If the Chefs of HAL offered South Beach.....

[sail7seas]

Would it interest you at all to see some of the most popular/most eaten foods from the major diet programs people follow offered on HAL.

I'd be widly delirious if they offered pizza with a whole wheat crust and low fat mozzarella. Sort of...have my pizza and not feel too guilty.

Never enough veggies IMO......I always ask our steward for extra veggies. Would you like if they had more veggies with each entre rather than white potatoes?

Some whole grain bread or rolls in the bread basket? Instead of white bread/rolls?

For those who know about South Beach.....how happy would it make you to find Light Laughing Cow Cheese in the Lido Buffet? :)

Or....when you are on vacation, do you "forget about the diet"? and eat what ever you want?

[WindyCity]

IMO, I think that 1 week of "indulgent foods" will not wreak too much havoc on the diet and since we are "indulging" ourselves with a cruise, why not go all the way & indulge in the full experience - great cuisine!;)

[LoveLifeAtSea]

WindyCity .... PERSONALLY, I have to disagree with you. :)

I WOULD like to see some other, healthier, "tasty" items made available. (Key word here is "tasty"!) I love vegetables, whole wheat products and quite a few low-fat products. While I don't follow the South Beach Diet, I do watch my calories and fat intake, and, a lot of the food eaten on the SB Diet are sensible foods for everyone.

Do I follow any kind of diet while on vacation? Heck, NO! :D BUT ... I do have to watch what I eat ..... at least some of the time ...... so I can enjoy certain dishes like the Volcano Cake, Filet Mignon, Hamburgers, etc. that I don't allow myself to eat very often. :p When I somewhat "watch" what I eat and don't totally "pig out", most often I will go home without gaining any weight. :) Of course, I do try to exercise a little bit during the cruise as well, which helps to offset the extra calories.

[sail7seas]

Windy City...I absolutely agree with you.


I think with me it's a matter of such habit the foods I eat that it is now what I like. I don't care for a white bread any more since eating whole grains and (true) whole wheats for so long. I resent eating white pasta, white rice....foods that are all calories but no nutrition. I might as well have chocolate cake. (Bring on the Volcano ! :) ) I guess it's a matter of what I prefer and also, if I eat mostly the foods that fit on my South Beach then the few cheats I do indulge in may not blast me away so badly.

At least I finally figured out that lots of laps around Promenade Deck do an amazing job of keeping the pounds off.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

On our last cruise I had just lost about 34 pounds and did not want a repeat of the 12 pounds gain I had the year before on the Zuiderdam. I did plan to enjoy eating though. I refrained from the wonderful breads on the table, passed on all the potatos and rice. I enjoyed my desserts, drank my champagne and Walked an hour on the the treadmill 5 out of 7 mornings.:eek:

Fortuately I only gained 4.5 pounds but it took me a month to get back to where I was before we left and it has now taken me another month to loose 4 more pounds. I need to start working a little bit harder to loose another 20 before the Ryndam and my 50th B-Day in November. But I would probably be happy with just 15 more pounds.

[sail7seas]

What a wonderful accomplishment, Lisa. Congratulations and good luck as you continue to lose.

Are you doing South Beach or Atkins or just sensible eating and exercise? (An hour on the treadmill all those days is GREAT.)

[ekerr19]

I'd love to see some South Beach Diet menu items - DH & I are really sold on that style of eating, hope to make it a permanent life-style change.

We were on a 16-day cruise (our longest) and boy, I sure felt bloated after some meals - though we didn't gain any weight. Eating a lot of rich foods, even for 7 days is not the best for anyone.

I am often amazed how many people can eat a full breakfast in the Lido complete with pancakes, sausage, bacon, eggs, fruit, juice and pastries - and are then right back in line for the full hot lunch as soon as the Lido opens. Personally, I just couldn't do it. Way too much food - especially the wrong kinds.

Don't get me wrong, to each his own. I understand those too that will say "we're on a vacation" (and you SHOULD have a good time) but that kind of eating would definitely slow me down.

