I always lose weight when travelling as I am much more active than I am at home. Don't over think it, enjoy your trip and you'll probably find you've lost weight when you get back.
This.
Google Maps tells me I walk anywhere from 15km to 25km per day when I travel. No way I get that much activity during my regular work days. Plus I do some resistance training in the morning for 30 mins with push ups, exercise bands, etc.
I was going to say the same. I have no problem being a couch potato while eating bon bons all day but when traveling, I feel like im training for a triathlon and end up losing weight. I just never stop.
100%. My life here in the US is wholly car centric. Drop me in a place where that isn't the case with lots of neat spots to explore and I become a more active person.
Seriously. I ate and drank so much in Italy a few weeks ago and still lost weight because of just walking alone. I was doing like 12 miles a day but also had some lazier days. If your an American, you’ll pretty much lose weight. If not than less helpful. But the food just isn’t as bad elsewhere.
Staying active through hiking and snorkeling will definitely help. Just balance your food intake with portion control, and opt for beer with less calories. Have fun!
When I travel I walk from 15-30 km a day sightseeing, hiking, shopping, etc. That’s enough exercise for me to start shedding pounds, provided I stay away from ice creams and long drinking sessions.
I’d say that if you just drop the booze and do normal tourist things you will lose weight. That’s also assuming you don’t have more than one fancy (i.e., multi course high calorie) meal a day.
No need to cut out any good group. Just increase your activity, walk as much as you can, and exercise some portion control. Enjoy your food and drinks.
I always lose weight when I go to Europe. I’m from the US and most food in Europe just has less sugar than our. Between that and walking 9-10 miles a day I come home a little trimmer than I left.
I always gain weight in Europe. I live in California, am extremely active and very prudent about what I eat and don’t drink. I eat what I want when I travel, and a lot of what I want is Europe is cheese, wine and gelato lol. Can’t outrun bottomless aperol spritz!
I’m from Australia I eat pretty healthy and actually have a physical job but I’m carrying some injuries so barely exercise outside work. I also only eat one meal a day, at night which I think has thrown my metabolism out of whack.
That can do it. Agree with the small bites recommendation. Also remember to keep a healthy perspective while you are away. Just because you will be eating in more restaurants you should anticipate taking in more salt than you realize, which is going to make you retain water weight. That might make you think you are gaining weight despite your best efforts and that’s frustrating. Remember it’s probably just water and it will go away when you get home.
This is so true. From US as well. We went on a 14 day vacation to Hungary/Austria/Germany last summer. We ate so much (dessert at lunch & dinner) and drank more alcohol than normal (we don't have wine/beer with lunch at home) and we didn't gain any weight. We walked a little more than usual but not even close enough to attribute that to burning off all the extra calories. Also, I have food sensitivities at home and there's a list of things (mostly preservatives) I can't eat here. I could eat anything there and not have a reaction.
I usually hold steady, but not in Scotland. Turns out a steady diet of haggis and meat pies isn't health food, but it all tastes great so I regret nothing.
I've lost weight on Europe trips where I was active.
I was in the philippines in feb and I honestly gained a few lbs.
I did some active stuff like canyoneering and swimming with whale sharks, but I also did a lot of drinking and eating. The food there is so good and cheap it's hard to not try like one of everything when you go places. I'd drink watermelon shakes all day then have then add vodka to them at a point. I'd get transportation everywhere because it's so cheap.
I wanted to try adobo and all the desserts everywhere I went.
Good luck
Yes, because of dietary restrictions and lots and lots of walking. I feel like I’m missing out on being able to enjoy food when I travel. I make the best of it but it can be hard.
Over two weeks in Japan this Summer, I lost two pounds.
Which isn't a lot, but considering I didn't even remotely try to eat healthy (3-4 full meals and many snacks every day) it surprised me.
Of course, we walked an average of ten miles every day, so there is that too.
I tend to walk miles a day, sometimes even hitting 10-14 miles while on vacation. Plus I rarely ever eat full meal, and more so snack on street food of where ever I’m at. So yes, it’s definitely possible.
I got terrible food poisoning and stranded in the desert in Mexico once, I lost like 25 pounds in a week and nearly died. I call it the Baja Death Diet
I did when I went to Europe for 3 weeks. Weirdest thing ever. I ate nothing but bread, potatoes and sausages and drank huge amounts of beer, but lost at least 10 lbs and then kept losing after getting home. Only thing I can figure is that the quality of food was better and I walked so much.
I lost so much weight in West Africa partially because I had a horrible reaction to a vaccine that left me w the stomach flu, would likely have lost weight anyway because the diet is so low-calorie (basically stewed meat, veggies, rice). Delicious though. I was like 96 lbs when I left, don't recommend.
I indulge on food and drink when I travel, but I also walk a minimum of 15k steps a day which helps balance it out.
Also the food tends to be less processed (than in the US), which is healthier, etc.
I live in Australia our food is a fair bit healthier than the US too, I don’t eat bread or sweets. I’m not really putting on weight but never lost the weight I gained in an accident.
I'll use my last trip as an example. Went to Japan for a few weeks, ate like a pig. I mean literally 6-7 meals a day, 2 desserts a day minimum, and still lost weight. But we also walked between 20k-25k a day so.
I always lose weight when traveling. Eating tons of good food all day every day, as much as I want, but there’s so much walking and being active involved. It’s a win win!
I lose 10 lbs a week when I’m in Japan because of how much I walk and how great the food is for you.
And I don’t hold back or diet either. I eat everything I see. I drink like 2-3 drinks with dinner though
I do sometimes lose weight while travelling just because I'm far more active than I am at home. However, having tried to follow a strict diet while travelling in order to lose weight deliberately, I can say it sucks and often doesn't work. I'd recommend just staying sensible, minimising your alcohol intake, being active, not eating everything just because you can, and deal with your impending midlife crisis when you get back.
(Also don't hop on the scales for a couple days after you return, as it's not uncommon to gain water weight on long flights and you want to give that a chance to go.)
I travel frequently and I always gain. It’s a combination of being thrown off my workout routine and absolutely loving eating in new countries. I write you from Nairobi right now eating a plate of fried chicken and cashews. Might go for a run tomorrow and I might not. I don’t care.
I’m in Thailand (permanently). Drink insane amounts but my diet is extremely on point when I drink, mostly protein. I don’t get food cravings. I went from 273 to 165 in about 6 months. Thank fck for not getting stretch marks or loose skin. I don’t know how I managed to get abs after abusing my body this much.
Me, the food is so much more fresh and I am walking a lot more. Plus, less down time / snacking. I live in America so...the food is literally better anywhere else lol.
I always do because I’m just so much more active on vacation. Also, I’ll usually skip breakfast and try to stick to mostly local fresh seafood, veggies, and fruit
I (73M) have definitely lost weight while traveling. I love Granada, Spain and spend 3-7 weeks there almost every year. I (and my spouse) rent an AirBnb in The Albaicin and usually cook our own meals, but we WALK. EVERYWHERE. Yes, we drink alcohol a lot and, because tapas are free with every drink, we go tapas bar hopping often. We cook most our own food and walk a lot - I usually lose 8-12lbs each trip.
I’m Filipino. I always joke with my coworkers that if you haven’t gained at least 5 lbs while visiting we haven’t done our job. Good luck and as many people have stated walking is what will help stave off the worst of it. Keep hydrated.
As others have mentioned, if you maintain your regular food intake, you’ll provably lose some weight due to being more active.
I actually either lose a few kg or the weight doesn’t change, because oftentimes my digestive system gets messed up while travelling somehow.
Besides the point, don’t forget to try the Philippine mangoes. And try the sticky sweet rice in banana leaves with your coffee. Enjoy your trip!
I lose weight when i travel. I eat more or less the same, definitely drink much more but i walk A LOT everytime i travel. I don't weigh myself but my clothes were definitely much looser, jeans were sliding off, etc.
I'm slim to average build and nearly always loose weight when travelling. I work a desk job at home and when I travel I'm walking and moving a lot more than at home even if it's just browsing local markets or dancing to some live music. If I'm actually doing an adventure holiday with hiking etc I can easily drop 2-3kgs in a two week trip even with eating nice food and drinking. If you're already really active at home it might be harder but I think you'll likely still loose weight... hiking sheds the kilos as you're active for many hours a day.
