How much weight do you gain on your cruise??

[BearySweet2Cruise]

Curious what the average response will be here... We always seem to try and drop a few pounds prior to sailing becaue of all the wonderful food that is available all the time. I love the food and that does make the trip very special to eat things I would not generally order or experience at home.

 

When I booked my upcoming 5 cruises.. I knew that this would mean a slight weight gain over all.. Hopefully that will NOT be the case... one of my biggest problems is that I cannot take the stairs as many do (for health reasons)

Bad back and bad knee I can however go down them, just not up them..(unless it is only 1-2 decks at best)

so that adds to the possible weight gain issue.. :eek:

I gained about 3 pounds on Mariner and did not gain on the sovereign... well. we will see.... Enchantment upcoming in only 3 weeks.. Oh how excited we are!!!:):)

 

So who cares to share???

 

Thanks

Monica

[Bell Ringer]

Our first 5 cruises, I was lucky and didn't gain anything...due to constantly being on the go. The last 3 cruises have been since foot and ankle surgery, and I can't keep up the same pace, so noticed I would come home with at least 2#, but it was all worth it. I promise to eat more salad at lunch, but then those cold soups at dinner pack on the pounds as well as dessert most nights. Hmmmmm, can't wait till next summer and Bermuda!

[superjerryw]

I usually don't gain weight on cruises anymore. I eat sensibly for breakfast and lunch and only go overboard at dinner time. However, I do go to the gym every day and work out for at least an hour so that really helps. I'll also go up on deck and walk a couople of miles when I have the chance. The downturn in the quality of the desserts has helped as well...:rolleyes:

[JENANDGENE]

I'll admit it.... I go all out. I usually gain about 5 pounds on a 7 dayer. They have always come off relatively easily upon getting back home. HOWEVER, this last cruise I was 23 weeks pregnant and gained 10 POUNDS!!!!! It DIDN't come off either...........LOL! Well at least not yet, i am due Sept 8 :)

 

Jen

[rubrrick]

On our last B2B on the Jewel..........we both lost about 3 pounds, but have to say that we did much walking in the Baltic ports, and on the trip across the Atlantic, we walked for an hour a day, and used the stairs as much as possible.

The food on the Jewel, on the Baltic portion was fantastic, as we had fresh European food, and that certainly makes a difference. The taste is so much better than what we get here in the U.S.

 

Rick

[Cardinal Cruiser]

After the first pigging out at the Windjammer, I usually don't feel that hungry on a cruise. Something to do with the fact that there is always somewhere or something to eat. I usually tend to eat much smaller quantaties, coupled with always walking around, and my usual daily workout, I actually don't gain any weight.

 

However, I have seen people certainly getting their money's worth (and proabably my money's worth at the buffet!)

[DonnaK]

When I'm on a cruise, I don't worry about my weight and just eat whatever I want and as much as I want. I'm also more active than usual, so it balances out to a gain of between 2-4 pounds. Once I return to eating normally back home, the weight comes off easily within two weeks.

[gabberqueen]

i gain nothing :)

[Happy ks]

I think the weight gain is sometimes from the increase in salt intake. It ends up being fluid retention and that is why it comes off in a week or two. We don't tend to gain weight on a cruise, we eat pretty much like we do at home, breakfast and lunch, we will eat more at dinner, though.

 

We stick to our normal food choices for b'fast and lunch, breakfast is lots of fruit and a few bites of cottage cheese or yogurt, maybe a bowl of cereal. Lunch is fish or chicken, whatever the dining room is offering. We eat fish or chicken for dinner, too, we're not red meat eaters. I never finish a whole course (except some of their appetizers!), dessert, while very attractive, usually does not taste all that good. I also keep my hands out of the bread basket at all meals.

 

We walk, walk, walk everywhere, only taking the elevator if we have more than 5 flights up or ten flights down. We walk after dinner, we walk in the morning. DH runs the treadmill early am, too. If there is an adults only pool, we will swim laps.

 

I definitely don't need to gain any more weight, I'd much rather lose 20+ lbs.!

[ckrobyn]

Here's my story and I'm sticking to it.....

On our first cruise, I was so paranoid about possible seasickness that I barely ate anything the whole week! I tried to keep my stomach empty so that IF I got sick, there would be less......well, you know the rest.....LOL Needless to say, I actually lost weight on this cruise:o

On our second cruise, I realized that I do not suffer from seasickness in any way.....and I ate my way through the week! I enjoyed every single meal and then some....first time on a Voyageur class ship and the Cafe Promenade was too tempting to pass by....so I stopped in for the occasional cookie:rolleyes:

I gained about 4-5lbs that week........:eek:

Next up is a back to back on the AOS - I better start my diet now!

[Fran Harp]

I gained about 3 pounds on Mariner and did not gain on the sovereign... well. we will see.... Enchantment upcoming in only 3 weeks.. Oh how excited we are!!!:):)

 

Monica

 

On our first cruise on Enchantment, I gained about five pounds. We ate a lot and didn't walk as much, the pounds came on.

 

On the Transatlantic cruise, I lost weight - careful about the food choices, and walked an incredible amount, either up on Deck 12 or in the ports. ...it was so good to eat the fresh food in the ports. I had a salad in Villefranche to die for - really fresh new leaf lettuce, fresh tomatoes and homemade cheese. The food in Barcelona was incredible too - much better for health.

