How to handle 15 nights on a cruise ship.
jdtl
Posts: 1
I have lost 16 lbs in 7 weeks by maintaining a 1200 cal diet , treadmill 5 times /week , PGX fiber before each meal , and drinking 2 liters of water /day. I'm going on a 15 night cruise next week and am very worried about gaining weight. Any tips on meals etc ?
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Replies
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Just enjoy the trip and try not to worry too much about it.
If you are terrified of ruining all of your progress, maybe eat right one day and let yourself go the next.
Make smart meal choices and keep the water intake up.
You're not going to make too much of dent in your progress anyway, so if you get back on track when you return, don't sweat it.0 -
Keep doing what you're doing then and don't take a break from your diet.0
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Yes, I would be worried. Most ships have a gym. and a walking track. I went on a cruise and saw the walking track once and never saw the gym. I gained 4 lbs. I was a little distraught about it, but you are on vacation. Dont beat yourself up if you gain a few pounds back. Enjoy the cruise. I think it is the best vacation ever! Then... when you get home..... get right back on track.0
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I went on a 2 week cruise last year.....went on treadmill several times & also walked round the deck regularly. Ate all sorts, healthy and otherwise, and had a great time. Gained 7lbs Holidays are to be enjoyed, not for fretting about weight and food intake. Have a great time.....relax and get back on it when you get home.
I've lost 20lbs in the 5 months since we've been back.....
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lock yourself in your cabin. live on crackers and water. hope the voyage ends as soon as possible...
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...enjoy yourself! it's a VACATION!!! log what you can. estimate what you can. weigh yourself before going and after returning and then get back on track immediately when you get home and focus on losing those few new lbs you may have put on during the cruise.0 -
We take two cruises each year and I just enjoy everyday on them! Yes, I gain 4-5 lbs while on them and then come home jump right back on track to lose them! It's vacation, please enjoy it!!0
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Keep working out while you are on the cruise and try to eat well. whenever I go on vacation/business trip I make sure that I bring work out gear with me and make sure that I work out. I may not be able to get my normal routine in, but I feel as long as I am doing something then I will be OK.0
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The beautiful part about cruise ships is that they offer such a wide variety of everything and it's all done up for you.
Each meal always has vast choices and if you can be strong enough to take a small amount to enjoy and go for the
lighter fare (there are always lighter fares or lower cal choices on menus) you will be fine.
Also, all the cruise ships I have been on highly support wellbeing with spas, health classes and beautiful gyms.
If you want to stay tuned to MFP there are computer cafe's to log in too so if this would help you, it's all there for you.
Last Fall was my last cruise and I did it all and gained 8 lbs, but by the end of a week after my return I lost 5 of them simply because
it was all I never eat, except let myself enjoy, so either way you should be fine............enjoy and return to normal and loose,
or just be smart on the cruise if possible, but be sure to still enjoy, it is vacation, and keep loosing.
Where ever your going, 15 nights is awesome..........my longest was 12 nights I believe. Loved it all
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LOts of water, fill up your plate with salads/low cal foods. Use the walking track or gym every day. take the stairs instead of the elevator (bonus: will probably be faster anyways). Dont beat yourself up over a gain. Enjoy your trip! 0
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I couldn't do it, living on a ship is like living in a hotel lobby. Nothing to do but eat. just kidding. 0
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The best part of any cruise is often the food. Luckily most often have pretty decent gyms too.
Treat yourself and enjoy. Then punish yourself at the gym. Repeat throughout the trip.
Or you'll get seasick and neither will matter. Be sure to take some anti-nausea meds.0 -
maybe plan to eat two healthy meals and just have fun with the third every day. (though healthy can be fun too) vary which meal is your fun one every day. after all what is the point of a holiday on a cruise if you dont get to enjoy a big part of it.0
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I would just enjoy the trip. If it were me, I would still eat, but cut back on portion size so I could try a little of everything. I would hit the gym if there is one on the ship for a half hour or so. I would also do the more active activities. If I came back 5lbs heavier, I wouldn't sweat it. I would just get back on track when I got back home. Have fun.0
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Eat whatever and exercise. This is a vacation and most of the time the food is not going to be healthy but try your best to offset it.0
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Just enjoy it, two years ago before sorting myself out my daughter and I did a cruise and I didn't think once about the calories I consumed, I needed a seat belt extension on the plane on the way out and on the way back automatically asked for one, didn't need it. I spend much of the cruise running round the ship with my daughter and pounding pavements on excursions only thing I craved was melon and water. Mind you it was a Disney Cruise and I lost 8 lbs.
Note to self do that again to give yourself a boost 0 -
I cruise quite a bit and here's what I found was useful....
1) Avoid most buffets. Instead, eat in a "sit down" restaurant whenever possible.
2) When you're sitting out on deck, choose a seat as far from the food as possible.
3) Work out in the gym
4) At dinner, stick to one appetizer, one entree and one dessert, rather than unlimited portions of everything.
5) Go easy on the booze! You wouldn't believe the amount of calories that you will save this way. Substitute sparkling water when you can. Limit to one drink/day.
7) Most cruise ships will deliver a continental breakfast to your room. I order a piece of fruit and some cereal, along with some tear and maybe a piece of toast (just like I would do at home) This really curbed calorie intake, and was well satisfied until lunch. A side benefit is that it's a relaxing way to start the day and I'm not rushing around in the a.m. to get to breakfast. Where else can you get "breakfast in bed" anyway?