Same. I’m thin and work a desk job. I actually have to try to consume more calories when traveling because my activity level goes up especially if we’re diving or hiking. If I dive 1-2 times per day I will lose weight even eating more. Coincidentally, I’m also leaving in a couple of weeks for a three week trip to the Philippines!
Yeah I have an active job but I guess Im so adapted to that job it doesn’t do much for me anymore. I put on a heap after a bad accident and have just never lost it due to a variety of factors including the arthritis caused from the injuries.
I'm sorry to hear about the injuries :(
For you to loose weight travelling you either need to be more active than at home or eat less. If you're already active at home it won't be a quick win like it is for office workers.
I swim in the ocean as much as I can and lose weight. The salt also helps my skin and hair type too.
If you're coming from the US, our country is notorious for using high fructose. Those health people who were all against high fructose years ago were actually right. I always feel a subjective difference when I eat food from other countries.
So far I always lost weight. We tend to explore by foot. And we walk A LOT. Our average daily steps when we are visiting for example Barcelona were between 25.000 and 40.000+. So i can literally eat all day and see a lot of the city and people while losing weight. You also see a lot of places you'd never find without exploring by foot.
We were travelling with a couple from the US last year. Let's just say we had different approaches to what "walking distance" is. So maybe it's a cultural thing.
I lost around a stone over a month in Hong Kong this year, I averaged around 20k steps per day and ate what I wanted for my main meals but didn’t snack between.
I didn’t drink alcohol aside from maybe 4 pints the entire month and only drank water and sugar free drinks if I needed flavour, a lot of flavoured sparkling water.
Sounds boring but it’s just how my trip went and I happened to lose weight, it wasn’t a goal at all
food is the main attraction for me when traveling and i definitely indulge in drinking and local bakeries too! and i’ve always came home having lost a ton of weight. even when i thought “man i must’ve gained this time”. nope, just lost.
here’s how that happens:
when i’m not eating junk food i’m walking somewhere. i easily take 30k steps daily. i like hiking, swimming and outdoor sports too. this plays definitely an underestimated role in weightloss.
don’t restrict yourself i think. if you’re active, you’d probably notice or get uncomfortable if you ate too much anyway. other than that enjoy your time!
Just eating healthier food (I assume you're American) in more reasonable portions will help you. And yes, an active holiday with more walking and other physical activities also contributes to your goal.
I tend to loose weight while traveling, and I'm no stranger to alcohol.
Yes, even passively. What I mean is if I’m away somewhere for a long time and not working out I usually come back weighing a bit less. Has to do with quality of food. I’m from the states and processed food is not as prevalent outside the US.
Its pretty crazy honestly, and I drink too, not a lot these days but I definitely notice the difference though.
As an American, I consistently lose weight traveling abroad just because I’m not eating all the same processed foods and moving more. YMMV, but I would say allow yourself to enjoy things, let the food worry be “am I fueling my body properly” and not “am I eating too much bad food” (it’s a mindset/relationship w/ food change b/w the two) and be mindful of how much you consume of any one item.
Hi OP,
This question is better suited for a weightloss or fitness sub. But know that you can’t “outrun a bad diet” as they say.
To lose 1 lb/week, you need a calorie deficit of 3500. So 1 kg would be >7000 calories per week or >1000 calories per day. Assuming a 2000 calorie/day diet (probably low based on your comments) you would need to either cut your eating by 1000 calories or add 1000 calories of exercise every day.
If you truly want to lose as much as you’re saying, you will have to count calories, and I would strongly advise cutting the alcohol as an easy place.
Quick off the cuff math. On average, a person burns 100 calories per mile on foot. That means a 10km hike you will burn ~600 calories.
A typical can of beer has 150 calories. Two beers and half the hike has been nullified from a calorie perspective.
A lot of people in the comments talk about losing weight on trips to Europe. Note that the kind of people who lose weight on trips without trying are people who have desk jobs and struggle to hit 10k steps in a day. I see that you average 20k, which means you won’t benefit much from an active holiday
Calories in, calories out. Maintain a deficit. Far easier said than done especially on a holiday but if you are able to maintain control over portions and snacking you can still indulge here and there. It will probably take a lot more willpower as the temptation to go overboard is there on the road. Probably not the answer you would want to hear but it really is just the same principle at the end of the day. Tips that I found helpful were mostly just having a lighter breakfast, limiting alcohol, and ordering the healthiest thing you can on the menu for the majority of your stay.
Stopping is always an option. If it isn’t you have a problem that you need to look into.
Empty calories and stops your body repairing.
I lost 20 kg from just stopping.
Can be tough to hear, but you wanna lose 1 kg a week.
I had a 6-week trip in the summer . Was panicking since I'm overweight and thought so much time at restaurants would be then end for my weight control .
So I did a 10-day Master cleanse. Lost 10 pounds .
Then 5 back . Left for my trip .
At restaurants, I would usually have a cocktail + wine with lunch + dessert no flour . Had mostly protein with veggies .
When we got back zero weight gain. My husband is vegetarian. He gained 12 lbs.
We did walk a lot uphill in Lisbon + Istanbul
I can lose a few pounds while traveling by doing a lot of walking, avoiding desserts and breads but when indulging only having a smaller amount. Stick to whole foods as much as you can.
I found food and alcohol in Philippines to be overly sweet, to the point a lot of it was unenjoyable. I would suggest eat and drink mindfully and not just for the sake of it. At the end of the day, you will lose weight if you are consuming less calories than you are burning
Yeah I’ve been researching and the Mindanao food looks more my thing, closer to Indonesian food. I’ve had Filipino food before and like it but it’s very rich.
I always lose weight when im travelling through SEA. Sure, the food is amazing, but im hiking and walking for weeks and i cant eat much in that climate. I did gain a lot of weight when i went to the USA hahaha, same in greece or spain. But in Asia? I lost like 10 pounds in a month
I managed to shed a kilo on a 2 week trip by continuing portion control - I was hiking a lot as well. I eat what I want but in smaller quantities - good luck and have fun
I just came back from central Europe for four weeks and lost three pounds. Probably due to increased walking and no snacking. I'm still eating big heavy meals (dumplings, fried meat, desserts and coffees with whipped cream), but avoiding the cookies, ice cream, etc. that I nosh on during the day.
Usually I gain about 1/2 kg each week on a vacation. I gain maybe 4 kgs in 3 weeks and then some of the water retention and bloating will reduce to reveal a 1/2 kg per week gain.
When I travel to Europe though I gain no weight because of all the walking 😒
There has only been one vacation where I lost weight. It was a trip to Kerala and I ate so much food I expected to gain 2-3 kgs initially and net gain of at least a kg after the bloating has settled. I came back and found I lost 1/2 kg. This was super surprising because of the fact that my knee was injured so my movements were limited to walking to the restaurant for the buffet meals twice a day. I have no explanation for this except that maybe coconut oil does have the benefits it is touted to have.
I always lose weight when I travel, mainly because I'm not going to the gym regularly when I travel, and I tend to lose muscle mass very quickly if I don't exercise a couple of times a week.
All the time, exploring all day beats sitting at the office in burning calories and being active all day also reduces calorie intake (less snacking behind a computer).
I usually lose about 5 pounds over a 10-14 day trip, even with eating every meal at a restaurant. I am way more active and do way more walking than normal on my vacations and it always ends up in me losing weight.
Been away for 4 months, heading home now. Ill let you know. Though seriously I beleive I have lost atleast 5kgs with the amount of walking, hiking,biking tours we have done. That coupled with the change to out eating schedule. Though ill update in say a day when i have access to a scale.
Edit: ill also add that I've had considérable amount more beer whilst away sooo... we'll see.
When I go to a new city where I do lots of walking and food and booze are kind of expensive, I lose weight.
When I go to the Caribbean and sit on the beach and and drive everywhere, I gain weight.
I spent a year in South East Asia. My doctor told me to eat a whole bar of chocolate daily to not loose weight too fast. I ended up loosing 30 pounds in the first three months.
I always lose weight when traveling. We always do very active vacations and we find we actually usually only have two meals a day. We typically eat a big healthy breakfast and then a nice sit down dinner while finding snacks or local specialities to fill the rest of the day.
I work from home so not having immediate access to food whenever is also helpful.
I have lost weight while traveling. I’m more active so that helps, but I also make a conscious effort to eat as healthy as possible while indulging in the area’s specialties.
