Dieting before your cruise

Am i the only one that diets a month before my cruise?

I figure the weight gain is gonna be 5-7 pounds and try and lose that much in the month before my cruise.;)

My wife thinks I'm nuts and should just deal with it when we get back.

But I figure If I'm going to gain I need to make room for it:D

I'm a year into the weight loss portion of Weight Watchers. I've been on several cruises in the last year and have gained only about 3 pounds each time.

I may be a little more strict in the weeks prior to my cruise by not using any of my indulgent points, but the WW plan has become a life change for me and I don't really have any trouble while I'm on the cruise with over eating.

Most of my weight gain (even though it's small) is due to drinking more than I usually would and water retention. I usually am back down to my precruise weight within a week or 2 after I return.

Usually the first cruise of the year I do. I'm bad in the winter time with the holidays and all. Currently down 9 lbs and will be happy with another 1-2 more before I leave. I don't usually gain weight on the cruise because even though I eat more, I am a lot more active taking the stairs almost all the time.

Im with you deadmoney! I think it is easier to lose the weight before we go when I have something fun to look forward to. And just like paying for everything ahead of time Iknow that I wont come home to debt and pants that dont fit.

I'm a year into the weight loss portion of Weight Watchers. I've been on several cruises in the last year and have gained only about 3 pounds each time.

 

I may be a little more strict in the weeks prior to my cruise by not using any of my indulgent points, but the WW plan has become a life change for me and I don't really have any trouble while I'm on the cruise with over eating.

 

Most of my weight gain (even though it's small) is due to drinking more than I usually would and water retention. I usually am back down to my precruise weight within a week or 2 after I return.

Same thing here. I am in my third year of WW and only have 7 lbs more to go to goal. Hardest 7 lbs I have ever had to lose! While I have not worked out during a cruise, we do a lot of walking and whenever possible we use the stairs instead of the elevators. That helps. I am hoping to be lifetime by our October cruise this year and that won't give me much leeway.

I have found that I tend to be more careful and not go overboard (pun intended) acting like I have never seen food before! I make smart choices and if I want something high calorie, I make adjustments. I save splurges for important things like Melting Cake and Cheesecake!

I have never thought about trying to lose more before a cruise. However, if I have made Lifetime by then, I might try to do that just so I don't have to worry when I get back home. Of course, then I will have until the first of the month before I have to weigh in again.

Here is the link to a whole forum on dieting before you cruise. Good luck!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=149

Before last years cruise I was dieting or keeping a good regimen of eating the right amounts, and the right foods. Couldn't do much exercise because of an injury, but lost 10 pounds. Needless to say even with eating right on the cruise, and coming back with the holidays, I got off track and gained it back. This year I started back to eating right, in conjunction with juicing, and a fair amount of walking with the Doctors permission, so I should be able to lose the ten I gained plus more before the cruise. I'm not going to obsess over it though, whether I lose the ten or not, I won't have to buy new clothes for the cruise as the ones from the past three cruises still fit. I just have to remember onboard not to over do it, and to stay away from those Guy's burgers, or split one with someone, and grad some veggies or a salad in place of those fries. Good luck everyone, and happy sailing!!!

#1 tip: Always use the stairs on the ship. helps keep any weight off. yes even when you are tired.

I feel like I am always trying to lose weight, but that is besides the point.

I would say going on a diet before hand is a better plan than trying to get it off after. I have always said that when I go to france some day, I will have to loose 10 lbs before, because I plan to eat all the cheese!

Hard not to gain doing 4 meals with lots of leisure time. With 3 sit down plus afternoon tea and then all the other goodies :eek:

My approach was pretty simple last time before and after keep the same regime and take care of it during the cruise.

During cruise sea days:

Up and to the gym for hard cardio ~ 500-600 calorie burn

Breakfast of more than normal

late morning hard gym routine pick me up of lifting, my estimate 500-600

Lunch of more than normal

Yes I hit the gym again... for lite cardio

Tea time

Dinner

After dinner indulgences

On shore days we did do a lot of walking and less eating so call it a wash.

We came back about 3% body weight gain... not too bad :D

I guess my point was that I KNOW I'm going to eat and drink too much.

No way around it, it's my vacation and I'm damn well gonna make the most of it.:)

I plan on it.

I look forward to it:D

So pre planning works for me

DeadMoney- 30 days out was exactly starting point too. I figure if I can knock off some of this winter insulation my fellow cruisers would be happy. Well, that isn't actually true, but if I can lean up by 7-8lbs I'd be happy. May 2nd is getting close now!

