Eight Vacation Essentials to Keep Your Weight Loss on Track

[Alex Brecher 10,484]

Millions of Americans will go away on vacation this year, and if you are lucky enough to be one of them, you need to know what to pack. Packing requires a little more thought than it did before weight loss surgery, when you did not have much to worry about besides your clothes and toiletries. After weight loss surgery, you need to be sure that you bring what you need to stay healthy and keep losing weight. That means adding a few extra items to your packing list. These are some essential additions to your suitcase when you are taking a trip after weight loss surgery.

Keep reading even if you’re one of the nearly half of Americans who are not going to travel this year. These tips can be just as helpful for staycationers as for vacationers, since the goals are the same. On vacation, you need to stick to your weight loss surgery diet, keep exercising, and be prepared for unexpected complications that can come up.

Water Bottle

Before surgery, hydration was a lot easier. You grabbed a bottle of Water, a soda, or whatever else was around. If nothing was available at the moment, you just waited until the next opportunity to drink something. That doesn’t fly after weight loss surgery! You need to stay hydrated to keep your energy levels up and your hunger down, and you cannot afford the calories of sodas, juices, or sports drinks.< /span>

Another wrench is that you cannot drink beverages while you are eating solid food, so you need to be prepared to meet your Fluid requirements within small windows of time. Take a reusable water bottle so that you can always have water available when you need it. A reusable water bottle is not necessary if you are certain that you will always be able to purchase a few bottles of water when you need one. Include a few packets of powdered sugar-free beverage mix if you do not like the taste of water.

Protein Powder

Getting enough Protein was no problem before weight loss surgery. There was no way you couldn’t get enough each day. After weight loss surgery, though, your 60 to 85 grams of protein per day can be challenging. Being on the road can make the task much more difficult. You might not be able to check the nutritional information of a food before it is time to eat your meal, or you might find yourself at a restaurant that seems to have no high-protein options. If you are in a foreign country, a lot of the foods you eat may be unfamiliar, so you will not know the exact protein content.

You can still enjoy these exotic foods on your vacation, though. Stash some Protein Powder in your suitcase so that you never need to risk being without enough protein. A 1-lb canister of protein powder can provide 300 grams of protein, which should be enough to help you meet your needs when you combine it with the healthy foods you choose during your trip.

Healthy Snacks

Snacks and meals were easy before weight loss surgery. There is always some sort of food around, and when your stomach growled, you could hit the nearest vending machine, convenience store, or restaurant. After weight loss surgery, you need to eat healthy foods. If hunger strikes and you are unprepared, you are out of luck.

Bring a few healthy Snacks to prevent diet disasters at the airport and throughout your trip, unless you are certain that you will be able to visit supermarkets with the healthy foods you need whenever necessary. These are some ideas.

• Protein bars.
  
• Nuts or peanuts.
  
• Peanut butter.
  
• Beef Jerky.< /span>
  
• Microwave popcorn.< /span>
  
• Packets of instant oatmeal (use the coffee maker in your hotel room to heat water to make the oatmeal).
  

Emergency Contacts

Anything can happen at any time after weight loss surgery. Lap-band patients may get sick and need an unfill, and any weight loss surgery patient can need to see a surgeon for a variety of reasons. Be sure you know how to reach your surgeon, primary care doctor, your pharmacist, and a friend or family member who can act as your emergency contact. You likely already have their information in your cell phone, but write it down on paper, too. That way, you can easily make copies of the information. Include names, phone numbers, and email addresses.

Anti-Nausea Medications

You may have already been prone to motion sickness and nausea before weight loss surgery, but the risks associated with vomiting are more serious after weight loss surgery. Vomiting can displace the lap-band or rip the staples if you have the gastric bypass, sleeve plication, or sleeve gastrectomy. Pack an over-the-counter anti-nausea and anti-vomiting medication that your doctor approves of so that you can minimize vomiting as soon as possible if you happen to get food poisoning or fall ill on vacation.

Running Shoes

Take your running, walking, or other active shoes…because this year, you are going to participate instead of watching on the sidelines! Don’t forget other activewear, such as comfortable exercise clothes that are suitable for whatever you might encounter, whether that involves outdoor hikes or indoor group exercise classes on a cruise ship.