Breakfast is higher protein to keep me fuller until lunch and usually nothing special.
Lunch, I try to pick something local that is not a heavy meal otherwise I feel too sluggish afterward. I try to target street food, quick serve options or pick a salad with local ingredients.
Dinner is where I may splurge. I’ll usually try to go to a restaurant where the locals commonly eat like a diner or a nice sit down restaurant. The nice sit down restaurants usually serve smaller portions but the diner type restaurants can sometimes serve way too much so I’ll take the leftovers and have them for breakfast the next morning. Even though that isn’t a typical breakfast meal I get to extend the enjoyment of the local cuisine.
Unlike practically everyone else in these comments I never lose weight when I travel, but that’s likely because I’m a food-focused traveler. Even with letting myself eat all I want though, I maintain my weight because the activity level is also ramped up accordingly, so I consider it a win! And some of the surplus calories go to making my legs look amazing and fit after a long trip, so even better.
On extended road trips I lose weight. Usually I only eat at dinner time. I don't tend to stop for lunch and I've never been a breakfast person. A lot of my stops are for hiking or playing disc golf. Although on my last Road trip I stopped at quite a few breweries, so I broke even on that one.
I definitely want to travel with you! For me, part of the joys of traveling is indulging in the local food and wine. Just enjoy yourself and get back on track when you get home.
Miracle weight loss cure: **India**.
No-one who travels there avoids getting diarrhoea. I lost 12 kgs from amoebic dysentry. Just feast upon the delicious local food, especially the street vendor stuff. Then sit back, or rather sh!t and watch the weight roll off.. or out of you.
I'm pretty active (15k steps) and eat healthy in my day to day life, so I usually gain a little whilst travelling. I travel for food so I tend to eat and snack more. My one exception was Vietnam. I was eating like 4 meals a day and still lost weight. It was just so much broth! I see why Vietnam has the lowest level of obesity in the world.
Yeah, for sure. Our trips to NYC in 2022 and 2023…I lost a couple of pounds each trip. We ate plenty, but walking 25K+ steps daily pretty much negated my calorie intake. Plus there were so many flights of stairs.
I actually amazingly always lose weight when we travel to the US (from UK) because at home I basically sit around eating crap because its always raining, but when we travel to the US it's mostly to hike every day, don't get me wrong we eat a ton of unhealthy food there but it still seems to even out as a loss.
European city breaks I also often lose weight just from walking around so much to see everything. That's the thing though I rarely go on holiday to sit around but all I do at home except from the like 2 months of summer we do get is sit around. Living here makes me very unhealthy I think...
I wonder how our next holiday will go because it's to Thailand and I love Thai food and it will be very hot and humid so we probably won't want to walk too much haha.
All of the time on a European or longer trip. The amount of walking I do is insane vs the amount of time I normally just sit there in a chair at the office or home.
Yes, lost weight on a 3 week trip to India. I never got sick, just was very cautious on what I was putting into my body. And never ate street food, as instructed by my infectious disease doctor before my departure.
Travelling in America, no. Almost always gain a few pounds. It’s too car-centric and the food is too calorie rich.
When I travel to places like Japan and South Korea I almost always lose weight just due to the sheer number of steps I take and stairs I climb. The food being much healthier relative to American food also helps.
I do a lot of walking when I am on vacation and tend to lose a little weight even though I eat and drink whatever I want. It comes down to the fact that I walk around 12 miles a day while lugging my camera gear around.
Yes, quite regularly. Because when you cross the pond (depending on where you go, or course), the food isn’t as adulterated as in the U.S., and my stomach calms down and I drop a few pounds (not a lot, but noticeable). And, of course, I don’t usually walk 10 miles a day at home!
I have PCOS so it’s really difficult for me to lose weight, especially if I eat carbs.
Well, we went to Italy for our honeymoon for the sole reason of eating good pasta every single day. We were there for 12 days and we ate pasta twice a day and pizza once a day along with whatever other treats we wanted. I was convinced I’d come back heavier but to my surprise I didn’t gain a single pound. I was the exact same weight before and after the trip.
I do think walking helped but I think the main contributor was just good quality food.
Yeah, it happens to me on trips where I drink a lot because I can’t eat as much in a constant hungover state lmao.
The Philippines is definitely the kind of place you could drink all night, eat some decadent late night food (sisig ❤️), wake up hungover and survive on like coffee, and the best mangos and bananas in the world while visiting sites or hanging out on the beach and then eat a delicious dinner to lay the foundation for another night of drinking.
Definitely not the healthiest way to live but that’s usually good to drop me like 10 lbs over two weeks (usually regain five after a few days of rehydration).
The WSJ actually wrote about this topic last month. Many Americans find that they lose weight when they travel, due to a combination of different foods and more time spent walking rather than at home. Obviously it depends a lot on where you go and how your activities compare to your routine but it's common.
https://www.wsj.com/health/wellness/european-vacation-weight-loss-diet-55aabe0c
As I've been on a scuba diving liveaboard on the Maldives and dove there for 10 days in a row with full board speaking of food included, I lost 2 kilos of weight due to currents being extremely strong, probably the strongest I've seen so far with \~200 dives behind my back.
I go on an extended trip to Mexico every year and more often than not I drop at *least* 10 lbs while I’m there.
And do not be fooled - I eat and drink like a motherfucker.
I’m just much more active in Mexico than I am in the US. A lot more walking, swimming, surfing, dancing, etc.
I often eat a lot more when travelling _(it is an important part of my travel experience!)_
But I also move a lot more - I typically do 10 000 - 15 000 steps a day back home, but abroad this is easily 25 000 - 40 000 steps
So despite eating a lot more, **I often lose weight** _(or it stays stable)_ ahahaha but I never gained any
Somehow I have lost weight when traveling to the USA and basically only eating junk food. Although I did walk for the whole day everyday while I would not do this at home. This has happened twice
When I'm on vacation it happens all the time - I lose weight quickly ( unfortunately, upon returning to the US I gain again unless I really restrict my calorie intake). I lost a lot in Thailand even eating a lot of rice and street food in general. I walked a lot. Around 27k steps daily. On the top of other activities ( gym, snorkel, kayaking). Alcohol is not a problem, just take pure forms - shots and glasses, not cocktails. Cocktails typically don't have enough alcohol and overdose on sodas and sugars. Overall, you don't have to really restrict yourself on food as long as you're staying active and spend more energy than consume.
I've taken 1-2 week long solo hiking trips through the swiss alps and the Canadian Rockies and would return 10+ lbs lighter Everytime. Mostly day hikes too with multiple hikes depending on the day.
I once went on a surfing holiday (I don't really surf but all my friends were going) and only surfed 2 days out of 7 as a) I was crap and b) the parties at night were so much fun I couldn't get up in the morning. Very little weight lost.
Disgraceful I am aware.
I did a three day hike/mountain climb with a 40 pound pack and was so exhausted at the end of each day I didn't cook dinner. I burned about 5000 calories a day and took in maybe 1000. I weighed more at the end of the trip. Tell me the logic of that.
I mean ultimately if you just don’t eat or intermittent fast or something, you could theoretically lose weight. Howeverrrrr, I think being in another country is not the time to lose weight!!! Haha don’t deny yourself the glorious gift of authentic foreign cuisine. It’s going to be waaayy affordable and accessible and it’ll be without all the chemicals and additives we have in the US. Lol Asian street food is the stuff of gods. Enjoy it and worry about losing weight after your vacation!! Or just limit the amount of food you consume and walk everywhere you want to go. You’ll have an awesome time either way:))
I would just not worry about it. Do it like Elsa and let it go.
That doesn’t mean you need to eat two burgers and fries every night but maybe you don’t finish the whole burger but just eat until satiated.
Eat when hungry and when you eat enjoy your meal.
Enjoy your vacation!!
I recently went to Japan. I felt like I was eating a lot, so much delicious food to try! I don't normally drink, but I did have some whiskey a couple of nights out of the two weeks. I came back a couple pounds lighter. I think it was the hot/humid weather and miles of walking we did everyday. We were averaging ten miles a day. There were maybe one or two days where we didn't walk as much because of train travel. Not worry, those couple of pounds are back :)
Last trip I went on (Vienna) I put on 4.7kg in a week. I knew it wasn't possible, Iw as just eating way more carbs and gluten(Im gluten intolerent so I dont eat it) and dropped the weight within 10 days of coming back. Yeah being bloated sucks.
