World Cruise Weight Gain?

[SargassoPirate]

On my first few cruises, most of them 7-15 nights, I overindulged and came home feeling bloated. The MDR waiters were no help with their dessert menu and "come on, you're on vacation".  Now, after 50-some cruises, my regular exercise and low-carb regimen has worked, and my trousers still fit at the end of the cruise.

 

For you experienced world cruisers, what's been your experience?  Any personal secrets to keep from returning home like the Pillsbury dough boy or do you just pack a set of stretchy clothes for the second half?

 

 

[Heidi13]

3 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

On my first few cruises, most of them 7-15 nights, I overindulged and came home feeling bloated. The MDR waiters were no help with their dessert menu and "come on, you're on vacation".  Now, after 50-some cruises, my regular exercise and low-carb regimen has worked, and my trousers still fit at the end of the cruise.

 

For you experienced world cruisers, what's been your experience?  Any personal secrets to keep from returning home like the Pillsbury dough boy or do you just pack a set of stretchy clothes for the second half?

 

 

On a WC, the atmosphere is so totally different from a shorter cruise as upon embarkation, it feels like you have moved into your home away from home. Since you are onboard for 4 to 6 months, you don't find the need to try everything on the menu, as dishes will no doubt return before you disembark. Although we don't get any menu repeated, we will see some of the popular dishes repeated.

 

We also take most of our meals in one of the full-service restaurants, so the galley manages portion control. We only manage the number of courses ordered. In the Buffet, with everything looking so good, it is just too easy to fill the plate.

 

I'm also out walking about 06:00 every sea day, for a couple of hours, so that also helps. Even moving around the ship to the various venues and using the stairs, rather than the lifts, help to increase exercise.

[Mich3554]

I lost nearly 40 lbs before leaving on our 54 day B2B last winter.  I was positive that I was going to regain a decent sized chunk of it.   I regained…..2 lbs.  I was ok with that.

 

Unlike Andy, I found I was able to portion control better in WC than The Restaurant.  There were times where I only wanted a few bites of something, not a whole serving.  I realized it when WC went from self serve to passengers being served during a brief outbreak of Norovirus.    It was hard to explain that I just wanted to try a few bites, about 1/4 of what I was served.

 

Sea days, I was also in the gym.

 

I did a bit more damage on our recent river cruise.  I was drinking much more wine and most meals were plated.  Also, I imagine checking out ALL the apple strudels at each stop didn’t help much.

[rkacruiser]

3 hours ago, Mich3554 said:

 Also, I imagine checking out ALL the apple strudels at each stop didn’t help much.

 

Cruisers review/comment on all kinds of things.  So, having a review and comparisons of Apple Strudel in different ports could be important information for some.  😁

 

As Heidi13 said, a world cruise is a different kind of cruise experience; I realized at the start I didn't need to over do it when I ordered meals.  I tended to eat  a continental type breakfast, sometimes "splurging" with a full MDR breakfast.  More often than not, I would skip lunch at lunch time (and most of the time when I did eat a MDR lunch, it would be with my trivia team members or others whom I met on the cruise), usually would go to the Lido Restaurant in mid-afternoon for a snack, always ate the snacks/canapes provides during HH, and had a nice dinner of 3 or 4 courses.

 

I used the stairs frequently and did daily laps around the Promenade Deck.  When in port and on tours, there often was much walking needed.  

 

I returned home with everything fitting, although my tux pants were a bit more snug than they had been, yet still comfortable.  Really didn't gain more than 3-5 pounds.  

[Jim Avery]

Two Viking world cruises and Lois and I both lost a couple of pounds each on each one. You don’t have the need to cram it all in and you stay more active than staying home.🍺🥃🍸🍹😎

[ekka49]

Walk, walk and walk every morning. 

We never use the lifts

We also keep away from ice cream and desserts.

[SargassoPirate]

19 hours ago, Mich3554 said:

I lost nearly 40 lbs before leaving on our 54 day B2B last winter.  I was positive that I was going to regain a decent sized chunk of it.   I regained…..2 lbs.  I was ok with that.

 

Unlike Andy, I found I was able to portion control better in WC than The Restaurant.  There were times where I only wanted a few bites of something, not a whole serving.  I realized it when WC went from self serve to passengers being served during a brief outbreak of Norovirus.    It was hard to explain that I just wanted to try a few bites, about 1/4 of what I was served.

 

Sea days, I was also in the gym.

 

I did a bit more damage on our recent river cruise.  I was drinking much more wine and most meals were plated.  Also, I imagine checking out ALL the apple strudels at each stop didn’t help much.

 

Had to laugh at your apple strudel study.  She Who Must Be Obeyed and I did that on a river cruise several years ago.  Can't remember the results of the taste test - but at the end of the cruise we found some apple pie in Amsterdam that beat them all.  (Winkle)

 

We also tried lots of Key lime pie in Key West on an extended stay there and I do remember the winner because we return to that venue every time we are in Key West for more pie. (Louie's Backyard on Waddell Ave.)

 

When we revisit Louie's, it's just for the pie and coffee and we walk there so as to help balance it out.

[Mich3554]

My winner was at a cafe in Vienna called Sluka.  Not too sweet and apples not cooked to mush.  DH suggested sharing, but I wanted my own piece (largely because if we shared, he’d eat 3/4 of it and I’d get the crumbs).  Sooooo good.

Edited August 5, 2022 by Mich3554

[wishIweretravelling]

What all those people above said! I'll add that, if your ship has a scale, the movement of the ship may render that scale unreliable. So, I brought a very unforgiving article of clothing and wore it at least once a week.

 

The biggest risk for weight gain is the final week: time for "just one last serving" of all the gooey favorites.

 

[Wayfairers]

Haven’t taken a world cruise yet, but have taken several longer cruises - 89 days is the longest so far.  I rarely gain more than a couple of pounds.  Take the stairs, never the elevator.  Walk a few miles while in port and workout in the gym on sea days.  Eat like I do at home - only favorite desserts and not every day and rarely eat the entire dessert.  Also, pay attention to portion sizes.  Drink like I do at home - 1 to 2 drinks most days and more some days.   I agree, the biggest risk is that final week when you know you won’t have another chance to try something.

Edited November 3, 2022 by Wayfairers

[JanR]

Just an update.  

 

Home from our WC.  Lost 10 pounds!  Lots and lots of walking during excursions and on sea days pretty much stayed to one meal a day most days.