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

[radrayjax]

A mile walked = 100 Cal for an average person.

Weight training is great but won't burn the cals.

You didn't state which ship you will be on and where there are good decks to stretch your legs.

 

Some ships will be better than others.

 

Even walking a "sleeping" deck from end to end could be about 900 ft X 3 laps back and forth would be in the area of a mile. Those hallways can seem endless.

 

For somepeople being AWAY from behind a desk for a week and being less sedentary is all it takes.

[Colorado Kat]

I seldom gain weight on a cruise, and eat whatever I want. However, we get a room on the lowest sleeping deck, and hardly every take the elevator. (I can't do 8 flights of stairs in a row, so I take the stairs from 1-5, cross over the length of the ship, and continue from 5 to 9)

[jzcruiser57]

Zero weight gain. We work out daily @ home and on vacation. My wife and I feel better after working out. We eat in moderation. We split desserts and eat only as often as normal.

[chipmaster]

LOL either calorie in = calorie out or you gain weight.

 

For us at least it ain't the buffet, but the 3 sit down meals and afternoon tea that do us in. Cheeseburger, pizza, soda and fries are bypassed :D

 

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???

[valtandc]

I'm not big into workouts at home. but when I have cruised I do a ton of walking. every day I would walk the upper decks or promedade of ship maybe a dozen times or so. I didn't gain any weight, didn't overeat, but did enjoy anything they had to offer that I wanted.

[Froufie]

A mile walked = 100 Cal for an average person.

Weight training is great but won't burn the cals.

 

I beg to differ - while weight training may not burn a huge amount of calories - it will build muscle which in the long run burns WAY more calories - and while you're doing nothing......the goal is to gain muscle which will burn calories throughout your day - allowing you those extra indulgences!:p

[kew1031]

It's not your fault

The salt in the sea water mixes with the air and is breathed into the body causing fluid retention not weight gain

It is not your fault

 

at least it SOUNDS plausible.;) I do know that my feet and ankles swelled up like a toad on our last cruise; swelling disappeared within 3 days of getting back home.

I'm sure the fluid retention does have a great deal to do with how food is seasoned and possibly how much salt is still in the ship's water supply.

The cream soups, crab cakes, potato salad, sauces, creme brulee, and warm chocolate melting cake didn't help any either.:rolleyes:

Walk as much as you can, TRY to not eat 3 of everything, and just to be on the safe side, drink bottled water. (controversial subject!:D)

[Jimmy Geegitz]

A mile walked = 100 Cal for an average person.

Weight training is great but won't burn the cals.

You didn't state which ship you will be on and where there are good decks to stretch your legs.

 

Some ships will be better than others.

 

Even walking a "sleeping" deck from end to end could be about 900 ft X 3 laps back and forth would be in the area of a mile. Those hallways can seem endless.

 

For somepeople being AWAY from behind a desk for a week and being less sedentary is all it takes.

 

 

I think wieght training actually burns more fat than walking.

[Froufie]

It's not your fault

The salt in the sea water mixes with the air and is breathed into the body causing fluid retention not weight gain

It is not your fault

 

You just missed one other important point - don't forget the sea air also shrinks your clothes - so that is why they may feel tight at the end of a cruise! Again - not your fault! :D:D

[IcyHound]

I didn't gain anything. I ate a lot but then we did a lot of active things (swimming snorkling) we walked the ship a lot, took steps when it was only a few decks.

 

We also didn't drink. A lot of people seem to consume a lot of alcohol on their cruises. Alcohol (hard liquor as well as beer and wine) has a signifigant calorie load. We didn't want to pay for drinks so we drank a lot of water. Going to lido for some lemonaid was not worth it.

[EAZYLIVING]

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???

 

I usually gain less than ten pounds, which is ok with me. I work out a lot, but not on vacation. Part of enjoying cruising, is to try the bounty of food you normally wouldn't get in your regular work life. So I will say eat, eat and eat and enjoy your few cruise days out of the year. Because once they're over you will dream and look forward to another cruise.:D

[RuthlessBoss]

It's not your fault

The salt in the sea water mixes with the air and is breathed into the body causing fluid retention not weight gain

It is not your fault

CORRECT!!!:D

 

Don't turn eating into a job. Skip the exercise thing (go by the gym and watch the others "have their fun)(walking there will use a few calories). Take the elevator if you need to go up more than one flight (why get lame) and huff and puff if you aren't used to it. Careful with the Fufu drinks (made with juices), but don't deny yourself.