[LoveLifeAtSea]

IMO, I think that 1 week of "indulgent foods" will not wreak too much havoc on the diet and since we are "indulging" ourselves with a cruise, why not go all the way & indulge in the full experience - great cuisine!;) On second thought WindyCity, after re-reading what you wrote, I TOTALLY AGREE with you ...... i.e. "great cuisine". ;)

It's just that I STILL like to watch how much over the top I go, therefore, sensible eating some of the time works for me. But, that's MY preference. I totally understand that some folks do like to indulge in anything and everything they want to eat. Good for them! :)

[sail7seas]

:) Lucky them......I wish we could but not us. We could easily eat on way too much weight each cruise if we allowed ourselves to. That is not to say we don't eat well and don't have treats because we do.


What I'm having trouble conveying is that we have grown to prefer whole grains and foods that are not overly processed and stipped of nutrition. I'd rather have brocolli than potatoes.

I'm hoping we will continue to find the Chefs offering more and more of these healthy, nutritious DELICIOUS foods.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

s7s, actually it is just sensible eating and lots of exercise daily. I try to limit my carbs but I am kinda following old style Weight Watchers. Every morning I do between 20 to 50 minutes of cardio consisting of Treadmill, Healthrider and old fshion exercising, situps, touching toes, leg lifts, that sort of thing. Then on June 1st I started going out to our pool and swimming for 15 to 20 minutes before dinner every night. Once that started I saw inches going away but the scale has been stubborn. I guess muscle does weight more than fat.

[sail7seas]

Absolutely....as frustrating as it is to not see the scale go down, Muscle Does Weight More than Fat and you are clearly developing good muscle mass that will burn calories even while you sleep.


You must be doing exactly right as you are seeing success and it is working for you. Good for you....be proud of yourself. Anyone who says it is easy has never done it!!

Here's to a most assuredly healthier life.....

[LAFFNVEGAS]

What a wonderful accomplishment, Lisa. Congratulations and good luck as you continue to lose.


Thank you s7s, it has been hard work but I feel much healthier.

[Vicar]

I know everyone has their own way to lose weight and whatever works for you is great Adkins , SB, WW, whatever


I just cut my portions in half and cut out all the "Crap" pardon the expression .I ate whatever I wanted to just much smaller portions (2 slices of pizza instead of the whole pie a small order of fries instead of the super large size.

Candy and ice cream and all that was a once in a while treat

Plus I hit the tread mill for an hour a day EVERYDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I managed to lose 85lbs in a little over a year and have kept it off for 4 years now.

After all this time I still follow all of this and its just part of my life now. but I admit it wasn't easy at first.

Of course when I am on a cruise ..or any vacation , I just enjoy and hit the routine when I come back.

Luckily (for my weight anyway :) ) I don't cruise as often as S7S or I would be in big trouble *LOL*

[ekerr19]

Congratulations to everyone on their weight losses! It is a constant battle for me - especially as I get older.

Sail - we have noticed the cravings have disappeared as well. Last night my DH ordered asparagus (which was never his favorite) instead of the baked potato without even thinking about it. We always request that no bread be served - if it's not there we don't miss it (or eat it).

Heart disease & high blood pressure run in my DH's family and Adult Diabetes is rampant in mine. We both knew we have to do something that results in permanent dietary changes. So far we've both been very pleased.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Vicar, that is great. Those who have never had a weight problem do not realize how very hard it is to loose. That is wonderful that you have kept it off. It is true it must be a part of your life and a true life style change.
I agree that the treadmill can work wonders, I have recently added hand weights while walking on the treadmill.

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

Since we both eat a lot of fish, etc., would prefer the South Beach diet being offered on the ships.

Didn't care for the Jenny Jones that was offered when we were on the Oosterdam.

:)

[Vicar]

Laffnvegas

Thank you very much.

I do a little weight training now and then , but the treadmill is my mainstay.

I never really had a weight problem until a few years ago and then I just sort of packed it on, having a job where I just sit all day didn't help either .

Believe me I do not deprive myself of anything , just small portions and the really bad stuff is an occasional luxury.

I don't follow any set diet, I don't measure anything , i don't add points . Just common sense.

But I know people who did Jenny Craig to the letter and lost big
People who did Deal a Meal and lost big

In the end whatever works for you is the best diet in the world .

P.S Can't wait til October when I am in your Fantastic city again

Thanks Again and take care

[doone]

When I am on vacation, I like to enjoy all the foods I try to control the rest of the year. I still believe everything in moderation. Enjoy your cruise, eat what you like, worry about the carbs, fats, sugars, etc when you get home. Remember, you only go this way once.

