morning and 30 stationary bike in evening). Anyone else in a similar situation? Did you maintain, lose or gain any weight during your vacation?

 

[Sundowner2]

Well....I'm not a locarb eater, but of the three trips we've taken, I have never gained a thing. The first two times I ate giant cupcakes like crazy, this last time I had a stomach bug aftermath and was not a bit hungry til the end. If you plan to walk lots, we did between 7 and 10 miles each day at the parks, that's prob a lot of calories burnt.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

I said gained, but I gained 4 pounds over 10 days. And I lost it within a week of eating back home.

Like you I've lost quite a bit of weight, mine over the last year.

Keep in mind, I take my scooter. So, I am not walking around all of the time. I am riding.

I didn't keep to a low carb diet. But I also didn't eat everything in sight. Part of it was that I was full much faster, so I couldn't eat as much.

 

[Klayfish]

First of all, congrats on the weight loss!!! I love what you said...it's not a "diet", it's a lifestyle. That's so true...I cringe when I hear people say they're going on a "diet". DW and I are both very much into health/nutrition/bodybuilding. It's definitely a lifestyle for us, especially her. She's about 95% of the way to being ready to compete on stage. We both have low carb diets. Her nutrition is so specific that she weighs and measures everything that goes in her mouth. Even salads are weighed, and almonds counted down to the last one. We don't eat in WDW restaurants, we bring all of our own food in. Partly because I'm cheap, partly because of our nutrition. We don't bring our food scale with us, so we can't measure everything...though we're so used to it we can guestimate pretty darn well. Certainly since it's vacation we allow ourselves to cheat somewhat on that lifestyle...me much more so than her. I still eat a healthy base of foods, but I'll eat plenty of chips, desserts, ice cream, etc...just because I want to. DW sticks more to her nutrition, but will eat some ice cream, will grab one of the kids (or my) chips, etc...

We were just in WDW for 2+ weeks. I gained a little over 6lbs while on vacation (I intentionally had dropped 7lbs before we left), and DW gained about 6lbs also. I know, it sounds weird...she gained as much as me, and I "cheated" far more than she did. Every human body is different...my metabolism is higher than hers naturally. Yes, you do a ton of walking and that will definitely help. But we don't burn as many calories walking as we do in the gym every day, so there's that factor. Plus, it's so hot that we hydrate a lot.

However, there's a huge silver lining here. If your normal lifestyle is very low carb and you never normally do a cheat meal or a couple of day "re-feed" for your body, it kind of goes into starvation mode (which can limit weight loss). So when you suddenly throw in extra calories, especially carbs, it can cause your metabolism to spike as the body tries to cope with the extra calories. I lost 3lbs within the first week home, and DW lost 7.5lbs in the first week home...so she actually weighed less one week after vacation than the day before.

So my advice is to just enjoy yourself. You're on vacation. Want to eat a treat? Go for it, enjoy every bite. As long as you return to your healthy lifestyle when you get home, you'll be fine!

 

[SandS_K]

Klayfish - Thanks for the details! I like the silver lining. I lost my first 50 lbs about 5 years ago and only recently decided to loose more. I am down 20 lbs since April with no cheat days other than a couple beers on July 4. Hopefully anything I do gain comes off fairly quick!

 

[MandLBee]

Congrats on your weight-loss! It feels really good to be healthier and not such a slave to food. I've lost 40 pounds since January, and I don't even want to stop eating low-carb. I just feel so much better. I haven't done Disney whilst low carb yet, but I have full confidence that I will be able to stay on my path. Once I went full Keto, sugar tastes so awful and I don't even like sugar subs anymore. I do still crave starches on occasion, but mostly a turkey leg, dill pickle, bacon, salads with cheese and dressing and steaks sound better to me than cupcakes and caramel corn! Last time I went on vacation, I didn't gain weight at all, and I did do some cheating.
Some places and foodsI'm really excited about eating: Satu'li Canteen in Pandora, Artist Point, Boma, and Be Our Guest (pork at lunch looks great!). I've really been looking at menus, and making sure there are lots of places where I am prepared to get something that suits my lifestyle. You can do it! And I bet you won't gain weight either.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I exercise quite a bit at home and do try to hit the gym when we are at WDW but not with the same intensity. I allow myself, usually, one treat per day in WDW. I do find the food to be quite salty which lends to a bit of a bloated feeling while there. While I feel I may lose a bit of muscle tone on the trips, I've never gained weight probably because of all the walking we do. And, as others have said, anything I gain tends to drop off the week I get home and go back to my normal routine.

 

[BraveLittleToaster2]

I've never gained either. Always stayed the same even though I also splurge when there. I think it's because of all the walking I do there, and we do go in the heat of the summer so I'm sure that helps too