Food Journal

Calories and portion sizes count just as much on vacation as at home, and logging your food is just as important. Take a paper notebook so that you do not need to rely on having internet access to log your food. Or, if you are staying in the U.S. and are confident that you can keep logging your food on your mobile device like you always do, you can stick with your smartphone.

Nutritional Supplements

You don’t want to waste your vacation chasing down the assortment of Vitamins and minerals that you are supposed to be taking. Some of the vitamins and minerals may not even be available over-the-counter in the doses you need if you are in a foreign country. Bring enough of each kind of supplement that you take to comfortably see you through your trip.

[skinnygirlwithin 693]

Thanks! all great tips!!

[msshellg 63]

Great tips!!!

I'm going on vacation to Orlando and this info will be heloful

[Mikee57 699]

Thanks Alex very helpful

[madwife2002 110]

Very helpful thank you

[Texasmeg 568]

I went on vacation to Croatia recently and could have used some of this advice. It was very hard to find bottled Water that wasn't mineral water. Mineral water didn't sit very well with me. Also, I forgot my B12 supplement and they didn't have sublinguals or anything approaching the dosage form we need.

Edited June 23, 2014 by Texasmeg

[BigGirlPanties 957]

I HATE paying for water...we have a purified Water system at home, so if we travel in the car, I always pack, at least, a full gallon of the stuff... harder to do when you travel by other means...

[JustWatchMe 7,117]

I went to Italy 17 days after my first fill. All of these tips are great. Especially the powder packs of Protein shake. I also brought my shaker bottle. I did need it twice in two weeks when I couldn't get a good Breakfast in the hotel.

One big addition to the list: Stay connected on Bariatricpal! This forum kept me accountable every day. It was a godsend.

Another tip is to have a meal buddy to share food with. My daughter helped me by sharing my meals. We saved money and didn't have to worry about leftovers with no refrigeration.

[Alex Brecher 10,484]

I HATE paying for Water...we have a purified Water system at home, so if we travel in the car, I always pack, at least, a full gallon of the stuff... harder to do when you travel by other means...

I spend about $80-$100 per month on Poland Spring deliveries to my home. It's insane! Planning on installing water purifiers around the house shortly.

[kll724 3,055]

Great ideas for a vacation and just in general for summertime outings. Thanks Alex!

[☠carolinagirl☠ 18,721]

Millions of Americans will go away on vacation this year, and if you are lucky enough to be one of them, you need to know what to pack. Packing requires a little more thought than it did before weight loss surgery, when you did not have much to worry about besides your clothes and toiletries. After weight loss surgery, you need to be sure that you bring what you need to stay healthy and keep losing weight. That means adding a few extra items to your packing list. These are some essential additions to your suitcase when you are taking a trip after weight loss surgery.

Keep reading even if you’re one of the nearly half of Americans who are not going to travel this year. These tips can be just as helpful for staycationers as for vacationers, since the goals are the same. On vacation, you need to stick to your weight loss surgery diet, keep exercising, and be prepared for unexpected complications that can come up.

Water Bottle

Before surgery, hydration was a lot easier. You grabbed a bottle of Water, a soda, or whatever else was around. If nothing was available at the moment, you just waited until the next opportunity to drink something. That doesn’t fly after weight loss surgery! You need to stay hydrated to keep your energy levels up and your hunger down, and you cannot afford the calories of sodas, juices, or sports drinks.

Another wrench is that you cannot drink beverages while you are eating solid food, so you need to be prepared to meet your Fluid requirements within small windows of time. Take a reusable water bottle so that you can always have water available when you need it. A reusable water bottle is not necessary if you are certain that you will always be able to purchase a few bottles of water when you need one. Include a few packets of powdered sugar-free beverage mix if you do not like the taste of water.

Protein powder

Getting enough Protein was no problem before weight loss surgery. There was no way you couldn’t get enough each day. After weight loss surgery, though, your 60 to 85 grams of protein per day can be challenging. Being on the road can make the task much more difficult. You might not be able to check the nutritional information of a food before it is time to eat your meal, or you might find yourself at a restaurant that seems to have no high-protein options. If you are in a foreign country, a lot of the foods you eat may be unfamiliar, so you will not know the exact protein content.