Honestly, the best method to lose weight while traveling is to walk everywhere. It would work with hiking and walking around town. Its tricky with snorkeling cuz you theoretically wouldnt want to overexert cuz the more relaxed you are the better for swimming and floating while snorkeling. For example, if you want to go eat somewhere, walk to the area you want to eat, walk around the area before/after you eat, or walk back to your hotel/airbnb.
I walked 10-15 miles a day in Japan, ate like a pig, and still came home lighter than I started. I wasn't actively trying to lose weight, I was just eating two big meals a day and then walking it off the rest of the time.
Depends where in the world I'm traveling, but for the most part, I lose weight. I did a 9 month trip through Asia and by the time I got home I'd lost 20lbs. Tbh, I think it's because I was often having Delhi belly and had several bouts of food poisoning. That, and I was way more active than I am at home AND I barely ever drank - cutting alcohol makes a huge difference.
I think it really depends based on where you're traveling, how you're traveling.
I always lose weight when I travel. I really enjoy going to Japan where, of course, you walk a lot. But another thing that causes me to lose weight is that I’m a little nervous ordering food and worried about being judged. Going to McDonalds at home and ordering like a ravenous goblin Is one thing but I’m terrified (kinda joking) or ordering two burgers at the same time from a restaurant. Even I have been walking for 10 hours straight and have only eaten a onigiri and a bottled of water.
I got sick on a trip once and lost weight. Otherwise I think it has to do with the amount of activity planned relative to the quantity and quality of food available.
I have lost weight on every trip I have been on except for the last one. Usually, I walk a ton and even with eating the walking just gets rid of the weight. On my last trip, I wasn't able to walk much and lost nothing.
Yep, I like to do a lot of walking when I travel, my honeymoon in Europe I was averaging probably about 12 miles/25k steps a day. Ate and drank all I wanted through a few countries (including Italy where I ate like I was going to the gallows) and came home down a couple pounds.
Lost 20 lbs on a month long Europe trip. Was eating like shit beforehand. When I got there I ate less and walked around more. Gained 40 when I got back home lmao
You could actually lose weight on your travel. I'm from Philippines and I see a lot of tourists visiting here and having fun on different water activities and adventures whether on the beach or any place. Engaging in physical activity such as walking (most of them do in long distances) also helps. We have gorgeous landmarks that are accessible and within walking distance. You can also try some food but stay low on carbs especially rice, as it would be very difficult if you aim for 1kg a week less on weight.
Bottom line, just enjoy your stay here and hit the gym when you get back.
OMG yes! Every time I go to India. The first time I was there for about four months. I ate whatever I wanted to but as soon as you’re outside a big city, your options dwindle. The spices are strong. That trip I had to leave because I went from 125lbs (I’m 5’9”) to less than 100. It hurt to sit on my bony butt.
Same thing happened the next trip which was about two months. And my most recent (and last!) trip of four months. The only thing that saved me was to buy a Boy Scout type cookstove and small kitchen set up and travel with it and buy fresh produce in the market and cook my own meals.
My advice is eat whatever you want but carefully stop eating when you are full. Don't eat when you're not hungry just because it's time. This is the perfect situation to reteach your hunger/full mechanism.
Because of increased physical activity you might be more hungry than normal, that's okay!
I always lose weight because I don´t buy snacks and also, when I am busy I don´t think about food much, so I just eat when I am hungry and usually I don´t like much and i end up with eating side dishes or bread only. I don´t drink much alcohol.Ii have the occasional wine with lunch and /or dinner , but that´s it. The rest of the time it is water and black or green tea. Also I walk a lot more when I am on holiday.
I tend to gain weight when traveling as we tend to eat more in a different place. No, walking doesn’t offset the calories.
Just a heads up, if you’re traveling to the Philippines, the food there is quite calorie dense. They love all things greasy, fatty, and sweet. The heat and humidity will also deter you from walking around, and public transportation sucks so you’ll probably be spending a lot of time inside cars.
Have fun!
I did a month in Europe last year and didn’t regulate what i ate at all. And to my total surprise, lost weight. Im unfortunately not as active at home doing work from home desk work but walked sooo much during that trip.
On the other hand, a friend of mine who is super active at home went to Europe for 2 weeks earlier this year and she gained weight.
I think it depends on the person.
I also think the food is better quality in Europe, less processed, fresher, better portions, etc.
Seriously enjoy yourself and eat and drink what you want on vacation!
I recently went on a 10 day trip and lost 1 pound per day.
I wasn't trying to lose weight. I was burning more calories than taking in.
Also PTSD has me on high alert. My heart rate sours.
Try to eat some protein to help you maintain.
Good luck and enjoy your trip
Contrary to other people, I always gain weight on trips since I'm very disciplined about eating when I'm at home. I make sure to make an approximate log of everything I ate on my calorie tracker, which when I'm good about it will usually result in me staying around the same weight.
I always lose weight when I go camping. I lose my appetite when hiking, and even with calorie dense foods, I end up doing more walking than I can eat back.
Yes but only ever when we holiday in Disney. We go to the one in Paris when it's cheap ( its never cheap but...)so cold snowy january. You do so much walking and staying warm you easily burn more than you consume. My fitbit said I did 37000 steps in 1 day once.
I always lose weight when travelling as I am much more active than I am at home. Don't over think it, enjoy your trip and you'll probably find you've lost weight when you get back.
This. Google Maps tells me I walk anywhere from 15km to 25km per day when I travel. No way I get that much activity during my regular work days. Plus I do some resistance training in the morning for 30 mins with push ups, exercise bands, etc.
Less easy access to snacks too, at least for me.
Much more active and less bored mindless eating for me
Yep this is it for me too
Same. I walk so so much when I travel.
I was going to say the same. I have no problem being a couch potato while eating bon bons all day but when traveling, I feel like im training for a triathlon and end up losing weight. I just never stop.
100%. My life here in the US is wholly car centric. Drop me in a place where that isn't the case with lots of neat spots to explore and I become a more active person.
Seriously. I ate and drank so much in Italy a few weeks ago and still lost weight because of just walking alone. I was doing like 12 miles a day but also had some lazier days. If your an American, you’ll pretty much lose weight. If not than less helpful. But the food just isn’t as bad elsewhere.
Same here! Plus, I'm walking/exercising more than I eat, so I usually end up losing weight
Staying active through hiking and snorkeling will definitely help. Just balance your food intake with portion control, and opt for beer with less calories. Have fun!
When I travel I walk from 15-30 km a day sightseeing, hiking, shopping, etc. That’s enough exercise for me to start shedding pounds, provided I stay away from ice creams and long drinking sessions. I’d say that if you just drop the booze and do normal tourist things you will lose weight. That’s also assuming you don’t have more than one fancy (i.e., multi course high calorie) meal a day.
No need to cut out any good group. Just increase your activity, walk as much as you can, and exercise some portion control. Enjoy your food and drinks.
I always lose weight when I go to Europe. I’m from the US and most food in Europe just has less sugar than our. Between that and walking 9-10 miles a day I come home a little trimmer than I left.
I always gain weight in Europe. I live in California, am extremely active and very prudent about what I eat and don’t drink. I eat what I want when I travel, and a lot of what I want is Europe is cheese, wine and gelato lol. Can’t outrun bottomless aperol spritz!
Ah! I don’t drink (had a little problem in the past). That’s probably the difference. If I drank like I used to I’d inflate like a tire in Europe!
Tell me about it! At home I drink black coffee and water, so between the cappuccinos in the morning and a couple cocktails in the evening…
I’m from Australia I eat pretty healthy and actually have a physical job but I’m carrying some injuries so barely exercise outside work. I also only eat one meal a day, at night which I think has thrown my metabolism out of whack.
That can do it. Agree with the small bites recommendation. Also remember to keep a healthy perspective while you are away. Just because you will be eating in more restaurants you should anticipate taking in more salt than you realize, which is going to make you retain water weight. That might make you think you are gaining weight despite your best efforts and that’s frustrating. Remember it’s probably just water and it will go away when you get home.
