How do I NOT Gain 80 Pounds While at Disney World ;)

[OhanaCassidy]

I recently just lost a ton of weight and I am very proud of myself. But I am also going to WDW in June and everyone knows what that means tons of food especially since I have the Deluxe Dining plan. Is there ways or tips on staying healthy while still enjoying the food WDW has to offer?

 

[DisneyFansInNYC]

That is great that you lost so much weight. You must feel so good.

First of all there will be much walking. We estimated about 18,000 steps daily. Sometimes getting to 23,000. Use a pedometer.

What I do - is I watch the bread that I eat. If it is a sandwich I only eat half of the bread and don't eat any bread appetizers. I also don't drink any calories. I would rather save the calories for food.

Congrats and enjoy!

 

[davper]

You will do so much walking that you may burn more calories then you take in.

But like PP said, don't drink your calories unless it is a special treat.

The DxDP is a looooot of food. Don't over eat at each meal. You won't go hungry.

 

[Molly812]

Congrats!

I also just lost a lot of weight. I am going in 2 weeks and I have been very anxious about food. I will share my plan with you!

First of all, we aren't on any dining plan, so obviously it will be different. But we do plan to eat some meals in the parks.

I only eat meat and vegetables, no artificial sugars or anything like that. I have been scouring menus online to prepare. I know what I will eat at all of our ADR's already, and I know which quick-serve places I can find meals that fit my eating plan. This will assure that if I get hungry, I don't bolt for the nearest Mickey bar-I'll know where and what I can eat ahead of time.

I also plan to bring in back ups of things I can eat (rolled lunch meat, hard boiled eggs, etc.) as a snack if I get starving!

I wouldn't count on burning off more calories then you can eat. That is simply not true. You will walk a lot, but walking all day will not burn enough calories to counteract the food you eat if you choose to stray from whatever diet you are doing that caused you to loose weight in the first place. If you stray once or twice-it probably won't be a huge deal. But once or twice could lead to all week. Is eating whatever you want for a week worth it to you?

I also keep reminding myself that since I am eating this way, and haven't had sugar, carbs, or any of those kinds of foods in nearly a year, if I do indulge, it will likely only make me sick, and then I won't be enjoying myself! That alone is enough to keep me on my path!

Good luck!

 

[Hootch]

We usually go in June. With the heat, I'm not usually that hungry during the day.

You've worked hard to lose the weight and you know what has worked for you. Maybe splurge a little and follow your current plan the rest of the time. There are some really good seafood and vegetable items that don't have a lot of calories.

Congratulations on your progress.

 

[OhanaCassidy]

Thanks for the good advice! I don't want to let a week at the most magical place on earth lead to downfall on my weight loss journey! I do love cupcakes and sweets, so I think my best bet is to indulge a little, but keep on track and be good for the majority of the trip.

 

[monorailsilver]

I lost 5 lbs our last trip and have since gained it back...sigh..

What I did differently was drink water with all our meals in the parks. Plus it was a money saving thing as well. I told my dh and the kids that on our pool days they could drink as much soda as they wanted but park days it was water.

We had our refillable containers, kids had the thermos ones that kept it ice cold in the summer and we just paid for our meals with out drinks as a drink was extra.

No dining plan for us because it's not cost effective and the dessert thing...I want a Mickey bar, not a cookie, cake, pie, brownie, etc... (QSDP).

But since you have the deluxe dining plan then that's a lot of food and dessert, right? So don't have eggs for breakfast or a muffin, have a yogurt. Lunch have a salad with chicken or have that for dinner and do your heavier meal at lunch.

Don't drink soda, avoid desserts with meals this way you won't double up on a cruddy dessert with a yummy dessert.

The walking alone never made me lose a pound on any other trip. I swear it was the lack of soda and oh yeah, our pool days I was in the pool early morning and swam with the ducks for a good hour. Heavenly... Plus I would swim through out the day.

