travelling to Germany for 3 weeks, worried about diet/exercise

"Anssi Saari" wrote in message
...
"determined" writes:

Have you ever been to germany? If so, do you have any HELPFUL advice?

I have, but only a couple of times for a few days at a time, so my
experiences probably aren't very useful. I don't think I've ever seen
snow in Germany, but there's certainly more of it than I like here in
Finland... Shoveling snow is fairly heavy exercise. Maybe you can
pitch in if it's needed. Or ski or walk in snow shoes if any are
available.

I also don't think that much damage can be done in three weeks if you
can do at least some exercise and have some sort of portion control.
Maybe you could offer to cook something you like on some days as a
little cultural exchange?

good idea! I should plan that out ahead of time. It would be a nice break
for my husband's mom, so I should try to come up with something special.

determined wrote:

Have you ever been to germany?

Yes, though the vast majority of the German food I've eaten over
the years have been at family homes and restaurants rather than
the one trip I've managed to take.

If so, do you have any HELPFUL advice?

I'll try -

Eat more veggies. View sauerkaut and rotkohl (red cabbage)
as veggies. Eat the cabbage containing dishes more and the
bread and potatoes less. You'll end up closer to low carb
than low fat but since either style works you'll do okay. Eat
all of the veggies on your plate first before touching any of the
meat dishes as a way to fill up on the lower cal/carb foods.

Also I don't remember the portions served in Germany to
be as large as the ones in the US. Calories matter and
smaller portions mean lower total calories.

While the Germans will likely sip beer during the meal, try
to view it as desert. Alcohol tends to lower resistance to
overeating so have the beer after a meal not during the meal.

"janice" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 22 Nov 2006 21:50:18 +0000, Chris Smith
wrote:

determined wrote:
Our family is soon to depart for Germany and parts of neighboring
countries
for 3 weeks. My weight loss has been very hard won, and has been very
slow
and difficult progress. I do not anticipate being able to exercise much
beyond doing alot of walking, and eating within my normal plan is going
to
be impossible. I'm not sure what to do. I'm afraid of losing ground
with
my weight and fitness level. But in 3 weeks, how much damage can really
be
done? If I just eat when hungry, and try to be relatively conservative,
even if it's not what I'd normally eat, can I probably maintain my
current
level?



You make it sound like you are going to be kept under house arrest and
force-fed!

Well, that may have been intended as a jovial comment, but it sums up
exactly how I sometimes feel when the menu for my meals is taken out
of my direct control, and it can be quite scary.

janice

No kidding.. I'll never forget my MIL (whom I absolutely adore) looking at
me with a sad puppy face and going "You don't love my food???"

It was clear that it meant not loving her..
Will~

"Doug Freyburger" wrote in message
ups.com...
determined wrote:

Have you ever been to germany?

Yes, though the vast majority of the German food I've eaten over
the years have been at family homes and restaurants rather than
the one trip I've managed to take.

If so, do you have any HELPFUL advice?

I'll try -

Eat more veggies. View sauerkaut and rotkohl (red cabbage)
as veggies. Eat the cabbage containing dishes more and the
bread and potatoes less. You'll end up closer to low carb
than low fat but since either style works you'll do okay. Eat
all of the veggies on your plate first before touching any of the
meat dishes as a way to fill up on the lower cal/carb foods.

Also I don't remember the portions served in Germany to
be as large as the ones in the US. Calories matter and
smaller portions mean lower total calories.

While the Germans will likely sip beer during the meal, try
to view it as desert. Alcohol tends to lower resistance to
overeating so have the beer after a meal not during the meal.

Thanks Doug. Thankfully, I love rotkohl. It's amazing how much beer they
drink! But water mit gas is also very popular.

Being originally from Germany and having grown up with the meat and
potatoes diet, I have found though that "fat" German foods is mostly a
myth. Germans have always been very health conscious, and you will see
very few obese Germans these days other than in smaller towns where
knowledge of health or diets isn't as wide spread. Don't worry about
gaining weight. There will be lots of salads, lean meats, vegetables,
and Vollkornbrot (the dense, dark rye bread) to make you satisfied. You
can always go to a Reformhaus which is the equivalent of a health food
store to get your oatmeal, rye bread, flax seeds, and lots of other
foods. No doubt you will be walking as well. Good luck and enjoy
yourself. It sounds from your weather description that you're going to
Bavaria. J.

determined wrote:
"Chris Smith" wrote in message
...
determined wrote:
Our family is soon to depart for Germany and parts of neighboring
countries for 3 weeks. My weight loss has been very hard won, and has
been very slow and difficult progress. I do not anticipate being able to
exercise much beyond doing alot of walking, and eating within my normal
plan is going to be impossible. I'm not sure what to do. I'm afraid of
losing ground with my weight and fitness level. But in 3 weeks, how much
damage can really be done? If I just eat when hungry, and try to be
relatively conservative, even if it's not what I'd normally eat, can I
probably maintain my current level?

You make it sound like you are going to be kept under house arrest and
force-fed!

Really? Why? The fact is, for most of this trip we are staying in a very
small community with limited grocery access. We are staying with my
husband's parents, who eat very traditional german food. Heavy in fat and
carbs. Last time we went there was a meter of snow on the ground and below
zero farenheit the entire time. We were even snowed in for part of the
trip.

Have you ever been to germany? If so, do you have any HELPFUL advice?

"serveandlob" wrote in message
ps.com...
Being originally from Germany and having grown up with the meat and
potatoes diet, I have found though that "fat" German foods is mostly a
myth. Germans have always been very health conscious, and you will see
very few obese Germans these days other than in smaller towns where
knowledge of health or diets isn't as wide spread. Don't worry about
gaining weight. There will be lots of salads, lean meats, vegetables,
and Vollkornbrot (the dense, dark rye bread) to make you satisfied. You
can always go to a Reformhaus which is the equivalent of a health food
store to get your oatmeal, rye bread, flax seeds, and lots of other
foods. No doubt you will be walking as well. Good luck and enjoy
yourself. It sounds from your weather description that you're going to
Bavaria. J.

Thanks for the tips! Actually, my husband's parents live in Freudenstadt,
in the SW near the Schwarzwald.

Willow Herself wrote:

No kidding.. I'll never forget my MIL (whom I absolutely adore) looking at
me with a sad puppy face and going "You don't love my food???"

It was clear that it meant not loving her..


Man, that would be harsh. I love my MIL also, and she does cook
serious stick-to-your-ribs type vitals. I'm very lucky in that she's
proud of my weight loss, and respects that I'm committed to losing
more, or at least not gaining it all back. She respects my eating
choices as a result. I got lucky in the in-laws lotto!
--
Annie


As of 11-16-06: 258/182.5/140 Standing at 5 foot 4.


75.5 pounds lost. 42.5 left to go. Started February/07/05


Come visit my weight-loss web site, Annie Takes Off.
http://webpages.charter.net/lenny13/DietFrontPage.html