You can still enjoy these exotic foods on your vacation, though. Stash some Protein Powder in your suitcase so that you never need to risk being without enough protein. A 1-lb canister of Protein Powder can provide 300 grams of protein, which should be enough to help you meet your needs when you combine it with the healthy foods you choose during your trip.

Healthy Snacks

Snacks and meals were easy before weight loss surgery. There is always some sort of food around, and when your stomach growled, you could hit the nearest vending machine, convenience store, or restaurant. After weight loss surgery, you need to eat healthy foods. If hunger strikes and you are unprepared, you are out of luck.

Bring a few healthy Snacks to prevent diet disasters at the airport and throughout your trip, unless you are certain that you will be able to visit supermarkets with the healthy foods you need whenever necessary. These are some ideas.

• Protein Bars.
• Nuts or peanuts.
• Peanut Butter.
• Beef Jerky.
• Microwave popcorn.< /span>
• Packets of instant oatmeal (use the coffee maker in your hotel room to heat water to make the oatmeal).

Emergency Contacts

Anything can happen at any time after weight loss surgery. Lap-band patients may get sick and need an unfill, and any weight loss surgery patient can need to see a surgeon for a variety of reasons. Be sure you know how to reach your surgeon, primary care doctor, your pharmacist, and a friend or family member who can act as your emergency contact. You likely already have their information in your cell phone, but write it down on paper, too. That way, you can easily make copies of the information. Include names, phone numbers, and email addresses.

Anti-Nausea Medications

You may have already been prone to motion sickness and nausea before weight loss surgery, but the risks associated with vomiting are more serious after weight loss surgery. Vomiting can displace the lap-band or rip the staples if you have the gastric bypass, sleeve plication, or sleeve gastrectomy. Pack an over-the-counter anti-nausea and anti-vomiting medication that your doctor approves of so that you can minimize vomiting as soon as possible if you happen to get food poisoning or fall ill on vacation.

Running Shoes

Take your running, walking, or other active shoes…because this year, you are going to participate instead of watching on the sidelines! Don’t forget other activewear, such as comfortable exercise clothes that are suitable for whatever you might encounter, whether that involves outdoor hikes or indoor group exercise classes on a cruise ship.

Food Journal

Calories and portion sizes count just as much on vacation as at home, and logging your food is just as important. Take a paper notebook so that you do not need to rely on having internet access to log your food. Or, if you are staying in the U.S. and are confident that you can keep logging your food on your mobile device like you always do, you can stick with your smartphone.

Nutritional supplements

You don’t want to waste your vacation chasing down the assortment of Vitamins and minerals that you are supposed to be taking. Some of the Vitamins and minerals may not even be available over-the-counter in the doses you need if you are in a foreign country. Bring enough of each kind of supplement that you take to comfortably see you through your trip.

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HAVE FUN

[FineCaliMexSleever 10]

Alex,

I thank God for you and look forward to more resources on this site. I had the sleeve surgery in April and do not regreat it at all I am loving my sleeve. I plan on hitting the 100 lb mark off by December 2014. Thank you for your love and all that you have done to keep us encouraged.

CaliMexiGirl

[Elaine Sunday 26]

I had the sleeve Oct 9th, Sept of 2015 I am taking a 10 day cruise. (my one year and 100 lb reward,,,hopefully) I know food is plentiful on a ship. What suggestions do you have for me?

[Elaine Sunday 26]

I wish Protein powder came in single serving size like crystal lite does. I am thinking I will put single serving sizes in zip lock bags for my cruise. A lot lighter than carrying premier Protein drinks for a 10 day cruise.

[CafeCathey 21]

I wish Protein powder came in single serving size like crystal lite does. I am thinking I will put single serving sizes in zip lock bags for my cruise. A lot lighter than carrying Premier Protein drinks for a 10 day cruise.

At the Vitamin Store they had a variety of single serve protein powder packs. You could always ask for "samples" of whatever product you use, something might be available that way.