[teencruiser18]

As a cross country runner, while I don't go carb crazy, I can't run without some carbs. So I just run 4+ miles a day and don't overindulge.
Kerry

[Orcrone]

I lost 70 pounds during an eight month period last year on WW. In the middle of the weight loss I went on a cruise and indulged. I can put on weight quick, but I can take it off almost as quickly. Put on 11 pounds in 9 days (including pre-cruise), but took it all off in 1 week upon returning.

With that said, I would definitely take advantage of low-calorie, low-fat options if they were tasty. Things like shrimp and lobster are very low in both. And I enjoy filling up on crispy veges rather than starches. Of course, I'm not going to pass up desert, especially the volcano cake I keep hearing about.:D

And this time I'm not going to wait until the last day of the cruise to find the gym.:rolleyes:

[sail7seas]

What a wonderfl group ...so many folks so sensible about taking care of themselves so they will live to cruise "another day".


Vicar....hats off to you!!! Congratulations! Well Done. So easy gain those pounds; so hard to lose them and even harder is keeping them off.

Orcrone.....Enjoy. You'll do just fine. I think half the battle is being aware. If one has a realisitic expectation and they have some determination....they'll do just fine IMO

ekerr.....It becomes habit, doesn't it? At first I felt I could never keep at that regimen long term. Now I cannot imagine eating all that stripped of nutrition, white flour, over processed junk. I cannot imagine eating a slice of white bread. I think I'd gag on it. After all, it is only flour (stripped of all nutrition) and water...that's how we made paste in grade school. :) But I sure am going to have a Volcano before I get off that "dam" ship! :)

I've enjoyed the fish on HAL and the stewards are always very good about leaving off sauces or bringing me a serving extremely light on butter etc

[mariner]

Forget South Beach!

Just no bread pudding for you!

[ore-ee-gun]

I only gained a couple of pounds, and believe me, I didn't hold back on anything, especially when it came to dessert. My only rule for myself may seem a bit wasteful, but I don't feel compelled to clean my plate for the sake of the starving children in Africa. If I loved it, I ate it. Otherwise, I didn't.

Oh, I and saved my pillow chocolates as souvenirs. That's really where all the cruise calories are, doncha know....

[WindyCity]

Hi everyone,

Well, I am not Ms. Slim by any means - hit 50 & the weight increased. Both of my jobs require work at the computer so no means of exercise there. On our Alaskan cruise, I indulged in the food and ended up losing weight. I eat small portions and was never able to finish all of the food at dinner and FORGET the desert - just had no room. The only desert I had was the bread pudding at lunch and even that was in moderation. We now have a treadmill that I am starting to use. Hopefully that, with eating small portions, will help take off the extra weight. Since I really am not a chocolate person - that REALLY helps! Congrats to all of you who have lost weight and are watching what you eat. I have started being very careful about what I consume and have seen a slight loss in weight, but it will have to be the treadmill!:eek:

[sail7seas]

Oh cruel one, Mariner. You deprive me of my bread pudding!!!! Some kind of nice guy you are!!! :p Surely you saw my thread showing my "interest" in treadmills. So..... the thinking is......If I tread the mill for adequate minutes, I get a serving of "treat of the day"???

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Knowing that I would be eating a really good dessert everynight is how I managed to walk a full hour on the treadmill the first 5 mornings. One thing I learned is the treamills on the Oosterdam turnoff when you have walked 60 minutes. The gym was usually busy but I was always lucky to get a treadmill. I would get there about 6:30 to 6:45 At home I do the treamill last but on the ship I would grab a treadmill first. Then I would work on weights for about 15 minutes, then go back to the cabin to shower and then DH and I went to breakfest. Actually in my walking I was thinking I was walking off last night dessert and champagne.http://www.wdwinfo.com/sites/family/squeeze.gif

[Vicar]

S7S

Thanks, well I did have a little serious motivation , ironically it is 15 years ago today I lost my dad to a heart attack at the age of 58.

And a good friend and co worker who was terribly obese and had numerous health problems died at 45 a few years back. He died while I was at Maximum weight and it became a real wake up call.


Also you are sooooo right about treating yourself. As long as you eat well and excercise regularly on a daily basis, there is no reason you can't have a little treat even once a week (an ice cream cone , instead of the "kitchen sink" sundae :) )

Then when you are on vacation you can indulge and you won't do too much damage.