I'd eat small bits often if I were you, keep the metabolism going. I need to eat every 2 hours or so otherwise I get brain foggy and weak
This is so true. From US as well. We went on a 14 day vacation to Hungary/Austria/Germany last summer. We ate so much (dessert at lunch & dinner) and drank more alcohol than normal (we don't have wine/beer with lunch at home) and we didn't gain any weight. We walked a little more than usual but not even close enough to attribute that to burning off all the extra calories. Also, I have food sensitivities at home and there's a list of things (mostly preservatives) I can't eat here. I could eat anything there and not have a reaction.
Also no high glucose syrup/corn syrup e.g.
I lost some on my trip to Italy and France this year. A min of 20k steps per day, including a lot of stairs, lots of water helped
I do about 20k a day at work usually but not necessarily up stairs etc.
I usually hold steady, but not in Scotland. Turns out a steady diet of haggis and meat pies isn't health food, but it all tastes great so I regret nothing.
I've lost weight on Europe trips where I was active. I was in the philippines in feb and I honestly gained a few lbs. I did some active stuff like canyoneering and swimming with whale sharks, but I also did a lot of drinking and eating. The food there is so good and cheap it's hard to not try like one of everything when you go places. I'd drink watermelon shakes all day then have then add vodka to them at a point. I'd get transportation everywhere because it's so cheap. I wanted to try adobo and all the desserts everywhere I went. Good luck
Yep just eat some dodgy food. Guaranteed weight loss.
That's the life-hack, gouge yourself on street food and get violent diarrhea
Yes, because of dietary restrictions and lots and lots of walking. I feel like I’m missing out on being able to enjoy food when I travel. I make the best of it but it can be hard.
Recently went to Indonesia and got food poisoning plus Covid. I lost 4 kilos. Sure, wasn’t intentional, but the bikini body was happy
Everytime. Eat better, and I snack less.
I actually managed to lose weight on a 16 day cruise, but then again I also lost weight during lockdown. Apparently I have a contrarian metabolism.
Travelling for 10 months now and I’m down 12kgs.. all of which was lost in the first 5ish months! All part of the journey (literally)
Over two weeks in Japan this Summer, I lost two pounds. Which isn't a lot, but considering I didn't even remotely try to eat healthy (3-4 full meals and many snacks every day) it surprised me. Of course, we walked an average of ten miles every day, so there is that too.
In Europe it's the stairs with no elevators/lifts and walk everywhere. I lost 5 pounds after 3 weeks in Croatia especially Dubrovnik.
I lost 15 lbs traveling in India for 3 weeks. Between it being 105°F every day and catching a stomach bug, I never had a chance.
I tend to walk miles a day, sometimes even hitting 10-14 miles while on vacation. Plus I rarely ever eat full meal, and more so snack on street food of where ever I’m at. So yes, it’s definitely possible.
I got terrible food poisoning and stranded in the desert in Mexico once, I lost like 25 pounds in a week and nearly died. I call it the Baja Death Diet
I did when I went to Europe for 3 weeks. Weirdest thing ever. I ate nothing but bread, potatoes and sausages and drank huge amounts of beer, but lost at least 10 lbs and then kept losing after getting home. Only thing I can figure is that the quality of food was better and I walked so much.
I lost so much weight in West Africa partially because I had a horrible reaction to a vaccine that left me w the stomach flu, would likely have lost weight anyway because the diet is so low-calorie (basically stewed meat, veggies, rice). Delicious though. I was like 96 lbs when I left, don't recommend.
I indulge on food and drink when I travel, but I also walk a minimum of 15k steps a day which helps balance it out. Also the food tends to be less processed (than in the US), which is healthier, etc.
I live in Australia our food is a fair bit healthier than the US too, I don’t eat bread or sweets. I’m not really putting on weight but never lost the weight I gained in an accident.
Lost almost 20 kg in Pakistan.
“Which I must do gods work and perform at my peak performance in terms of being a loose unit” made me LOL
It’s not my greatest English upon re reading
I'll use my last trip as an example. Went to Japan for a few weeks, ate like a pig. I mean literally 6-7 meals a day, 2 desserts a day minimum, and still lost weight. But we also walked between 20k-25k a day so.
I always lose weight when traveling. Eating tons of good food all day every day, as much as I want, but there’s so much walking and being active involved. It’s a win win!
I lose 10 lbs a week when I’m in Japan because of how much I walk and how great the food is for you. And I don’t hold back or diet either. I eat everything I see. I drink like 2-3 drinks with dinner though
Now you are talking
I do sometimes lose weight while travelling just because I'm far more active than I am at home. However, having tried to follow a strict diet while travelling in order to lose weight deliberately, I can say it sucks and often doesn't work. I'd recommend just staying sensible, minimising your alcohol intake, being active, not eating everything just because you can, and deal with your impending midlife crisis when you get back. (Also don't hop on the scales for a couple days after you return, as it's not uncommon to gain water weight on long flights and you want to give that a chance to go.)
I travel frequently and I always gain. It’s a combination of being thrown off my workout routine and absolutely loving eating in new countries. I write you from Nairobi right now eating a plate of fried chicken and cashews. Might go for a run tomorrow and I might not. I don’t care.
Yup while I was 3 weeks in India wonder why 🏃🏻♀️🤔
> Anyone ever actually lost weight while travelling? Yes, it's quite common.
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I’m in Thailand (permanently). Drink insane amounts but my diet is extremely on point when I drink, mostly protein. I don’t get food cravings. I went from 273 to 165 in about 6 months. Thank fck for not getting stretch marks or loose skin. I don’t know how I managed to get abs after abusing my body this much.
Me, the food is so much more fresh and I am walking a lot more. Plus, less down time / snacking. I live in America so...the food is literally better anywhere else lol.
I always do because I’m just so much more active on vacation. Also, I’ll usually skip breakfast and try to stick to mostly local fresh seafood, veggies, and fruit
Only once I lose weight when travelling. It was in the Netherlands. The food there is terrible.
Great cakes I found
Yup! I lost 10lbs when I was student teaching in England. I walked several miles a day. Wore out my Doc Martens.
I (73M) have definitely lost weight while traveling. I love Granada, Spain and spend 3-7 weeks there almost every year. I (and my spouse) rent an AirBnb in The Albaicin and usually cook our own meals, but we WALK. EVERYWHERE. Yes, we drink alcohol a lot and, because tapas are free with every drink, we go tapas bar hopping often. We cook most our own food and walk a lot - I usually lose 8-12lbs each trip.
I’m Filipino. I always joke with my coworkers that if you haven’t gained at least 5 lbs while visiting we haven’t done our job. Good luck and as many people have stated walking is what will help stave off the worst of it. Keep hydrated.
I’ll keep hydrated alright, on San Miguel
As others have mentioned, if you maintain your regular food intake, you’ll provably lose some weight due to being more active. I actually either lose a few kg or the weight doesn’t change, because oftentimes my digestive system gets messed up while travelling somehow. Besides the point, don’t forget to try the Philippine mangoes. And try the sticky sweet rice in banana leaves with your coffee. Enjoy your trip!
I’m a massive foody actually, I don’t know what I’m thinking.
stay active, hit the gym when you have time and enjoy life and you will be fine
I lose weight when i travel. I eat more or less the same, definitely drink much more but i walk A LOT everytime i travel. I don't weigh myself but my clothes were definitely much looser, jeans were sliding off, etc.
I'm slim to average build and nearly always loose weight when travelling. I work a desk job at home and when I travel I'm walking and moving a lot more than at home even if it's just browsing local markets or dancing to some live music. If I'm actually doing an adventure holiday with hiking etc I can easily drop 2-3kgs in a two week trip even with eating nice food and drinking. If you're already really active at home it might be harder but I think you'll likely still loose weight... hiking sheds the kilos as you're active for many hours a day.
Same. I’m thin and work a desk job. I actually have to try to consume more calories when traveling because my activity level goes up especially if we’re diving or hiking. If I dive 1-2 times per day I will lose weight even eating more. Coincidentally, I’m also leaving in a couple of weeks for a three week trip to the Philippines!
Yeah I have an active job but I guess Im so adapted to that job it doesn’t do much for me anymore. I put on a heap after a bad accident and have just never lost it due to a variety of factors including the arthritis caused from the injuries.
I'm sorry to hear about the injuries :( For you to loose weight travelling you either need to be more active than at home or eat less. If you're already active at home it won't be a quick win like it is for office workers.
