How much weight do you gain?

[DrivesLikeMario]

On our last cruise, I don't think we gained a single pound. We walked SO much, were on the ship very little and when we were, we were too exhausted to eat lots of food. ;)

[Denise40]

I just got back from our cruise on Saturday and I gained only 4# which I don't think is that bad. I will lose it in about a week or so.

[rdsqrl]

I never gain anything and generally lose weight on most cruises. I think there's way more healthy, fresh food available than I take advantage of at home And I love how Princess's portions are reasonably sized, so I can eat all the courses I want to but I'm still not eating as much in total as I would be with one entree in some land-based restaurants. That's really the key: portion control and restraint. Except when it comes to the warm chocolate chip cookies, which I've noticed they do not portion out but probably should, because I have no restraint! I can eat an inordinate number of warm chocolate chip cookies . . . sigh.

[Wecruise8]

When I cruised with a girlfriend I didn't gain a lb. but we walked a lot. Took my 2 youngest a couple of years after that and lost weight. My youngest son disliked the food so much (not a Princess cruise) that when we got home and were walking to the car at the airport his little pants fell down. Not as young as I used to be and will make an attempt to loose some weight before we sail in January and will do lots of walking while on our trip.

[silverwillow]

They're still there, balancing platters piled with food as they search for a table in the buffet. I once saw a guy who had three platters piled with food and he was using two forks, one in each hand, to shovel it all in.

 

That is so sad.

[BosoxI]

They're still there, balancing platters piled with food as they search for a table in the buffet. I once saw a guy who had three platters piled with food and he was using two forks, one in each hand, to shovel it all in. Whenever my sister and I took our kids on a cruise, my nephew's soon-to-be ex-wife would have two appetizers, two entrees and two desserts (and finish them all) at every dinner. Plus drinks. I have no idea what she had for breakfast and lunch. After just a few days, she couldn't fit into anything she brought. Literally.

 

quote]

 

At least they finished their food, Pam:o The people who load their plates in the buffet and then leave half of it should be ashamed of themselves

[FolsomMike]

I love that the majority of the previous posters claim they either lost weight or broke even. Are the over eaters ashamed to come forward? I admit I gained 7 lbs on a 12 day cruise (5 years ago) and I expect to gain weight on my upcoming 7 day holiday cruise. However, I've lost 30 in the last 6 months (doc wants me to lose 10 more) and I plan on indulging myself. It'll just take me a month or two to lose it again. :D

[jean s]

Neither my dh or I gain weight on a cruise. We take the stairs and walk at least 2 miles a day on the promenade deck every day. We also try to avoid the buffet.

[JanaJohn]

I gained 3½ pounds back in July '06 on an Alaskan land cruise. I was surprised that was all it was given the amount of food and sweets I ate and the quantities of beer I consumed.

[calsnoozie]

I typically gain 3-5 lbs (depending on length of cruise). Those darn fresh peanut butter cookies & desserts every day!!.. Oh yes, all that butter too (I never have real butter at home). I also drink alchohol on the cruise (nightly Beverly Hills Ice Tea), I very rarely drink at home. All those extra calories add up but I remind myslef that I am on vacation and worry about it when I get home :o)

 

Takes about 2 weeks to lose the weight when I get home.

 

Sue from Fairfield, CA

[Times Prince]

On our cruises last January-February, I lost 7 pounds over 27 nights of cruises (please God, again this year!!!). The variety and abundance of healthy food makes it pretty easy to eat good, nutritious food while on a cruise. I just don't eat a single bread or pastry, and limit my desserts to mixed berries or the occasional meringue. The cheese is my weakness...I LOVE cheese, and we don't ever indulge in the good stuff at home, so it's a real treat.

We usually lose about 5 pounds over 10 days, mainly because our exercise level goes way, way up from my normal sedintary job in front of a computer terminal (like now). We swim a lot, snorkel, dance each evening, and force ourselves to take some stairs. Even just the walks from Theater to aft elevators adds up to miles walked.

 

I love the dinner rolls, and eat dessert. We try to eat wisely, balancing meals and snacks - like having a mid afternoon salad instead of 5 course meal in the evening, so we don't stuff ourselves before retiring.

 

Almost all weight reduction plans include eating healthy foods, and exercise. We've come to the conclusion the extra exercise while on a cruise gives us the lee-way for a dessert or roll - at least that's what works for us.

[lilacbirman]

Nothing because although I eat better (lobster, crab, etc.), I eat the same amount as at home.