I am dieting now in preparation for my cruise in less than 6 weeks. I completely agree with your philosophy. Don't want to think about anything when I'm on that boat other than enjoying myself!

We are Sailing on 5/9 on Sunshine

I'm down 5 lbs now(183) and hope to drop another 3-4

At 6' I like to stay around 180-185

I remember preparing for my first cruise several years ago and thinking that I must get in better shape so that I can look as good as all the "pretty cruise people". After boarding, I realized that more people cruise for the food than I could have imagined. I was amazed.

I remember preparing for my first cruise several years ago and thinking that I must get in better shape so that I can look as good as all the "pretty cruise people". After boarding, I realized that more people cruise for the food than I could have imagined. I was amazed.

HAHAHA

you sound like my son.

Gotta look good on the Lido deck:D

I'm a little old for trying to impress other people, i just wanna gorge myself and be happy:)

Im with you deadmoney! I think it is easier to lose the weight before we go when I have something fun to look forward to. And just like paying for everything ahead of time Iknow that I wont come home to debt and pants that dont fit.

I wish I had your will power!

I definitely diet hardcore before my cruises. I know that with all the booze and what not, gaining 7-12lbs is done rather easily. I workout hard beforehand so I don't have to worry about working out on the boat.... As good as my intentions are, when I get on the boat, the LAST place I want to be is the gym!

Bob

You know, if you lose the weight, and then gain weight, you will probably gain more than you would have, if you had not dieted...and losing that weight will be harder the 2nd time!

I guess my point was that I KNOW I'm going to eat and drink too much.

No way around it, it's my vacation and I'm damn well gonna make the most of it.:)

I plan on it.

I look forward to it:D

So pre planning works for me

That is exactly how I look at it as well;) I normally always gain between 5-7lbs on my cruise, so losing a bit before we go always helps!

I've got 5 pounds left to go and 17 days to hit my goal.

Sent from my KFSOWI using Tapatalk

I follow Weight Watchers regularly, and have been a lifetime member since November 2007. We take one big vacation a year (have been alternating between cruises and Disney World the last 6 years), and I indulge on those vacations. We take one or two smaller trips every year and I also indulge on those. I embrace the weight gain. I expect it, and I'm usually good for a pound a day on a cruise. So on our 7-night cruise this July, I'm anticipating a 7-pound weight gain. But a few of those will come right off the first week we're home, they always do. Then within about 3 weeks the rest is usually gone too.

Beforehand, I make sure that I am not overdoing it on white flour and sugar, although I've been trying to focus on that lately anyway. I reach for fresh veggies and fruits for snacks. I normally use a lot of my weekly indulgence points on the weekends (between 20 and 25 of the allotted 49) and none during the week, because we go out on the weekend and I like to enjoy myself when I'm out. I exercise regularly and use those activity points as well. But for a few weeks before a cruise, I am more careful when I dine out. I might lose a couple of pounds before I go.

When on vacation, I stick to one motto...Eat, Drink and Be a Merry! :)

I started my diet the second week of January in preparation for my May cruise -and because I needed to lose some weight, anyway. I'm down 44 pounds and 5 sizes. I'm really looking forward to a few DOD's :D

I always try and lose weight before a cruise. Generally I gain 7-8 lbs on a 7 day cruise so I like to get that much below my goal weight so when I come back I can return to just eating my normal diet... That way I'm only depressed about being off vacation and I'm not depressed about eating a reduced diet to drop some lbs.

On my last 5 day cruise I actually weighed my self the day I came back and I had gained no weight, and within 3 days I was actually down 1.5 lbs... It was weird lol

I started my diet the second week of January in preparation for my May cruise -and because I needed to lose some weight, anyway. I'm down 44 pounds and 5 sizes. I'm really looking forward to a few DOD's :D

That is outstanding! You should be very proud of yourself. Congrats on your success! :)

That is outstanding! You should be very proud of yourself. Congrats on your success! :)

Thank you! For the last hour I have been trying to talk myself into going for a swim and I'm not winning....lol. I have a long day ahead of me and I'm afraid it will wear me out too much. Exercise is much harder than the dieting and I don't do it as often as I should.

I've already been shopping for my new cruise clothes so I don't want to lose too much more before we go. I figure if the size bought fits a little loose, I can fill it out a little and they'll still fit when I get home...lol.