Just starting MFP and leaving for a cruise!

sjbjones4

Hi!

I am new to MFP and figuring this all out; however, one timely and essential question I have is how to properly log/track my food consumption while on a cruise. Almost all my meals will consist of no bar scans (which is all I know how to do at the moment) and a tad nervous I will fall back in to old habits if I don’t find a way to use MFP with or without the scan.

Any and all suggestions are welcomed!

Retroguy2000

There are apps which estimate foods on a plate via a picture. Probably not free, though maybe they have a free trial period. Anyway, the cost of a month of that is surely a fraction of the cost of the cruise, if that's important to you.

Will Tennyson had a video recently with him on a cruise, and successfully maintaining weight. He says the typical person gains 5-10 pounds on a cruise. So it can be done. Some good tips in here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdaTP5QWbrw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdaTP5QWbrw

AnnPT77

Honestly, don't obsess. Try to eat reasonably - not super restrictively, but healthily and not stuffing yourself. Enjoy some of the special foods a cruise offers. If you want to track, estimate using entries you look up by typing in names of things. Try to be physically active in fun ways while you're on the cruise.

This will also be an opportunity for you to practice what you've already learned about healthy eating/activity. That's a useful thing, even if you don't quite feel ready for it. You'll learn things about yourself, and learn what you already know, plus what you need to learn more about. Useful!

You don't need to be perfect. Just commit to get back to your normal, healthy routine the moment you return from the cruise. Maybe even make a concrete, specific plan now, about how you'll conduct your first hours and day when you return.

MFP premium - last I knew anyway - will estimate based on a photo of a plate, in the phone/tablet app. IME, it's not super accurate, but I wouldn't worry about extreme accuracy under these unusual circumstances.

I'm assuming you're on a cruise for a few days to a couple of weeks? That's a drop in the ocean. Your routine daily home life, the humdrum things you repeat over and over the majority of your days, are the ocean.

You may have a weight loss goal, and if that's needful for your health and well-being, it's a great goal that I encourage and support. But the really big goal on offer is good overall life balance, long term reaching and staying at a healthy weight, staying active enough for at minimum basic health and fitness, but also enjoying the many pleasures of life - including eating - in reasonable ways.

Have fun. Be reasonable. In the big picture, it'll be OK. You won't give up, because your long-term goals are important to you. Right?

Best wishes!

ETA a P.S. Here's a thing to commit to: When you get back, come back to this very thread and post an update. Plan to tell us things like what went well, what was less successful, what you learned and how that learning will affect your future plans. That can be part of your accountability commitment. I'll look forward to seeing your update.

csplatt

oh boy! this is one of the only times i’d say “just start when you get back!”

Courtscan2

Just enjoy your cruise, and get back to it when you get home. The few days you are on the cruise won't make or break you. Try not to go overboard, but don't obsess. I just got back from 2 weeks in Fiji and managed to remain the same, which I consider a huge win - I certainly didn't obsess over what I was eating, but did try to have primarily fruits and yogurt at breakfast, had a very light lunch, then ate whatever for dinner - as well as a couple cocktails! I'd like to say I remained active….does snorkelling and bobbing around in the ocean count? 😅

Anyway - enjoy and lock in on your return.

MaggieGirl135

Eat what you like on the cruise. I don’t weigh for one week following a cruise and then, when I do, I find I only gained a couple pounds. You do a lot of walking (or at least I do) when cruising.

briscogun

I had a week long vacation last month. I tried my best most of the time to eat foods I knew were good choices and tried to estimate reasonable portions, but still wanted to enjoy myself, have drinks and a few goodies here or there without going totally off the rails.

After being gone 8 days I gained 4 lbs. Got back on the wagon the next day, and within 3 days I was back to where I was before I left. It was mostly water weight and whatnot.

Try not to panic too much about it. Like Ann said, it's a good opportunity to practice what you've learned without relying on the app. Try to have a good time and not stress about it too much!