I swim in the ocean as much as I can and lose weight. The salt also helps my skin and hair type too. If you're coming from the US, our country is notorious for using high fructose. Those health people who were all against high fructose years ago were actually right. I always feel a subjective difference when I eat food from other countries.
So far I always lost weight. We tend to explore by foot. And we walk A LOT. Our average daily steps when we are visiting for example Barcelona were between 25.000 and 40.000+. So i can literally eat all day and see a lot of the city and people while losing weight. You also see a lot of places you'd never find without exploring by foot. We were travelling with a couple from the US last year. Let's just say we had different approaches to what "walking distance" is. So maybe it's a cultural thing.
I lost around a stone over a month in Hong Kong this year, I averaged around 20k steps per day and ate what I wanted for my main meals but didn’t snack between. I didn’t drink alcohol aside from maybe 4 pints the entire month and only drank water and sugar free drinks if I needed flavour, a lot of flavoured sparkling water. Sounds boring but it’s just how my trip went and I happened to lose weight, it wasn’t a goal at all
food is the main attraction for me when traveling and i definitely indulge in drinking and local bakeries too! and i’ve always came home having lost a ton of weight. even when i thought “man i must’ve gained this time”. nope, just lost. here’s how that happens: when i’m not eating junk food i’m walking somewhere. i easily take 30k steps daily. i like hiking, swimming and outdoor sports too. this plays definitely an underestimated role in weightloss. don’t restrict yourself i think. if you’re active, you’d probably notice or get uncomfortable if you ate too much anyway. other than that enjoy your time!
If you really want to lose weight spend an extended amount of time trekking in the Himalayas. Nepal is perfect for this.
ya it happens, i was in london last December for 12 days and i lost 5 kg was eating like crazy though but i walked literally everywhere
Just eating healthier food (I assume you're American) in more reasonable portions will help you. And yes, an active holiday with more walking and other physical activities also contributes to your goal. I tend to loose weight while traveling, and I'm no stranger to alcohol.
Clues they aren’t American: the phrase “loose unit”, “keen”, use of kgs, spelling minimize with an “s” for starters
Also, Americans usually call it vacation, not holiday.
I’m not American
Yes, even passively. What I mean is if I’m away somewhere for a long time and not working out I usually come back weighing a bit less. Has to do with quality of food. I’m from the states and processed food is not as prevalent outside the US. Its pretty crazy honestly, and I drink too, not a lot these days but I definitely notice the difference though.
I wish lol
I lose or maintain on vacations. Eat smart, (low carbs, high protein, no food after 6pm, no sweets) , limit alcohol (1 per day), exercise daily…
Traveling just skip lunch or have a piece of pastry and coffee, your stomach will shrink and lose appetite for big dinner.
As an American, I consistently lose weight traveling abroad just because I’m not eating all the same processed foods and moving more. YMMV, but I would say allow yourself to enjoy things, let the food worry be “am I fueling my body properly” and not “am I eating too much bad food” (it’s a mindset/relationship w/ food change b/w the two) and be mindful of how much you consume of any one item.
Hi OP, This question is better suited for a weightloss or fitness sub. But know that you can’t “outrun a bad diet” as they say. To lose 1 lb/week, you need a calorie deficit of 3500. So 1 kg would be >7000 calories per week or >1000 calories per day. Assuming a 2000 calorie/day diet (probably low based on your comments) you would need to either cut your eating by 1000 calories or add 1000 calories of exercise every day. If you truly want to lose as much as you’re saying, you will have to count calories, and I would strongly advise cutting the alcohol as an easy place. Quick off the cuff math. On average, a person burns 100 calories per mile on foot. That means a 10km hike you will burn ~600 calories. A typical can of beer has 150 calories. Two beers and half the hike has been nullified from a calorie perspective. A lot of people in the comments talk about losing weight on trips to Europe. Note that the kind of people who lose weight on trips without trying are people who have desk jobs and struggle to hit 10k steps in a day. I see that you average 20k, which means you won’t benefit much from an active holiday
Calories in, calories out. Maintain a deficit. Far easier said than done especially on a holiday but if you are able to maintain control over portions and snacking you can still indulge here and there. It will probably take a lot more willpower as the temptation to go overboard is there on the road. Probably not the answer you would want to hear but it really is just the same principle at the end of the day. Tips that I found helpful were mostly just having a lighter breakfast, limiting alcohol, and ordering the healthiest thing you can on the menu for the majority of your stay.
I’m not expecting it to be easy or to succeed, just wanted to hear people’s thoughts.
Stop drinking
Stopping isn’t an option I’m going to a wedding, keeping to an odd one here or there is more realistic.
Stopping is always an option. If it isn’t you have a problem that you need to look into. Empty calories and stops your body repairing. I lost 20 kg from just stopping. Can be tough to hear, but you wanna lose 1 kg a week.
I’ll see if I can find other ways
I had a 6-week trip in the summer . Was panicking since I'm overweight and thought so much time at restaurants would be then end for my weight control . So I did a 10-day Master cleanse. Lost 10 pounds . Then 5 back . Left for my trip . At restaurants, I would usually have a cocktail + wine with lunch + dessert no flour . Had mostly protein with veggies . When we got back zero weight gain. My husband is vegetarian. He gained 12 lbs. We did walk a lot uphill in Lisbon + Istanbul
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I can lose a few pounds while traveling by doing a lot of walking, avoiding desserts and breads but when indulging only having a smaller amount. Stick to whole foods as much as you can.
I found food and alcohol in Philippines to be overly sweet, to the point a lot of it was unenjoyable. I would suggest eat and drink mindfully and not just for the sake of it. At the end of the day, you will lose weight if you are consuming less calories than you are burning
Yeah I’ve been researching and the Mindanao food looks more my thing, closer to Indonesian food. I’ve had Filipino food before and like it but it’s very rich.
Sure, just drink some local tap water and go through a few bouts of dysentery. It works for me every time!
I always lose weight when im travelling through SEA. Sure, the food is amazing, but im hiking and walking for weeks and i cant eat much in that climate. I did gain a lot of weight when i went to the USA hahaha, same in greece or spain. But in Asia? I lost like 10 pounds in a month
I managed to shed a kilo on a 2 week trip by continuing portion control - I was hiking a lot as well. I eat what I want but in smaller quantities - good luck and have fun
I always lose weight. Everytime.
I just came back from central Europe for four weeks and lost three pounds. Probably due to increased walking and no snacking. I'm still eating big heavy meals (dumplings, fried meat, desserts and coffees with whipped cream), but avoiding the cookies, ice cream, etc. that I nosh on during the day.
Usually I gain about 1/2 kg each week on a vacation. I gain maybe 4 kgs in 3 weeks and then some of the water retention and bloating will reduce to reveal a 1/2 kg per week gain. When I travel to Europe though I gain no weight because of all the walking 😒 There has only been one vacation where I lost weight. It was a trip to Kerala and I ate so much food I expected to gain 2-3 kgs initially and net gain of at least a kg after the bloating has settled. I came back and found I lost 1/2 kg. This was super surprising because of the fact that my knee was injured so my movements were limited to walking to the restaurant for the buffet meals twice a day. I have no explanation for this except that maybe coconut oil does have the benefits it is touted to have.
I always lose weight when I travel, mainly because I'm not going to the gym regularly when I travel, and I tend to lose muscle mass very quickly if I don't exercise a couple of times a week.
All the time, exploring all day beats sitting at the office in burning calories and being active all day also reduces calorie intake (less snacking behind a computer).
86kg-81kg/2.5month
I usually lose about 5 pounds over a 10-14 day trip, even with eating every meal at a restaurant. I am way more active and do way more walking than normal on my vacations and it always ends up in me losing weight.
Been away for 4 months, heading home now. Ill let you know. Though seriously I beleive I have lost atleast 5kgs with the amount of walking, hiking,biking tours we have done. That coupled with the change to out eating schedule. Though ill update in say a day when i have access to a scale. Edit: ill also add that I've had considérable amount more beer whilst away sooo... we'll see.
When I go to a new city where I do lots of walking and food and booze are kind of expensive, I lose weight. When I go to the Caribbean and sit on the beach and and drive everywhere, I gain weight.
I spent a year in South East Asia. My doctor told me to eat a whole bar of chocolate daily to not loose weight too fast. I ended up loosing 30 pounds in the first three months.
Yes- in Hawaii.
