Is there any way to enjoy your cruise, and not gain weight?

[cruisingreena]

my very first cruise i took I never ate out of my room for breakfast..I ordered room service which is always continental. which was avoiding any eggs/bacon...so i mostly had cereal and toast/fruit.

I never gained any weight that way.

now my last cruise was 12 days and i gained six lbs. i didnt eat in my room once and i always had a little dessert with dinner and lunch..a bit of a gluten..yikes..

I love food...so its hard to pass up on dessert...even twice a day!!:eek:

[mpcaruth]

I don't usualy gain weight, and at most 1-2 pounds. I walk every morning. Then there's all the walking around the ship, and I usually try to take the stairs. I only "gorge" on the best food - meaning it has to taste wonderful for the amount of calories and fat. If I take a bite of dessert and it's not "holy cow good", then I don't eat all of it.

 

Typically on port days, we only eat two meals because we are so so busy. Then when we return to the ship that evening, we are so hot and tired, that we don't feel like eating much.

 

Basically though, by the end of the week I am actually getting tired of eating and will skip the main dining room dinner for a deli sandwich. One thing I do not skip on is my evening ice cream cone.

[donoiv]

Pretty easy to lose weight while on the cruise... don't even need to make a trip to the gym...

 

Pack a thermos... and use it to sample the water in each of the ports... usually by the second port you are well on your way to losing a few pounds.

[moesyk4]

Haha I do not go on a cruise to choose the grilled chicken and run around the track every morning at 5 am :). But on our b2b 4 years ago, I only gained 1 pound in two weeks. We did very active excursions (full walking tour of Puerto Rico, etc) and DH and I spent about an hour in the gym every day. We are normally not huge gym goers, but something about working out when the sea is in panoramic view in front of you and you get to finish off your workout hanging out with your hubby in the hot tub that makes it all worthwhile! So I like doing that and then being able to eat whatever I want!

[Colorado Kat]

Just got home Sat night from 12 days on ship. Only gained a pound. I walk everywhere, and mostly take the stairs. (Well, elevator if I am carrying drinks that might spill.)

 

I did make a point of stopping eating (especially desserts) if they were not as wonderful as I expected.

[Libby224]

It was wonderful reading all your posts as I begin packing for our cruise in 10days......I took away a lot of great information.....but here is what I decided to do......walk a lot, drink gallons of water, no rolls before dinner and I am packing my light weight bathroom scale !:eek: That is a first, I am sure, and you can call me crazy but it will keep me in check as well as saving the:o embarressing moment each morning of weighing myself in front of the desk person outside the gym....

[crewsweeper]

It was wonderful reading all your posts as I begin packing for our cruise in 10days......I took away a lot of great information.....but here is what I decided to do......walk a lot, drink gallons of water, no rolls before dinner and I am packing my light weight bathroom scale !:eek: That is a first, I am sure, and you can call me crazy but it will keep me in check as well as saving the:o embarressing moment each morning of weighing myself in front of the desk person outside the gym....

Packing scales is a bit of overkill, IMO. You shouldn't be weighing yourself more than once a week. And then using the same scales at the same time of day. Weight flucuates a bit each day. This is especially true if your'e drinking lots of water; water weighs a lot. Weigh yourself before leaving on the cruise and when you return. And remember, weight control on a cruise starts at the tray pickup in the buffet line or when you sit down for dinner, not at the gym door or the stairwell. Working out and walking are good control devices and provide other heathful benefits, but they aren't the drivers of weight loss.

[NCTribeFan]

I'm pretty sure there's a scale in the locker room in the spa. Although I don't use the gym (anywhere at any time), I do visit the spa and the sauna on occasion. I think I've seen a scale but not sure it they have them on every ship.

 

Or I could be totally wrong! :o

[Libby224]

I know it is nutty.....but first thing in the morning if/when I weigh myself it controls my eating all day.....the last few cruises I weighed in the gym and never gained more than 3 lbs on the 9 day cruises.....however I have been known to gain 7-8 lbs on a 7 day cruise without controls......so whatever works is my motto but I will not tell anyone what I have brought along with me.....I also wear a pedometer and watch that closely...each mile represents 100 calories lost....I usually walk around 5-7 miles per day so I can eat more.......this has been my way of life....believe me I have a great time on my cruises especially when I can continue to fit into my clothes throughout.....I feel a little more in control and don't indulge in mindless eating. cause the scale awaits next morning.....