 

Now if you ask about cholesterol levels, I'm sure it was pretty high at the end of our cruise. :)

[u2cruiser]

We typically gain 2-5 lbs and I don't know why, as we never use the lifts, walk miles and miles in port, use room service breakfast to avoid being too tempted and try to choose wisely, without missing out on too much. I'm only 5' 1" tall and small build, so every pound shows. I hate when my clothes start to feel tight towards the end of the cruise.

 

I also have terrible trouble adjusting back to normal meals when we get back. We've been successfully cutting carbs for 6 months (any of you heard of the dukan diet?) and I'm hoping we can 'sort of' continue on our cruise later this week. I'm a bit confused about the sugar free/flourless offerings onboard. Any tips from low-carb experts? :)

[gingera]

congrats on the wt loss!

[countrycruzr]

I lost 3 to 5 lbs on both my 7 days. I'm hoping to double that on our 15 day! I think it's the exercise and the more balanced eating, because I sure am not good!

[BoPippy]

My dh depending on the length anywhere from 5 to 20.at least i am honest.On a 17 day cruise he gained over 20,on 14 day usually 10-12 and 7-10 day cruise-8-10 pounds...because i tend to drink 6-8 beer a day on vacation,all 3 meals,plus pizza once or twice a day compared to one or two meals a day at home and beer on the weekend only.:eek:

DW gains about 5 at most:)

and that is the truth.........

[Aruba]

That's also a method I use. I rarely totally finish anything, that is unless it is 'to die for'. Even with desserts, I try for small portions or eat about half (again, unless it is to die for lol). I get to taste everything, but don't stuff myself at every meal. Watching how some passengers put away the food makes me wonder if they packed clothes two sizes to big to wear home, as there is no way they would fit into the same clothes they wore for boarding. :)

Have you ever read "French Women Don't Get Fat" by Mireille Guiliano? What you described is the philosophy she outlines in her book. I'm going to take all of you who have lost weight on a cruise as my inspiration.

[OnVacation11]

I lost 2lbs on my last 7 day cruise due to all the walking, no elevators and staying away from the desserts (except for souffles).

Let's hope for the same results in December !

[PescadoAmarillo]

I try to stay the same. I use the stairs all the time and walk extra laps around the Promenade Deck to get at least 12,000 steps in each day. And I order fruit for dessert unless they have one of my favorites, which they tend to do too often.

This is a great idea. I've been wearing a pedometer for a few weeks now, and aim for the 10K steps a day that everyone talks about. But I don't have the time to do that everyday, so it makes more sense to aim for 70K a week, which is quite easy to do. Some days I walk 8+ miles, other days not so much. I've decided on a cruise I need to step it up quite a bit, 12-15K, which shouldn't be too awfully hard to do, given the size of Princess ships. On port days we're off walking somewhere, on sea days I have the time to spend doing laps on the Promenade Deck. The stairs...well, I try. When we were on the smaller Grand ships, I could walk from Deck 7 to our cabin on Deck 12, but now that we're one deck higher on Deck 14, that extra flight of stairs just does me in.

[ruatha65]

I gained 10 on my last (and first) cruise. On the one coming up in a month, I plan to break even or lose, as I have now lost enough weight to be in the "normal" BMI range. I plan to walk three miles a day on deck and eat healthy, so we'll see. After reading the posts here, I am inspired and confident I can do it, thank you.

[PescadoAmarillo]

Now if you ask about cholesterol levels, I'm sure it was pretty high at the end of our cruise. :)

Too true. My cholesterol is usually way, way low, but I eat shrimp 3 times a day while on a ship with the IC. I had a lipids panel done just a few weeks after we returned home last winter, and my cholesterol had gone up 40 points! Still normal, but I was shocked. The doctor, on the other hand, said that obviously I was able to enjoy that much shrimp and shellfish once a year without long term detriment. That stuff is low in calories but there is a side effect!

[WeBeGone]

I lose weight on cruises because we're so much more active than at home - excursions, dancing, stairs. And I eat differently too - love all the salads I don't have to make, love the shrimp and sugar free mousse, love the exotic soups.....:)

[poloxgirl]

Wow...I almost feel guilty! The most I've gained is 10 lbs on a 7 day cruise a couple of years ago. We are active, we take the stairs and do pretty active excursions, however, we ate like every 2-3 hours. :eek: Crazy indulgence I guess. But I did lose the extra weight quickly, within a week or so after getting back home. Now that I'm a little bit older though, I tend to have more self restraint on cruises and only eat 3 meals a day (and some midday snacks :p).

[Shogun]

Hi All

 

OK we do try the burger, the pizza and love the desserts, the odd beer etc, do not swim and do not go to the gym and we still lose weight, so those folk that put on weight,

 

 

just what are you doing that you do not do back home.

 

yours Shogun

[pascalburns]

none.always use the stairs and walk a lot.:cool: