Weigh-in (Day 35):• Tamsin - 1 pound (-6.5 pounds to-date)
• Eden - 1.6 pounds (-8.8 pounds to-date)
Tamsin shares her challenges while vacationing in Las Vegas last week...
Week 5 of our NutriSystem Challenge took a bit of a detour for me. I spent 4 days and nights in what is perhaps the most indulgent city in North America – Las Vegas. So this week, I am talking about how I navigated the many tasty temptations of Vegas.
Before I embarked on my weekend getaway with my girlfriend, I logged into the NutriSystem website (free for anyone to sign up!) to check out the advice in their handy “NutriSystem Dining Out Guide”. I like that NutriSystem acknowledges “real lives” that might include a special night out and the occasional desire to order dinner in. NutriSystem’s advice is all about positioning your mindset before you even enter a restaurant (or flip through the delivery menu). The guide includes sections for different cuisines: Chinese food, Indian food, Italian, Thai, and so on. It lists dishes to avoid and dishes to go for.
It’s all about preparation. I arrived in Vegas feeling prepared to eat healthily and watch out for portion control – especially the notorious buffets. I tossed a few NutriSystem breakfast bars (I’m enjoying the cranberry) into my suitcase to have with my morning coffee and juice. They contain a good amount of protein, which saw me through to lunch most days.
NutriSystem encourages enjoying the dining experience—rather than eating everything to get your money's worth. Given the spectacularly designed restaurants and glorious presentation of each dish (especially the sushi at Koi), enjoying the experience was easy! I ate a salad with every meal and, despite enjoying some expensive dishes, I really did find myself worrying less about clearing my plate.
I didn’t expect to lose any weight this week because of my trip, but I am proud of how I balanced the temptation with my new awareness of how I eat. Portion control is important, but I am convinced that a prepared mindset is just as critical – whether you’re in excessive Vegas or ordering in pizza at home.
Photo credit: Roadsidepictures on Flickr
Remembering how I lost weight at a Club Med one year--and they had cheese, bread and dessert tables in the buffet! I ate one plate with healthy stuff--veggies, salad, etc. Made sure I was well fed. Then, if I still had room, allowed myself to go back for a couple of "treats" from the other tables. Then their fabulous cut fruit for dessert. Combined with constant exercise during the day (did all the aquabic classes I could find) worked out very well. Think I ate healthier there than I ever did at home since that particular one had great cooks. :-)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great trip, Connie!
ReplyDeleteI actually managed to fit in some excellent exercise in Vegas: in addition to dancing the night away in 4 inch heels, I walked all day while touring through the MASSIVE hotels and shopping areas.
Tamsin