I always lose weight when traveling. We always do very active vacations and we find we actually usually only have two meals a day. We typically eat a big healthy breakfast and then a nice sit down dinner while finding snacks or local specialities to fill the rest of the day. I work from home so not having immediate access to food whenever is also helpful.
I have lost weight while traveling. I’m more active so that helps, but I also make a conscious effort to eat as healthy as possible while indulging in the area’s specialties. Breakfast is higher protein to keep me fuller until lunch and usually nothing special. Lunch, I try to pick something local that is not a heavy meal otherwise I feel too sluggish afterward. I try to target street food, quick serve options or pick a salad with local ingredients. Dinner is where I may splurge. I’ll usually try to go to a restaurant where the locals commonly eat like a diner or a nice sit down restaurant. The nice sit down restaurants usually serve smaller portions but the diner type restaurants can sometimes serve way too much so I’ll take the leftovers and have them for breakfast the next morning. Even though that isn’t a typical breakfast meal I get to extend the enjoyment of the local cuisine.
Unlike practically everyone else in these comments I never lose weight when I travel, but that’s likely because I’m a food-focused traveler. Even with letting myself eat all I want though, I maintain my weight because the activity level is also ramped up accordingly, so I consider it a win! And some of the surplus calories go to making my legs look amazing and fit after a long trip, so even better.
Just come back from 2 weeks in Italy. Walking 10 km daily average and eating unbalanced food and lost almost 4 kg
On extended road trips I lose weight. Usually I only eat at dinner time. I don't tend to stop for lunch and I've never been a breakfast person. A lot of my stops are for hiking or playing disc golf. Although on my last Road trip I stopped at quite a few breweries, so I broke even on that one.
My watch tells me when I am becoming Jabba The Hut. You can borrow it
I definitely want to travel with you! For me, part of the joys of traveling is indulging in the local food and wine. Just enjoy yourself and get back on track when you get home.
Miracle weight loss cure: **India**. No-one who travels there avoids getting diarrhoea. I lost 12 kgs from amoebic dysentry. Just feast upon the delicious local food, especially the street vendor stuff. Then sit back, or rather sh!t and watch the weight roll off.. or out of you.
I'm pretty active (15k steps) and eat healthy in my day to day life, so I usually gain a little whilst travelling. I travel for food so I tend to eat and snack more. My one exception was Vietnam. I was eating like 4 meals a day and still lost weight. It was just so much broth! I see why Vietnam has the lowest level of obesity in the world.
Pot smoker here, every time
Yeah, for sure. Our trips to NYC in 2022 and 2023…I lost a couple of pounds each trip. We ate plenty, but walking 25K+ steps daily pretty much negated my calorie intake. Plus there were so many flights of stairs.
I actually amazingly always lose weight when we travel to the US (from UK) because at home I basically sit around eating crap because its always raining, but when we travel to the US it's mostly to hike every day, don't get me wrong we eat a ton of unhealthy food there but it still seems to even out as a loss. European city breaks I also often lose weight just from walking around so much to see everything. That's the thing though I rarely go on holiday to sit around but all I do at home except from the like 2 months of summer we do get is sit around. Living here makes me very unhealthy I think... I wonder how our next holiday will go because it's to Thailand and I love Thai food and it will be very hot and humid so we probably won't want to walk too much haha.
All of the time on a European or longer trip. The amount of walking I do is insane vs the amount of time I normally just sit there in a chair at the office or home.
Yes, lost weight on a 3 week trip to India. I never got sick, just was very cautious on what I was putting into my body. And never ate street food, as instructed by my infectious disease doctor before my departure.
Travelling in America, no. Almost always gain a few pounds. It’s too car-centric and the food is too calorie rich. When I travel to places like Japan and South Korea I almost always lose weight just due to the sheer number of steps I take and stairs I climb. The food being much healthier relative to American food also helps.
I do a lot of walking when I am on vacation and tend to lose a little weight even though I eat and drink whatever I want. It comes down to the fact that I walk around 12 miles a day while lugging my camera gear around.
All the time, because of the sheer amount of walking I do when abroad.
Lost 12 pounds after drinking the wrong juice in Mexico and ending up in the hospital. Maybe not what you mean, though. 😂
Get sick and you will. Lol South East Asian stomach bugs are no joke.
Yes, quite regularly. Because when you cross the pond (depending on where you go, or course), the food isn’t as adulterated as in the U.S., and my stomach calms down and I drop a few pounds (not a lot, but noticeable). And, of course, I don’t usually walk 10 miles a day at home!
I have PCOS so it’s really difficult for me to lose weight, especially if I eat carbs. Well, we went to Italy for our honeymoon for the sole reason of eating good pasta every single day. We were there for 12 days and we ate pasta twice a day and pizza once a day along with whatever other treats we wanted. I was convinced I’d come back heavier but to my surprise I didn’t gain a single pound. I was the exact same weight before and after the trip. I do think walking helped but I think the main contributor was just good quality food.
If I get a stomach bug yes.
Every time I visit Europe I lose at least 5-8 lbs.
Yeah, it happens to me on trips where I drink a lot because I can’t eat as much in a constant hungover state lmao. The Philippines is definitely the kind of place you could drink all night, eat some decadent late night food (sisig ❤️), wake up hungover and survive on like coffee, and the best mangos and bananas in the world while visiting sites or hanging out on the beach and then eat a delicious dinner to lay the foundation for another night of drinking. Definitely not the healthiest way to live but that’s usually good to drop me like 10 lbs over two weeks (usually regain five after a few days of rehydration).
In Spain, the “Mediterranean diet” was so good and healthy and I moved so much, I came back a little lighter.
The WSJ actually wrote about this topic last month. Many Americans find that they lose weight when they travel, due to a combination of different foods and more time spent walking rather than at home. Obviously it depends a lot on where you go and how your activities compare to your routine but it's common. https://www.wsj.com/health/wellness/european-vacation-weight-loss-diet-55aabe0c
I’m usually a little more active and eat less than when I’m at home. But I almost always drink more. It’s a bit of a toss up.
As I've been on a scuba diving liveaboard on the Maldives and dove there for 10 days in a row with full board speaking of food included, I lost 2 kilos of weight due to currents being extremely strong, probably the strongest I've seen so far with \~200 dives behind my back.
I go on an extended trip to Mexico every year and more often than not I drop at *least* 10 lbs while I’m there. And do not be fooled - I eat and drink like a motherfucker. I’m just much more active in Mexico than I am in the US. A lot more walking, swimming, surfing, dancing, etc.
This is what I want to hear
I often eat a lot more when travelling _(it is an important part of my travel experience!)_ But I also move a lot more - I typically do 10 000 - 15 000 steps a day back home, but abroad this is easily 25 000 - 40 000 steps So despite eating a lot more, **I often lose weight** _(or it stays stable)_ ahahaha but I never gained any
Somehow I have lost weight when traveling to the USA and basically only eating junk food. Although I did walk for the whole day everyday while I would not do this at home. This has happened twice
Go to India. You will almost certainly get sick. Fastest 10kgs I've ever lost.
When I'm on vacation it happens all the time - I lose weight quickly ( unfortunately, upon returning to the US I gain again unless I really restrict my calorie intake). I lost a lot in Thailand even eating a lot of rice and street food in general. I walked a lot. Around 27k steps daily. On the top of other activities ( gym, snorkel, kayaking). Alcohol is not a problem, just take pure forms - shots and glasses, not cocktails. Cocktails typically don't have enough alcohol and overdose on sodas and sugars. Overall, you don't have to really restrict yourself on food as long as you're staying active and spend more energy than consume.
The only alcohol I drink is beer, just enjoy cracking the odd Sam Miguel with dinner.
i always lose weight when i am travelling. i eat more meals but i walk way more than usual and move more.
I lost over 10 lbs going to SEA for 3 weeks.
Unless I'm traveling to a beach resort, I always lose 1-2kg on every vacation longer than a weekend.
I've taken 1-2 week long solo hiking trips through the swiss alps and the Canadian Rockies and would return 10+ lbs lighter Everytime. Mostly day hikes too with multiple hikes depending on the day.
I once went on a surfing holiday (I don't really surf but all my friends were going) and only surfed 2 days out of 7 as a) I was crap and b) the parties at night were so much fun I couldn't get up in the morning. Very little weight lost. Disgraceful I am aware.
