Tips for maintaining on cruise

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dailyzey
dailyzey Posts: 82 Member
in Motivation and Support
I have been on mfp for almost 3 months and love it so far! It's very easy to record my food while I eat at home or in most chain restaurants. But we are about to go on a week long cruise at the end of December and I am really starting to stress about it. I fear that I will gain weight when faced with endless desert tables and all you can eat buffets. Any tips on how to log and how to maintain while on a cruise?

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  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    I wouldn't log on vacation. I eat what I want and just aim for overall balance. For me that usually means that I have a few more desserts than normal or eat an entire wood-fired pizza by myself (thinking of a recent trip) but don't completely pig out at every meal. My vacations are always more active than my everyday life. On my most recent trip I came home weighing exactly what I weighed when I left and on my next most recent vacation, I came home four pounds heavier but lost it within days (Saturday to Tuesday.)

    Go and enjoy yourself. In five years do you want to look back on your vacation and remember the fun you had or remember how you tried to keep yourself on the "straight and narrow" all the time and thus didn't get to try what you wanted from the buffet?
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,520 Member
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    One will almost inevitably gain on a vacation where food is involved alot. I've been on 3 Disney cruises and gained on all 3 of them. But then again I'm on vacation. I DID however workout everyday (at 6am) and did a lot of walking to help compensate for the overage.
    IF you are willing to, you just have to eat the same way you're eating now to not gain weight. Will be much more challenging on vacation where food is around you 24/7.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • dailyzey
    dailyzey Posts: 82 Member
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    jemhh wrote: »
    I wouldn't log on vacation. I eat what I want and just aim for overall balance. For me that usually means that I have a few more desserts than normal or eat an entire wood-fired pizza by myself (thinking of a recent trip) but don't completely pig out at every meal. My vacations are always more active than my everyday life. On my most recent trip I came home weighing exactly what I weighed when I left and on my next most recent vacation, I came home four pounds heavier but lost it within days (Saturday to Tuesday.)

    Go and enjoy yourself. In five years do you want to look back on your vacation and remember the fun you had or remember how you tried to keep yourself on the "straight and narrow" all the time and thus didn't get to try what you wanted from the buffet?

    thanks - this is good advice and very true. I will try to work out every day and probably swim too.
  • dailyzey
    dailyzey Posts: 82 Member
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    ninerbuff wrote: »
    One will almost inevitably gain on a vacation where food is involved alot. I've been on 3 Disney cruises and gained on all 3 of them. But then again I'm on vacation. I DID however workout everyday (at 6am) and did a lot of walking to help compensate for the overage.
    IF you are willing to, you just have to eat the same way you're eating now to not gain weight. Will be much more challenging on vacation where food is around you 24/7.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    One will almost inevitably gain on a vacation where food is involved alot. I've been on 3 Disney cruises and gained on all 3 of them. But then again I'm on vacation. I DID however workout everyday (at 6am) and did a lot of walking to help compensate for the overage.
    IF you are willing to, you just have to eat the same way you're eating now to not gain weight. Will be much more challenging on vacation where food is around you 24/7.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    sigh... Mine isn't Disney but Royal Caribbean. i'm sure it will be just as bad. I will definitely try to work out every day.
  • kristen8000
    kristen8000 Posts: 747 Member
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    I had the same panic while on an all inclusive trip to Cancun a few weeks ago. I didn't log (no internet access outside the US). I ate well, never overeating. I did 2-3 mile beach walks every day but 1. I drank like a fish...I came back and was the exact same weight I was the day we left. The day after I was 1lb less. Since I've lost 2 more pounds while trying to maintain. So, my panic was for nothing. I think while losing we learn more about sustainable eating/movement than we think we do.

    Go, enjoy, I know you'll be surprised with the results on the return. My biggest advice is to MAKE SURE the day you get back (or the morning after) you weigh yourself. Get real, and get back to logging after that.
  • ladyhusker39
    ladyhusker39 Posts: 1,406 Member
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    The real challenge will be getting back on plan when you get home.

    Eat what you want on vacation, but make sure that no matter what you don't carry the vacation attitude back home. Leave it on the boat.

    Enjoy your trip.
  • ccruz985
    ccruz985 Posts: 646 Member
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    You have to purchase the right internet package to be able to log so that's first. Second, they have a gym on board. I went on a cruise during the last week of August and no, I didn't eat all of everything I could find but I CERTAINLY ate some of everything I wanted! I spent thirty minutes on the elliptical most days we were there and when I got home, I hadn't gained. Even if you gain a couple of pounds, it'll be a lot easier get back into the swing of things if you don't cut out the exercise and you still (somewhat) moderate.
  • guacamole17
    guacamole17 Posts: 109 Member
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    ladyhusker39 wrote: »
    The real challenge will be getting back on plan when you get home.

    Eat what you want on vacation, but make sure that no matter what you don't carry the vacation attitude back home. Leave it on the boat.

