Traveling Interruption

Question of the Week- Traveling and Planned Interruptions

Healthy Eating Travel Tips

It is always best to plan your phase 2 around events in life when you will be home and be able to control your environment.  But what happens when the schedule does not work out and something comes up that you will be away from home for a period of time and cannot continue 500 VLCD.  Dr. Simeons in Pounds and Inches discusses this scenario and says it is best to do an interruption if you will be away for more than 4 days.

Unforeseen interruptions of treatment
“If an interruption of treatment lasting more than four days is necessary, the patient must increase his diet to at least 800 Calories by adding meat, eggs, cheese, milk to his diet after the third day, as otherwise he will find himself so hungry and weak that he is unable to go about his usual occupation. If the interval lasts less than two weeks the patient can directly resume injections and the 500-Calorie diet, but if the interruption lasts longer he must again eat normally until he has had his third injection.
When a patient knows beforehand that he will have to travel and he absent for more than four days, it is always better to stop injections three days before he is due to leave so that he can have the three days of strict dieting which are necessary after the last injection at home. This saves him from the almost impossible task of having to arrange the 500 Calorie diet while en route, and he can thus enjoy a much greater dietary freedom from the day of his departure.

It is recommended that you have at least 20 days, however sometimes this is unavoidable as well.  There are times we just have to make adjustments to our best laid plans.  Dr. Simeons says if the interruption is before the 20th day some of the weight lost may be regained, but once you resume this will come back off and you will be able to finish your round.

“Interruptions occurring before 20 effective injections have been given are most undesirable, because with less than that number of injections some weight is liable to be regained. After the 20th injection an unavoidable interruption is merely a loss of time.

Planned or unplanned interruptions, however is not a free for all.  You cannot just stop and then resume eating habits from before with sugars, alcohol and starches and expect not to regain your weight lost.  You will transition into a p3 style of eating while away.  We recommend if it is more than a few days that you increase to your maintenance calories recommended for you in phase 3.  Dr Simeons says at least 800 calories if for 4 days, but if it is longer you will need to increase or you will gain if your calories are not high enough.  In today’s VLOG Carol discusses tips for traveling while maintaining your healthy eating lifestyle:

Recommended Snacks for Traveling: (Click here for our Traveling Tips reference sheet)

Cut up veggies
Fruit (stick with p2 fruits)
Nuts (cause some to gain to use caution)
Green superfood for smoothies – the more veggies you can get in the better.
Larabars – watch the ones with chocolate as they have sugars.

Eating out: Eat a lot of grilled chicken on salad, no dressing.  You can ask for vinegar and lemon wedges or take your own. Many places such as In and Out, Carl’s Jr. do burgers “protein style” (lettuce wrap). Ask for substitutes such as cottage cheese or sliced tomatoes instead of hash browns.

Follow the Phase 3 Week One Menu Guide:

First week of p3 menu:

Breakfast- 3 eggs and meat/veggies (meat must be sugar free) and try adding in veggies such as bell peppers, onion etc.. or whatever you like.

Snack– 1 scoop of protein.. Jay Robb(or similar) but only if you need extra calories for the day or

1- fruit (p2) orange, strawberries, apple, grapefruit

Lunch 6-8oz of meat and veggies so chicken salad you could have 8oz breast on a bed of spinach or lettuce 2-3 cups with tomatoes or other veggies.

Snack– grissini( keep it in a few days a week at least until we add other grains)

Dinner– 6-8 oz protein and veggies..( look at the celery and chicken/steak on blog last week) that is 500 cal.

Do your best and know when you return you will get back on track as soon as possible.  Try not to over do it.  Some use this time as an excuse to resume old eating and drinking habits.  This will undo any losses you have accomplished before your trip.  Always think about making health choices and they will pay off in the long run.

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