[sail7seas]

As a cross country runner, while I don't go carb crazy, I can't run without some carbs. So I just run 4+ miles a day and don't overindulge.
Kerry


teencruiser.....The South Beach Diet calls for carbs....plenty of them. On South Beach you avoid the bad carbs but eat the good.

Beans, high carb veggies, high fiber cereals, whole grains.....these are all an important part of South Beach.

South Beach is a healthy way of eating that does not eliminate any food groups but does teach which foods are highly nutritious vs those empty carb foods that provide absolutely no nutrition (white pasta, white rice, white bread....all over processed foods ).

It addresses glycemic index and pancreatic secretion of insulin in response to high jolts of sugar being consumed. These sugars are not necessarily in the form of cake and candy......

[sail7seas]

Vicar......


When I was at Mass General Hospital during my recent illness, I asked they send in the Dietician for me to consult with. With the huge resources there, I wanted to take advantage of all the expert advise I could get.

What delights a cardiologist more than a patient wanting diet advice?

My DH happened to be with me when she arrived and we talked for 45 minutes. Brilliant woman with loads of common sense and a sensible approach. When she inquired as to our "normal" way of eating and asked for an example of a week's worth of dinners in our house, she smiled and said our diet was absolutely fine and needed few, if any changes. Neither of us is overweight. We have always eaten much chicken and fish....although we also have beef. Tons of veggies; lots of fruits; fiber; few white potatoes and lots of whole grains, wholewheat pasta, ......

What she did stress was that she never tells most patients they can never again eat a piece of cheesecake if that is something they really, really enjoy. (Obviously, some health conditions preclude that advise). She says have it; once in a while. Don't eat the whole piece...have a few bites and don't feel guilty. She feels that the only way most people will stay on a healthy eating style for life is if they can occassionally have that "treat" . So, in order to continue to maintain individual goals, I think it only realistic to pick and choose what treat you will enjoy and when you will choose to have it.

We cruise alot and I cannot (will not) allow the pounds to pack on each cruise. Two pounds per cruise with 5-6 cruises a year = big trouble for me :eek:

[Vicar]

S7S,

This is true , you do cruise a lot so indulgeing on every one of them would be a problem.

Some one like myself I take a cruise every other year and maybe one or two land vacations every year with a few weekend getaways here and there. And not every one of them are eating "orgies" like cruises tend to be.

For taking as many cruises as you do , I commend you for still maintaining a healthy eating habit. God knows how tough that is on a cruise where the food is just there for the taking morning , noon and night

[sail7seas]

When I got sick, we had Rotterdam 10 day Panama Canal cruise booked for under 3 months from my surgery. DH asked the docs if he should cancel. We had not yet made final payment. All the Mass Gen'l docs said I would be okay to go and to not cancel. We listened.

I then saw my local cardiologist a month after I was home. I mentioned to him we would be cruising...with his permission. He was not happy. I was very surprised and asked why he did not approve. He said he is reluctant to advise his patients to select cruising as their vacation. I still didn't get it. I commented how much we have cruised, how it is such an easy way to travel in comparison to alot of other travel we did in the past......His reasoning is that he has seen far too many people go on cruises; blow their diets; come back 10 pounds heavier and their cholesterol and blood pressure way up from their normal. Too much emphasis on food in his opinion. (He did cruise once himself so he would have first hand experience in making his recommendations) .

He knows my DH and he agreed for us to go because when he heard how much we have cruised and clearly have controlled our eating or we would be much larger people, he then said....well, you have figured out you do not have to eat everything that does not move before you catch it so he let me go . He knows we are going again and this time he has no reluctance. I'm actually some pounds lighter than when we cruised in March.

It does take discipline and each adult person has to decide for themselves what life style suits them. How they want to live, eat, exercise....... Lectures on what someone is doing wrong in their lifestyle are never appropriate IMO Provide education and information and then each person makes their own choices.

[Vicar]

S7S


See it does pay to take care of yourself .

As serious as your recent problem was, imagine what it would have been if you had been very overweight, or a heavy drinker or smoker.

So glad that all worked out and that you are back on your feet and back on those "DAM" ships :)

[TedC]

The elegantly dressed woman shopping on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills was approached by a homeless man:

"Ma'am, I haven't eaten in three days."


The woman replied:

"God, I wish I had your will power!"