 

Hope Captain Per's shipboard announcements are as funny as they were the first time. (If he's on, of course!):)

 

Fran in Toronto

[abridalmaven]

I gained water weight which came off in 24 hours. But I really do not pig out anyhow. Since I eat Low carb, I stay pretty close to the plan with one small cheat a day and since we are also very active and not the type who just lays around at the pool, it is all burned off. I do retain water from the saltiness , but when I am home it flushes out within a day.

[waterbound]

typically I gain 7 to 8 pounds on a 7 nighter.. ugh....

[Happy ks]

typically I gain 7 to 8 pounds on a 7 nighter.. ugh....

 

Wow, doesn't it take like and extra 3500 calories (besides what you need to live on) to gain a pound? That's a lot of food :eek:

 

I'm thinking you may retain water a lot more than others do. Does most of it come off within a week of coming home?

[B-52]

I am a Type 2 Diabetic in my mid - 50's. I manage my glucose levels by diet and ALLOT of exercises. I have managed to stay off insulin thus far.

We sail on the Mariner in 2 weeks. We also have the 2nd seating for dinner, which means my biggest meal of the day will be at 8:30 - 9 pm. I am still coming up with a strategy. Few things I do know, I will be at the fitness center first thing when the doors open in the AM, and the last place you will ever find me is in the Windjammer for a buffet breakfast. (been there, done that, don't need it) Not sure I will have a traditional breakfast at all. just something to jump start the metabolism. Then a early lunch (brunch).

Will use the stairs all the time, and may go back to the fitness center or find another activity (swimming?) around 5 pm or so.

That plus being out and active for excursions, I plan to maintain or loose a little.

[B-52]

I am a Type 2 Diabetic in my mid - 50's. I manage my glucose levels by diet and ALLOT of exercises. I have managed to stay off insulin thus far.

We sail on the Mariner in 2 weeks. We also have the 2nd seating for dinner, which means my biggest meal of the day will be at 8:30 - 9 pm. I am still coming up with a strategy. Few things I do know, I will be at the fitness center first thing when the doors open in the AM, and the last place you will ever find me is in the Windjammer for a buffet breakfast. (been there, done that, don't need it) Not sure I will have a traditional breakfast at all. just something to jump start the metabolism. Then a early lunch (brunch).

Will use the stairs all the time, and may go back to the fitness center or find another activity (swimming?) around 5 pm or so.

That plus being out and active for excursions, I plan to maintain or loose a little.

[glanders]

I, too, maintain or lose a little. I hit the treadmill every morning and use the stairs as much as possible. I try to eat sensibly, also. I figure there's plenty of motivation if you just look around at your fellow passengers.

[Nliedel]

I don't gain weight on a cruise. I watch my portions and do the stairs. It's not as hard as you think.

[emilygrace]

I'm one of glanders fellow passengers, if you know what I mean. I'm fluffy and I'll admit it. But I do NOT pile the food on my plate in the WJ and I try to eat reasonably at all times (I rarely order all the courses at dinner and I have never ordered two entrees yet). We always take the stairs and walk the mile every morning and try for the afternoon mile walk on sea days.

 

If I gain anything, it's 2-3 pounds and comes off soon after we're home. Probably the water thing.

[Gracie115]

Well......I must admit after reading this thread I was amazed at how many people gain NOTHING!!!

 

On dry land I go to the gym 4-6 times a week, work out HARD, weights, cardio the whole bit and maintain my weight with ease that way.

 

On ship I try to go to gym every day, though it usually winds up every other day. Always take steps no matter how many flights. I eat whatever I want, whenever I want, sometimes that means ALOT, sometimes not.

 

I gain water weight from the moment I walk onboard though, it's really wierd, by the 2nd day there are already clothes that are uncomfortable.

 

I gain what amounts to a pound for every day on the ship, BUT at least half of that comes off within 72 hours at home, that's why I know it's water weight. The other 2-3 well that takes another couple weeks, but it's well worth it to just enjoy the ship and not worry about it.

[skyw]

I gain nothing. Between the excursion, gym and not making it to dinner every night, I really don't gain a thing. I don't try either. But I have never stayed up for the midnight buffets, and I don't always make the dinners in the dining room. So maybe that is why.

[Langley Cruisers]

Like many others, my weight gain is minimal. I do not over indulge and I try to eat fairly sensibly. Anything I do gain comes off again at home.

 

Hubby, on the other hand *ahem* does put on a few pounds because his indulgence is bacon and sausage every morning. We don't usually have either at home, so he really packs it away on a cruise (oh don't worry - he'd agree with me!).

[lv2cruisgrl]

I always go on a diet 2 weeks prior and loose 3 lbs so I have a little bit of a start. Sometimes I gain nothing, sometimes I loose, sometimes 2-3 lbs. but I watch what i eat, do low carb (as much as possible) and don't over drink. We also exersise, do stairs, drink lots of water. I think staying away from carbs is the best way to not gain. However....

 

My husband on the other hand loves it all and can't resist, he says I am on vacation I am going to enjoy the food and drinks. Of couse that means he goes home 10 lbs heavier and hates himself the week after the cruise. :)

[newmexicoNita]

In the original days of great food, large helpings, buffets etc I would gain 5 to 10lbs. Now, I will gain about 5 but that is usually just fluid. Within a week after returning home I have lost it. I walk much more on ships than at home plus am on the go lots more. NMnita

[Yankeesfan]

I actually lost a pound during our cruise last summer. Every morning after breakfast I walked around the quarter-mile track on deck five times. The views made this quite a pleasure! Then I did the same thing before bed each night. It felt great to walk in the nighttime sea air. Plus we did a LOT of walking on our excursions.