Active Low-Carber Forums
Atkins diet and low carb discussion provided free for information only, not as medical advice.
Home Plans Tips Recipes Tools Stories Studies Products
Active Low-Carber Forums
A sugar-free zone


Welcome to the Active Low-Carber Forums.
Support for Atkins diet, Protein Power, Neanderthin (Paleo Diet), CAD/CALP, Dr. Bernstein Diabetes Solution and any other healthy low-carb diet or plan, all are welcome in our lowcarb community. Forget starvation and fad diets -- join the healthy eating crowd! You may register by clicking here, it's free!

Go Back   Active Low-Carber Forums > Main Low-Carb Diets Forums & Support > Triple Digits Club
User Name
Password
FAQ Members Calendar Mark Forums Read Search Gallery My P.L.A.N. Survey


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1   ^
Old Wed, Aug-23-17, 16:04
Skulder Skulder is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 446
 
Plan: Less than 30g carbs
Stats: 349/286.2/199 Female 66 inches
BF:
Progress: 42%
Location: Somerset, UK
Default Worried about air travel

Ok so we've booked a holiday to New York at the end of November. We're flying from Gatwick to JFK on a Dreamliner. I'm so afraid I'm going to embarrass and humiliate my husband (and myself) by not fitting in the seat/being separated from him so I don't have him as a skinny safety buffer/getting stuck in an aisle or the toilet... Gosh, I have so many things I'm sick with worry about.

I carry most of my 260 pound weight in my bottom half (hips are currently measuring 53 inches). I'm scouring websites for tips for larger passengers.

Please please does anyone have any advice for a very nervous first time flyer who is so afraid that I can't even look forward to something that should be so exciting?
Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
  #2   ^
Old Thu, Aug-24-17, 18:38
barb712's Avatar
barb712 barb712 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,435
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 240/188/185 Female 5'11"
BF:
Progress: 95%
Default

Hi, Skulder. I notice you've lost quite a bit of weight so probably still imagine yourself bigger than you are. 53 inches around the hips is not shockingly wide for an airline seat. I'm very tall and long legged and always have to swing my legs out of the way, and the last time I flew - to New York! - my hips were 47 or 48. If hubby is slender, you can lift up the arm rest between you and sit close/snuggle. As for the bathrooms, they are horribly tiny and uncomfortable for everyone. I know you have a long flight, but do your best to use the ladies' room in the airport before boarding and after landing to minimize trips to the plane toilet.

Above all, be gentle with yourself and try to relax. I think you'll be just fine! If you can take the aisle seat, it will be easiest for you to get up and stretch during the flight. There will be plenty of room in the aisle to move around.

If you still have doubts, you can call the airline and check about seat and seatbelt sizes, but honestly I don't think you'll have a problem.

Have faith and above all have fun! I'm a native New Yorker, grew up near JFK, so am excited for you!

Last edited by barb712 : Thu, Aug-24-17 at 19:12.
Reply With Quote
  #3   ^
Old Thu, Aug-24-17, 20:45
robynsnest's Avatar
robynsnest robynsnest is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 2,146
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 336/286/199 Female 5'11"
BF:Losing it....
Progress: 36%
Location: Canada ay?
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by barb712
Hi,

Above all, be gentle with yourself and try to relax. I think you'll be just fine!

Great advice I think we all could do with....
Reply With Quote
  #4   ^
Old Fri, Aug-25-17, 00:52
Skulder Skulder is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 446
 
Plan: Less than 30g carbs
Stats: 349/286.2/199 Female 66 inches
BF:
Progress: 42%
Location: Somerset, UK
Default

Thank you so much, barb712. I feel a little better about it all now, and you're right, I do forget that I've made a lot of progress - I've lost 11 inches off my hips since April, and I'm hoping to lose a couple more before we fly.

I think part of it is not knowing what to expect as I've never done it before.

Thank you again, your reply is very much appreciated. Xx
Reply With Quote
  #5   ^
Old Fri, Aug-25-17, 06:52
barb712's Avatar
barb712 barb712 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,435
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 240/188/185 Female 5'11"
BF:
Progress: 95%
Default

You're very welcome. Bon voyage! P.S. - Big congrats on your weight loss. Eleven inches is fantastic and, as you said, will likely be more by the time you go.