    Enjoy your trip.

    This exactly. If you are going on a week long cruise and spent all that money (more if you got the drink package), just enjoy yourself. There will be food, and then more food, and then more food after that. What I tried to do was not eat myself sick (meaning so full I cant function) and try not to eat when I'm not actually hungry. That, and the above advice, were my only rules.

    I went on a cruise a few weeks ago, and came back 4 pounds up. But that was just water weight and gone in two days once I resumed my regular routine. I didn't workout (at least "work out" for exercise reasons) because the cruise also served as some much needed rest days from my training. On the boat you will walk a lot, swim in the pools, excursions, etc!

    The RC cruise I went on a few years ago had a rock climbing wall, THAT was fun!
  • magster4isu
    magster4isu Posts: 632 Member
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    jemhh wrote: »
    I wouldn't log on vacation. I eat what I want and just aim for overall balance. For me that usually means that I have a few more desserts than normal or eat an entire wood-fired pizza by myself (thinking of a recent trip) but don't completely pig out at every meal. My vacations are always more active than my everyday life. On my most recent trip I came home weighing exactly what I weighed when I left and on my next most recent vacation, I came home four pounds heavier but lost it within days (Saturday to Tuesday.)

    Go and enjoy yourself. In five years do you want to look back on your vacation and remember the fun you had or remember how you tried to keep yourself on the "straight and narrow" all the time and thus didn't get to try what you wanted from the buffet?

    I guess I'm kind of the opposite of this. I track my food when I'm on vacation. I don't weight anything and it's mostly just guestimates. I still allow myself to have deserts and foods I can only get there. Tracking, however, keeps me accountable to ensure that 1 piece of cheesecake doesn't turn into 3 and that I'm not eating everything at every meal. Again, I don't deprive myself of anything, but by taking 2 seconds to write down what I'm eating, I can see that I'm not falling into old habits and pigging out. Tracking doesn't make vacation any less fun.
  • dailyzey
    dailyzey Posts: 82 Member
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    ccruz985 wrote: »
    You have to purchase the right internet package to be able to log so that's first. Second, they have a gym on board. I went on a cruise during the last week of August and no, I didn't eat all of everything I could find but I CERTAINLY ate some of everything I wanted! I spent thirty minutes on the elliptical most days we were there and when I got home, I hadn't gained. Even if you gain a couple of pounds, it'll be a lot easier get back into the swing of things if you don't cut out the exercise and you still (somewhat) moderate.

    Oh gosh... Had not even thought of the internet package angle.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    I eat whatever I like on holiday and worry about it when I get back.
  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,467 Member
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    I've been on 3 cruises, lost weight on all 3. Not a lot, just a pound or two. I think most of the reason why was all the good food. Fish! I live in a land locked state, love all fish except fried catfish. Fresh beautiful fruits and vegetables. I can get chocolate cake at home, but not good fish!
  • Momepro
    Momepro Posts: 1,509 Member
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    I just did that
  • dailyzey
    dailyzey Posts: 82 Member
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    corinasue1143 wrote: »
    I've been on 3 cruises, lost weight on all 3. Not a lot, just a pound or two. I think most of the reason why was all the good food. Fish! I live in a land locked state, love all fish except fried catfish. Fresh beautiful fruits and vegetables. I can get chocolate cake at home, but not good fish!

    Wow! I have never met anyone who has lost weight on a cruise! Amazing!
  • dailyzey
    dailyzey Posts: 82 Member
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    Thanks all, really appreciate the insights you've shared. Will try to relax and not log... but continue to work out. Let's see where I land in January!
  • heather_hearts_travel
    heather_hearts_travel Posts: 864 Member
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    On a cruise, I take the stairs everywhere. A very drunk woman on a ship once told me that if you always take the stairs, you can eat or drink whatever you want. Sound advice from a drunk woman... but it's what I do! If you're looking at taking 6 flights at once to get where you're going, take 2 or 3, then walk down the ship to the next flight and do 2 or 3 more.
  • ladyhusker39
    ladyhusker39 Posts: 1,406 Member
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    heather_hearts_travel wrote: »
    On a cruise, I take the stairs everywhere. A very drunk woman on a ship once told me that if you always take the stairs, you can eat or drink whatever you want. Sound advice from a drunk woman... but it's what I do! If you're looking at taking 6 flights at once to get where you're going, take 2 or 3, then walk down the ship to the next flight and do 2 or 3 more.

    There is great wisdom sloshing around in all that booze.
  • Sambo_fitness
    Sambo_fitness Posts: 137 Member
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    I second taking the stairs!!!!! Barely anyone will use the gym - take advantage of the machines!
  • Inspirationalwaterjug
    Inspirationalwaterjug Posts: 384 Member
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    Start a fight everyday; nothing fires up the metabolism like some mortal combat. Bonus points if you win; plus if you defeat the captain you get to drive the ship.

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