[golfadj]

Go on a cruise to eat and sample all kinds of food. Do try to walk a bunch and take elevators but will gain 3-5 pounds in a week.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

No bread,soups, cakes,...

[bonnie&clydecruzers]

On our last 9 day cruise, I gained 10 lbs. But for the month leading up to the cruise I lost 25 lbs so I was able to eat whatever I wanted on the ship guilt free. I did bring my exercise clothes and hit up the gym and sauna exactly 1 time.:D I didn't feel bad one bit about my weight gain, I love to eat and the food was sooo worth it.

[ryanpatricksmom]

Take the stairs always. Do twenty laps each day around deck 10 (bonus points for walking into the wind). Bring diet mixers and buy alcohol from Bon Voyage to avoid the high calorie drinks. Pick out a couple of desserts at lunchtime and share with DH, but only eat more than a bite if it's really good...usually they're not, so that helps, LOL! Eat only as much as you really want of anything. Dance. DH has a preferred method for burning more calories, but we won't get into that.

[iTouch]

Live a healthy lifestyle of diet and excercise......I have never gained any weight on any of my cruises and I use that week as time off from working out........

 

This way you don't need to put your body thru stress of some fad diet before your cruise.......pointless.

[Rockportgirl]

I gain cruise weight before I even step on the ship...

 

Hey, I have to build up my alcohol tolerance- I start training about a week out. :)

[MajorDewey]

Before you go lose about 10 pounds and then enjoy yourself. It's a cruise and the food is fantastic!:D

[Room Service!]

On our first couple of cruises I gained maybe 6 lbs. It finally dawned on me that if I didn't eat the things that weren't really that great, especially the desserts, I'd be fine.

The desserts all looked great so DH and I would each pick 2 and share them. We'd eat all of them. I wised up. If it wasn't as good as it looked after the first bite I left it.

I may still gain a few, but nothing that isn't gone after the first week home.

We also try to use the stairs, and walk around the ship quite a bit.

Enjoy yourself! You're on a cruise! :)

[makeda]

never gained a pound..always make it a point to walk, walk, walk!

[Shipbound]

ok, I cruise in a few days and am so excited. I have waited for this for over a year now. I am craving one of those cheeseburgers! Also can't wait to try all the new stuff they we didn't have on our last cruise. Is there any way to enjoy all this and not gain weight? I kind of want to work out, but then again, I am on vacation. Who want to exersize on vacation?

I know there is alot of walking! So..........how much weight do you gain on your average cruise???

 

It is called a gym try it some time you wont believe how working out will keep the pounds off. I just got back from a eight day cruise on the Freedom I went to the gym 5 of the eight days and I still ate what I wanted within reason. I never gain weight on a cruise. I believe that if guests do not to to the gym on a cruise and they probably do not go to the gym at home.

[Room Service!]

It is called a gym try it some time you wont believe how working out will keep the pounds off. I just got back from a eight day cruise on the Freedom I went to the gym 5 of the eight days and I still ate what I wanted within reason. I never gain weight on a cruise. I believe that if guests do not to to the gym on a cruise and they probably do not go to the gym at home.

 

I go to the gym 3 days a week at home. On a cruise I may walk through it. ;)

[GloriaF]

I'm sure these have already been said, but I need to put my two cents worth in.

 

We take the stairs,

 

And usually have the buffet salad bar (which I love) for lunch with oil & vinegar dressing.

[MrBreeze]

Yes, take the stairs... I hardly ever take the elevator and usually gain very little.

[buddyjo143]

This has been a helpful thread. My husband and I are both working hard to get our weight down and we have a two-week cruise coming up quickly.

 

We have a lot of sea days so I am hoping to build in walking and work outs and pick and chose the desserts I really want to eat. I am hoping to focus on lots of salads and fresh fruit like others mentioned.

 

I feel like I am "telling on myself" in a public forum to help keep me on track and accountable.

 

Wish me luck and I will put in the hard work.:)

[Libby224]

Just a bit of foolish talk.....never really considered taking a scale with me of course.....just a lot of walking and stairs and eating for enjoyment and not gluttony.

Have fun on all your upcoming cruises.....

[cb at sea]

If you lose weight, just so you can eat all you want, you will gain it all back and then some likety split... That's nonsense and it's unhealthy to do!

 

Just don't eat more than you usually do.....sure..taste new things, but don't stuff yourself!