Last edited by barb712 : Fri, Aug-25-17 at 06:58.
Reply With Quote
  #6   ^
Old Fri, Aug-25-17, 15:08
s-piper s-piper is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 694
 
Plan: LC Primal
Stats: 290/270/160 Female 5'7
BF:
Progress: 15%
Default

My hips are 60+ inches depending on whether I'm at my highest, and I've never had problems fitting in an airline seat. The only times the seat belt was tight was on the smaller planes for short 1-2 hour flights, but I managed to force it closed. The kind of planes they use to fly across the North American continent are bigger, and the seats, even in economy, are roomier, so I'm sure the ones they use to fly across the ocean will have plenty of room.

Yes the toilets are cramped as you go in and out with the door bent in, and the aisles in the economy section suck. I also am fairly tall and long legged so my knees press against the seat except for in the emergency aisle, and if the person in front of me slams their seat back without giving me time to slide my legs down my knees get crushed.

Basically, unless you're the size of an average 13 year old or shell out for first-class, flying is somewhat of a pain for everyone, so don't let it stress you too much.

If you find that you do need a seat belt extender, you can make your way over to the galley (usually there will be a flight attendant there during boarding) and discretely ask them for one.

Last edited by s-piper : Fri, Aug-25-17 at 15:14.
Reply With Quote
  #7   ^
Old Sun, Aug-27-17, 01:12
Skulder Skulder is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 446
 
Plan: Less than 30g carbs
Stats: 349/286.2/199 Female 66 inches
BF:
Progress: 42%
Location: Somerset, UK
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by barb712
You're very welcome. Bon voyage! P.S. - Big congrats on your weight loss. Eleven inches is fantastic and, as you said, will likely be more by the time you go.

Thank you barb712, I seem to find it very difficult to be kind to myself and I don't congratulate myself on my progress at all. I was surprised to go into a local clothes shop yesterday and to find things that fit (something I haven't been able to do for a very long time). I totally convinced myself that they had exceptionally flattering mirrors and had added inches to their sizing lol.


Quote:
Originally Posted by robynsnest
Great advice I think we all could do with....

I'm definitely going to try being kinder to myself. It's so hard to accept and love what I see in the mirror, pretty much impossible in fact. I will keep trying. I just wish I had found low carb years ago when I still had younger skin that might have bounced back a bit more lol.

Quote:
Originally Posted by s-piper
My hips are 60+ inches depending on whether I'm at my highest, and I've never had problems fitting in an airline seat...

...Basically, unless you're the size of an average 13 year old or shell out for first-class, flying is somewhat of a pain for everyone, so don't let it stress you too much.

Thank you so much for the good advice and personal experiences. I think I'm building it up in my mind to be more than it is, but it's the fear of the unknown.

Thanks again everyone for the replies and good advice. I'm trying to stay positive about it and look forward to New York and all the fun were going to have there. We're going to do all the typical touristy things lol.
Reply With Quote
  #8   ^
Old Mon, Sep-25-17, 08:47
Schwarz Schwarz is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 158
 
Plan: mix of IF and Keto diet
Stats: 283/256/150 Female 5' 7"
BF:
Progress: 20%
Location: Ontario, Canada
Default

Hey Skulder ...I'm not too sure if I'm too late with this suggestion ...but here's something to consider. Book your seating near the back of the plane (ie: 3 or 4 aisles from the back). Book in either the left or right sides of the plane. Then book your husb as an aisle seat & yourself as a window seat (or visa-versa). You might be able to luck out about not having a person in the middle seat. This will give both you & husb a seat & a 1/2 to enjoy on the flight. If a person does end up being placed between the 2 of you, you can always give them your window seat, you take the middle seat, and follow the suggestion that barb712 mentioned. Hope this helps!
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:59.


Copyright © 2000-2024 Active Low-Carber Forums @ forum.lowcarber.org
Powered by: vBulletin, Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.