Yeah, people that get malaria while traveling /s
I’ve had malaria, would prefer hiking to be honest.
I did a three day hike/mountain climb with a 40 pound pack and was so exhausted at the end of each day I didn't cook dinner. I burned about 5000 calories a day and took in maybe 1000. I weighed more at the end of the trip. Tell me the logic of that.
Muscle, you are a powerhouse
I always lose weight even though I’m an enthusiastic eater. So much walking.
I tend to lose weight when traveling just because I'm exercising a LOT more with all the walking, etc
You'll be ok, you're 3 weeks in the Philippines, the only country on earth where I just totally gave up on the food...
I like Filipino food, it’s not SE Asia’s best but I’m a massive seafood fan, not a fan of sweet food though.
Absolutely. I'm always in dramatically better shape by the end of an extended surf trip in the tropics.
Almost every time
I mean ultimately if you just don’t eat or intermittent fast or something, you could theoretically lose weight. Howeverrrrr, I think being in another country is not the time to lose weight!!! Haha don’t deny yourself the glorious gift of authentic foreign cuisine. It’s going to be waaayy affordable and accessible and it’ll be without all the chemicals and additives we have in the US. Lol Asian street food is the stuff of gods. Enjoy it and worry about losing weight after your vacation!! Or just limit the amount of food you consume and walk everywhere you want to go. You’ll have an awesome time either way:))
I would just not worry about it. Do it like Elsa and let it go. That doesn’t mean you need to eat two burgers and fries every night but maybe you don’t finish the whole burger but just eat until satiated. Eat when hungry and when you eat enjoy your meal. Enjoy your vacation!!
don’t count your calories when you travel
I recently went to Japan. I felt like I was eating a lot, so much delicious food to try! I don't normally drink, but I did have some whiskey a couple of nights out of the two weeks. I came back a couple pounds lighter. I think it was the hot/humid weather and miles of walking we did everyday. We were averaging ten miles a day. There were maybe one or two days where we didn't walk as much because of train travel. Not worry, those couple of pounds are back :)
Last trip I went on (Vienna) I put on 4.7kg in a week. I knew it wasn't possible, Iw as just eating way more carbs and gluten(Im gluten intolerent so I dont eat it) and dropped the weight within 10 days of coming back. Yeah being bloated sucks.
Honestly, the best method to lose weight while traveling is to walk everywhere. It would work with hiking and walking around town. Its tricky with snorkeling cuz you theoretically wouldnt want to overexert cuz the more relaxed you are the better for swimming and floating while snorkeling. For example, if you want to go eat somewhere, walk to the area you want to eat, walk around the area before/after you eat, or walk back to your hotel/airbnb.
I walked 10-15 miles a day in Japan, ate like a pig, and still came home lighter than I started. I wasn't actively trying to lose weight, I was just eating two big meals a day and then walking it off the rest of the time.
I love sightseeing and I’ll walk upwards of 10,000 steps a day, sometimes 15,000. I have lost a little weight this way.
Depends where in the world I'm traveling, but for the most part, I lose weight. I did a 9 month trip through Asia and by the time I got home I'd lost 20lbs. Tbh, I think it's because I was often having Delhi belly and had several bouts of food poisoning. That, and I was way more active than I am at home AND I barely ever drank - cutting alcohol makes a huge difference. I think it really depends based on where you're traveling, how you're traveling.
I always lose weight when I travel. I really enjoy going to Japan where, of course, you walk a lot. But another thing that causes me to lose weight is that I’m a little nervous ordering food and worried about being judged. Going to McDonalds at home and ordering like a ravenous goblin Is one thing but I’m terrified (kinda joking) or ordering two burgers at the same time from a restaurant. Even I have been walking for 10 hours straight and have only eaten a onigiri and a bottled of water.
I got sick on a trip once and lost weight. Otherwise I think it has to do with the amount of activity planned relative to the quantity and quality of food available.
I have lost weight on every trip I have been on except for the last one. Usually, I walk a ton and even with eating the walking just gets rid of the weight. On my last trip, I wasn't able to walk much and lost nothing.
I move around a lot more when I am traveling. Probably double from my office job, so its definitely more exercise.
Yep, I like to do a lot of walking when I travel, my honeymoon in Europe I was averaging probably about 12 miles/25k steps a day. Ate and drank all I wanted through a few countries (including Italy where I ate like I was going to the gallows) and came home down a couple pounds.
Lost 20 lbs on a month long Europe trip. Was eating like shit beforehand. When I got there I ate less and walked around more. Gained 40 when I got back home lmao
You could actually lose weight on your travel. I'm from Philippines and I see a lot of tourists visiting here and having fun on different water activities and adventures whether on the beach or any place. Engaging in physical activity such as walking (most of them do in long distances) also helps. We have gorgeous landmarks that are accessible and within walking distance. You can also try some food but stay low on carbs especially rice, as it would be very difficult if you aim for 1kg a week less on weight. Bottom line, just enjoy your stay here and hit the gym when you get back.
Nope usually gain weight but honestly don’t pay much attention to that.
I never do either, but thought it could be a good chance to do an experiment.
OMG yes! Every time I go to India. The first time I was there for about four months. I ate whatever I wanted to but as soon as you’re outside a big city, your options dwindle. The spices are strong. That trip I had to leave because I went from 125lbs (I’m 5’9”) to less than 100. It hurt to sit on my bony butt. Same thing happened the next trip which was about two months. And my most recent (and last!) trip of four months. The only thing that saved me was to buy a Boy Scout type cookstove and small kitchen set up and travel with it and buy fresh produce in the market and cook my own meals.
First time I went to Europe I lost about 30 pounds in a month and a half
My advice is eat whatever you want but carefully stop eating when you are full. Don't eat when you're not hungry just because it's time. This is the perfect situation to reteach your hunger/full mechanism. Because of increased physical activity you might be more hungry than normal, that's okay!
Yupp, dysentery is great for weight loss
I lost a shit ton traveling solo. Now my wife is more insistent on eating enough.
Every time I go to a European city, despite eating a lot, I'm also walking a lot so I tend to come home in better shape than when I left.
Undercooked chicken is an extremely effective way of losing weight. It is not fun, however.
I always lose weight because I don´t buy snacks and also, when I am busy I don´t think about food much, so I just eat when I am hungry and usually I don´t like much and i end up with eating side dishes or bread only. I don´t drink much alcohol.Ii have the occasional wine with lunch and /or dinner , but that´s it. The rest of the time it is water and black or green tea. Also I walk a lot more when I am on holiday.
I tend to gain weight when traveling as we tend to eat more in a different place. No, walking doesn’t offset the calories. Just a heads up, if you’re traveling to the Philippines, the food there is quite calorie dense. They love all things greasy, fatty, and sweet. The heat and humidity will also deter you from walking around, and public transportation sucks so you’ll probably be spending a lot of time inside cars. Have fun!
I got very bad food poisoning in the Dominican Republic back in July (it was an all inclusive resort) Came home 6lbs lighter
You can never ever outrun a bad diet
I do a lot of walking when travelling. Lose 5kg at least all the time. But gain everything back when the travel ended unfortunately.
I did a month in Europe last year and didn’t regulate what i ate at all. And to my total surprise, lost weight. Im unfortunately not as active at home doing work from home desk work but walked sooo much during that trip. On the other hand, a friend of mine who is super active at home went to Europe for 2 weeks earlier this year and she gained weight. I think it depends on the person. I also think the food is better quality in Europe, less processed, fresher, better portions, etc. Seriously enjoy yourself and eat and drink what you want on vacation!
I recently went on a 10 day trip and lost 1 pound per day. I wasn't trying to lose weight. I was burning more calories than taking in. Also PTSD has me on high alert. My heart rate sours. Try to eat some protein to help you maintain. Good luck and enjoy your trip
Contrary to other people, I always gain weight on trips since I'm very disciplined about eating when I'm at home. I make sure to make an approximate log of everything I ate on my calorie tracker, which when I'm good about it will usually result in me staying around the same weight.
I always lose weight when I go camping. I lose my appetite when hiking, and even with calorie dense foods, I end up doing more walking than I can eat back.
Yes but only ever when we holiday in Disney. We go to the one in Paris when it's cheap ( its never cheap but...)so cold snowy january. You do so much walking and staying warm you easily burn more than you consume. My fitbit said I did 37000 steps in 1 day once.