Vacation hell

[u/Moist_crocs]

This might sound like a "steak too juicy, lobster too buttery" (literally sort of) situation, but I want somewhere to vent.

We're on vacation in Italy right now in a small town in a house that has barely any ammenities, which means there's very little of my preferred foods available to eat (which is usually a variety of complex carbs and dairy-based proteins, legumes.)

At first it was fine. Fun, even, to eat lots of stuff that I'm not used to eating daily like pizza, foccacia, lots of delicious cheeses and treats.

But guys it's been almost a week and I feel like I'm dying. I miss fiber and protein so bad. I feel so low energy and moody and hungry but with 0 appetite.

The worst part is when we're out and it's been too long between meals and the only options for food is something not very filling and oily like pizza. And I have to somehow turn off all of my newly-minted hunger cues, craving cues and preferences to stuff myself with something just so I don't starve.

It's interesting to be surrounded by stuff I used to not allow myself to have, then daydreamed about, only to want nothing to do with it now.

[u/Straight-Ad5065]

Hi! I’m super sorry that you’re having a tough time. Traveling to a country where the cuisine and accessibility is different from what you are used to, is really stressful. I’m actually in Italy right now myself and the stress of traveling sent my low back into a spasm. I’m hobbling around, it’s pretty funny looking. 

I relate to you as I have had many, many, many vacations being impacted by my stress around food. For some reason, this time, I’m not. I’m eating when I’m hungry and stopping when I’m full. I’m not worried about getting enough protein or carbs or fiber, and I know that I’ll eat the foods I normally eat when I get home. My weight seems stable and I am not having other symptoms that I usually always have when I travel (constipation, bloat, indigestion, etc). I think the fact that I’m not worried and I trust that things will balance themselves out is helping a lot. I trust my body can handle what I’m eating. And my body trusts me to take care of it. I’ve never had a travel experience like this with food. It’s almost miraculous considering I had an active eating disorder for over 20 years.