 

As for food, don't be afraid of fruit dishes. I tend to stay away from desserts, but not always. Don't try to diet, just eat sensibly. I eat foods that I don't get at home. The foods on board are likely salted, so drink more water than usual. We tend to drink less so we won't have to keep finding the bathroom, result fluid retention.

[VirtualCEO]

I gained 10 lbs on my last 7 day cruise, but i will tell you that it was mostly water weight. Once I got home I lost 5 of the lbs within 2 days

[tigereye]

I eat a lot on a cruise, but I stay active as well. I'll go to the gym on sea days, do something fun on port days and oh, yeah, I might mention that I take a kid who is now 10 years old with me. She keeps me pretty busy. The secret may be the kid.

[TheCalicoCat]

I try not to watch the numbers...

 

That said, I also try to use the stairs as much as possible (not easy with a toddler who likes to go "up & down" on the elevator - with me, so not a nuisance to other passengers.)

 

& I chew a lot, I put my fork down between bites (stop me if this sounds familiar), I drink a lot of water. I do a lot of tasting & only finish few items.

 

Then I hit the bar & everything else I did goes out the window... ;)

[derf5585]

It's not your fault

The salt in the sea water mixes with the air and is breathed into the body causing fluid retention not weight gain

It is not your fault

 

You just missed one other important point - don't forget the sea air also shrinks your clothes - so that is why they may feel tight at the end of a cruise! Again - not your fault! :D:D

 

I'll have to add your great observation next time I post this information

Thanks for the inspiration

[saltsandknit]

I have a cruise ritual for eating. I take the stairs always, I go for a lovely walk on the track every morning. I eat very light for breakfast (not a fan of breakfast foods) usually yogurt and fruit. Salad and protein for lunch and then whatever I want for dinner and sometimes dessert depending on if it is something I like. I might even have a snack in there somewhere, a drink of the day and wine with dinner.

I never gain more that a pound or 2 and that is mostly water and gone the next week. You really don't have to deprive yourself just be mindful of what you eat or drink.

[CourtneyLovesCruising]

I guess I am in the minority..

 

I am going on a cruise because I want to be good to myself and treat myself. I exercise for the same reason. I am fantasizing about running on the deck in the wee hours of the morning in the middle of the ocean. I can't wait to feel the adrenaline high!!!

 

I am looking forward to many other aspects also, including the food and frou frou drinks.

 

And no, I am not a skinny minny. I am 75 pounds over weight but I am no longer 175 pounds overweight after making radical lifestyle changes.

[donaldsc]

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???

 

Option 1 - don't eat too much

 

Option 2 - eat more but exercise

 

Option 3 - don't worry about it.

 

DON

[PirateGal]

We take the stairs throughout the week, that includes walking 8-9 flights up to our room after each port day.

 

I try to use the gym at least every second day and run for an hour.

[vah]

Best advice is take the stairs especially if you don't want to exercise in the gym. Dancing is also good. Eat in the dining room takes longer to eat and the portions arent oversized. If you eat at the buffet all the time you will put more on your plate than you need to eat. Also try to do some excursions that are active, like snorkeling, hiking to ruins. I do this each cruise and have never gained weight on a cruise.

[SANDYJABS]

I eat in the MDR for breakfast on the days they are open so that I wont put too much on my plate at the buffet line the other days I order room service. I try to put just a little taste of something at the buffet and never go back for seconds. I see so many ppl pile on all this food on their plate and they dont eat it and its such a waste.

[Shipbound]

Actually there are many ways not to gain weight on a cruise-get off your butt and move there ia a gym on board, keep away from fried foods, easy on the sweets, You know the old saying-you are what you eat. But really eating healthy should be a life style change not just when you're on vacation. Chances are if you have bad eating habits at home they

are not gong to change when you get on the ship so start changing your eating habits long before you cruise. Good Luck!!!!

[h_blond2]

I've never gained weight on a cruise...in fact I lost a few ponds on the last one! I may be the only one on here who will say this, but I don't eat a lot on cruises! I'm too busy doing anything else! But if you are worried about it, take the stairs, instead of the elevator and really explore the ship...that's a lot of walking!

[derf5585]

I guess I am in the minority..

 

 

And no, I am not a skinny minny. I am 75 pounds over weight but I am no longer 175 pounds overweight after making radical lifestyle changes.

 

Congrats

How did you do it?