Have fun!0 -
When I go on vacation, I always gain a good bit of weight, and then lose it all within the span of a couple weeks. Most of it will be water weight. You'd have to put aways some pretty hefty amounts of food to gain any real weight in a 2 week period. But eating ship food means lots of sodium, so water retention. That'll come off once you get back on routine.
Just keep your notepad handy, use the wifi on the ship to use MFP's food database, and do the best you can. Find the gym, use it, and maybe book a couple of the active programs that are available.0 -
I can solve your problem, I am happy to go on the cruise for you so you can continue with your diet and healthy lifestyle!! I am willing to sacrifice my own weight loss plan and schedule for those 15 days so you don't have to suffer!!! Just send me your ticket, or preferably two, so my OH can come as well!0
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The buffets and booze are really the main source of worry on cruises. Just be smart about those and you should be fine. Try doing dinner and breakfast in the dining rooms and order off the menu because the portions are generally very sensible and they also flag the healthier options on the menu for people eating lighter.
As far as exercise, walking around the ship is always good and the fitness centers are usually nice, especially on the bigger boats.0 -
I cruise quite a bit and here's what I found was useful....
1) Avoid most buffets. Instead, eat in a "sit down" restaurant whenever possible.
2) When you're sitting out on deck, choose a seat as far from the food as possible.
3) Work out in the gym
4) At dinner, stick to one appetizer, one entree and one dessert, rather than unlimited portions of everything.
5) Go easy on the booze! You wouldn't believe the amount of calories that you will save this way. Substitute sparkling water when you can. Limit to one drink/day.
7) Most cruise ships will deliver a continental breakfast to your room. I order a piece of fruit and some cereal, along with some tear and maybe a piece of toast (just like I would do at home) This really curbed calorie intake, and was well satisfied until lunch. A side benefit is that it's a relaxing way to start the day and I'm not rushing around in the a.m. to get to breakfast. Where else can you get "breakfast in bed" anyway?
This is good advice. Cruises do have healthy options. On one cruise we found the light options to be the best tasting. I love getting a bowl of fresh berries with my breakfast and lots of veggies with lunch and dinner. There will be a gym and a walking track. Try to take the stairs as much as possible. I lost 2 pounds on our last cruise even though I enjoyed a few cocktails. "All you can eat" is not a challenge.0 -
I cruise a lot too, and maybe I'll come back 3 pounds heavier, but it is water weight and disappears after a couple of days back to normal and eating healthy.
Enjoy, but just don't go overboard (<--no pun intended :laugh: ) every day like people intend to do on a cruise. On a 7-day cruise I'll work out 4-5 times like I would do in a normal week. I get it over with early in the morning and then I feel better all day long. Also I take the stairs everywhere...man is that a workout!0 -
Cruises should be fun so don't put a lot of pressure on yourself. My last cruise was fantastic and although I ended up gaining a few pounds, the weight disappeared about a week later. The easiest things I would encourage you to do are:
1. Work Out - bring gym clothes and make time to workout. The best time for me was usually 1.5 hours before my sit down dinner. I also found working out made me much more conscious of my food choices.
2. Take The Stairs - take the stairs on the ship everywhere. This will help compensate for any additional calories you might pick up elsewhere
3. Water - drink lots of water. I purchased a case of water on ship and went through the whole thing
4. Activities - enjoy them! go dancing, swim, take part in excursions, go on trails, explore the ship and have fun! You'll burn calories and make the trip more memorable.
Other suggestions that may help, but I find a little bit less practical
1. Avoid Buffets - agree with others, avoid the buffets. Try and stick to sit down meals. If you do the buffets, especially breakfast, have a preference for more filling options with higher protein but don't feel bad eating whatever you want
2. Limiting Alcohol - a glass of red wine a day won't seriously hurt you (and may help) but don't get sloshed every night. That's just not good for you in general
In any scenario, it's a vacation! Enjoy it and even if you get off track decide to get back on track when you get back home! I hope you enjoy your cruise!0 -
When it comes to using the gym on board- stick with it for a few days, even if it seems too crowded. Normally, I go when the gym opens, which means late night carousers are often still sleeping. But even then, the first one or two mornings tend to be the busiest. After that, people become distracted with events or their willpower fades and the numbers start to drop.0
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This is a thread I read on Bodybuilding.com a while ago before going on vacation. It's a good read as it's his experience on a cruise.
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=1441794710 -
i'm also going on a cruise for 7 days in may. makes me worry now lol.. but like other said, enjoy yourself and go to the gym and eat and have fun! that's what i'm gonna do. 0
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I went on an 8 day cruise last April a few short weeks after joining mfp. I made better choices and was more aware of what I eating but still enjoyed myself and came home to a 2 lb loss. It can be done. I hope you have a wonderul time!0
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Wow that would be so hard for me not to drink and eat. I would probably dance as much I could and eat lots of fruit so I wouldn't eat all the bad stuff.0
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There is food everywhere you go on the ship, however, I found that I do much better if I avoid the buffet lines, and go to a sit down meal each time and order from a menu. I had plenty of food that I wanted but didn't order more than i needed. They have a great gym that you can use. And just walking around the ship all day is helpful. Just enjoy.0
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If it's Carnival ...might not be a problem! I actually lost 3 lbs my last cruise cuz the food was sooooo bad! You can keep with your program and just be very careful with your food . I vacation a lot, it can be done and still enjoy many indulgences! Have a great time!!0
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