Hi there,

I'm quite worried about this, because whenever I go overseas, I always gain weight which REALLY REALLY annoys me because of lack of exercise and always eat junk food. I know that I can't cut down on foods, because in Europe, I really want to try everything! But I also want to look amazingly healthy and trim for my euro boys haha!

Please help with tips?

You can try everything and anything you want! I mean how often do you get to go to Europe. The secret is moderation. If there is a really good sandwhich in the window that you are dying to try but it looks greasy, see if someone wants to share it with you and then share a salad or something healthier. You also don't need to finish everything on the plate. Drink lots of water to help fill you up so you don't get too hungry during the day. Eat a good breakfast with fiber if possible. You will be walking a lot and walk places if possible rather than gets rides if there is an option. I actually went on vacation once, ate and drank a lot, but also walked A LOT and actually lost weight. It was great. Hope that helps.

See, I went to the U.S last December and we walked HEAPS in NY, but the problem was... we pretty much ate burgers everywhere... TGIs and all those other places We walked heaps, but for some reason, it didn't seem to offset the weight we were gaining... like we could feel that we were fattier.. and I'm working my butt off to build muscle that will diminish straight after my Eurotrip!

If the walking doesn't keep your weight in check ... your diminished appetite from the Contiki Cough will do the rest.

-Vic

TOTALLY understandable. I live in the U.S. and well that is U.S. food for ya. The better the food the worst it is. Hopefully in Europe the portions are different and it might just take some will power on your end to not finish those last couple of bites. But hopefully Europes' portions are different and like i said earlier find someone to split that tempting, must have, food. That way you get to eat it but you are splitting the calories in half. Also, try doing 15 sit ups and push when you wake up (or more if you can handle it). This is supposed to help increase your metabolism. I forget the % of increase but i beleive it is something like 15%. Do other little things like if you have a choice to take an elevator or the stairs, take the stairs. It really does add up!

quote:

Originally posted by eastboca:
If the walking doesn't keep your weight in check ... your diminished appetite from the Contiki Cough will do the rest.

-Vic

Inquiring minds want to know....What is the Contiki Cough????

Apparently when on these tours you are very likely to get sick. Being so close to people all the time, change of weather in some situations, lack of sleep. I was also told about this by my cousin who did a Contiki trip before. She told me to be sure to bring cold medicine with me because she couldn't find any good stuff there.

Contiki Cough [noun];

A common condition that some Contiki participants may experience while on tour. Such symptoms may include, but are not limited to; the common cold, cough, fever, sore thoat, or a combination of all the ailments. The belief behind the cause of this affliction is that these participants may lack sleep, party too hard, drink too much or a combiniation of all of the above while on tour. This generally does not bode well for their immune system, and due to the unfamilar environment and stresses, participants acquire this extra tour experience.
Generally, Contiki participants spend many hours in close confines of their humble abode (aka, the "coach") and once one person falls ill, the likely hood of their malady being shared with other is quite high (don't want to be greedy now, do we? ). Secondly, perhaps the coach's A/C vents may be harbouring reminants/stragglers (ie. germs) from past Contikiers. This is still just pure speculation from the author and has not been scientifically verified.
Lastly, many Contikiers generally spend an extra night or two before the tour at the exquisite suites/confines of The Royal National or the Imperial Hotels (or some equally close establishment). Seeing as how many participants are not wealthy, the author tends to believe that the solo participants may opt to reserve a shared suite prior to their tour. Who these participants get as roommates is another individual who is there before a tour, or at the end of a tour. If both individuals are pretour participants, then they are both generally healthy, but should one of the individuals be at the end of their tour, they may be afflicted by, or be carrying some form of the Contiki Cough and will likely pass it on to the pretour individual. And this pretour individual brings this souvenir/momento along to share with others on the coach ... and so the vicious cycle continues ...

But as I said, this is all still pure speculation. Some get sick and some don't.

Contiki Cough Message Thread

- Vic

This message has been edited. Last edited by: ptooma,

Before you go stay really healthy- eat and exercise well. bring multivitamins with you and take them everyday. try not to have massive nights out all in a row, give your body a break. Probably a good idea to take cold/flu and headache medicine with you to lower the symptoms if you get sick.

HAHAHA Vic, you are hilarious! But soooo true! The Contiki Cough on my tour was actually started by our TM (another common source of the virus). I avoided it by drinking plenty of water, taking multi-vitamins everyday before and during my tour, not partying TOO hard and getting as much rest as possible on a Contiki. I agreee with Nessy, that you should bring cold medicine with you. If you might get it at home, you might get it on tour so be prepared! On my tour we had everything from the Contiki Cough to pink eye, strep throat and even chicken pox! You know what medicines work for you in your country but you may not be able to find them in Europe so it is better to be prepared and take some with you
Stay healthy!
Sarah

Soooo not expecting to catch all this nasty stuff? I don't even take cold/cough medicines in Australia for getting the common cold.. what am I meant to do? argh.

But yeah.. I want to be skinny skinny cos after the contiki, I'm getting off in France and hanging around with beautiful french boys ;[

I got the cough...on both my tours and it wiped me out for 3 days each time...not good!

Definitely take vitamins and give your body a break every now and then.

As for putting on weight, I'd be surprised if you did because the amount of walking you do more than covers the food you eat! Well, it should...!

Hey!
Getting sick is definately common, and i wish i had taken at least some throat lozenges, as i couldn't find anything over there, and anyway you don't want to waste your time searching.

I lost weight on my tour, and i think it was all thanks to heaps of walking in stinking heat.
One thing I do recommend though is to really really try not to eat fatty foods as your snacks on the coach. By the end I was feeling very guilty, and think i could have lost quite a bit more weight if it hadn't been for that.
Ciao!

Claire

Juat don't stress. Just eat what u want, you do so much walking to fit everything in. I'm a quite small person and i eat heaps and i came back and i had lost weight. I did 2 tours and i got the contiki cough twice. Just don't worry about it ur their to have fun and live life. ENJOY IT!! GOOD LUCK WITH

quote:

The Contiki Cough

It's like most colds it just luck if u get it.