 

[alliecat523]

All good advice. I second the idea of bringing snacks to keep you away from the bad stuff. If you keep your blood sugar level more even with good stuff, you won't be so tempted with bad stuff.

 

[loves to dive]

I agree with Molly812, don't count on all the walking to help, it's not continuous walking and unless you are speed walking for over 15 minutes you aren't going to burn many calories. The deluxe dining plan is not really friendly for those trying to stay on a plan but let's see what we can come up with. I'm a fairly healthy person and don't eat much in the way of processed sugar or fried foods so here goes. The deluxe plan has 3 TS meals a day right? I'm going to go against other's advice and say have some eggs for breakfast, the protein is good for you and they only have 70 calories each. Get them scrambled if possible and stay away from buffets. Two eggs and Canadian bacon and you could even splurge on a piece of wheat toast. Stay away from soft drinks, even diet ones and load up on the water, you need to stay hydrated. Lunch, just about every menu has some sort of grilled chicken on it so go there and look for veggies. If you are doing quick service, go for a turkey sandwich and just use one slice of bread, get fruit instead of fries. For the meals that offer dessert, I think now you can sub a salad so go for that. If you can't, there is usually some sort of sugar free option, take a bite or two of that to satisfy any sweet cravings. The same for supper. The snack credits are going to be harder, but there are places in every park that have fruit, get you a piece of fruit or a hummus and veggie pack to munch on. There is nothing wrong with just eating 1/3 of what is on your plate and leaving the rest, you paid for it so how much you eat doesn't make a difference. You can even ask for a smaller plate and for half of it to be boxed up, personally I'd just eat half of it and leave the rest. I get up early every morning and walk around whatever resort I'm staying at, I used to jog but I blew my knees out doing that so it's fast walking for me now. A good half hour fast walk early in the morning will get you going for the day and burn calories. If you have some sort of exercise routine now, try to stick as close as you can to that. Like I said, an early morning walk (all the resorts have walking paths) or if you do any sort of strength training and aren't staying in a deluxe with a gym, take a resistance band in your luggage. After your walk (carry it around your waist during your walk) stop in some nice peaceful place and do a little 10 minute workout with that. Personally, I do a nice little calming yoga routine after my walk and just put my strength routine on hold until I get home. Don't stress it, enjoy your time there, it's easy enough to do if you set your mind to it and there are plenty of healthy options.

 

[RaginforDisneyRoy]

I've lost 50 pounds in the last 6 months. I use WDW as my motivation. It's important to remember that every menu has healthy choices and you are doing a tremendous amount of walking. On my pedometer app, 6 of the 10 most steps I've taken have been on a Disney vacation, so that's important. One reason I've lost the weigh it because I've been balanced. Cheat days are important to keep you motivated to lose weight. It's ok if you go to WDW for a week and put on 5 pounds - you will lose it easily in the following 2 weeks as long as you get back on your program. Below are my tips for burning extra calories while on a WDW trip:
1. When you wake up each morning, drink 8 oz. of water and eat some lean protein (Greek yogurt works great, because it will get your metabolism going). If you ave ADR for breakfast, make sure you put fruit on your plate. It will help fill you up with some healthy stuff.
2. Protein, protein. When I go to WDW on 4/28 with my wife, we are also on the Deluxe plan. I'm really not going to sweat the carbs this time because I know with my workout routine, I'll get back on track when I get home. BUT, if you are worried about the weight gain, stick primarily to proteins at WDW. Use your 2 snack credits on meats at the Flower and Garden Kiosks, eat a nice filet, etc. Look, I'm going to get my cinnamon bun on when we are there, but that doesn't mean I have to eat the whole thing.
3. Buffet sampling. If you have buffet ADRs, just use them to sample a lot of different things. You don't have to eat everything on your plate and it's actually ok to leave part of the starchier foods. Eat salmon, chicken and veggies. Chances are that you've made enough changes to your body that you will not eat the volume you expect, even on the Deluxe plan.
4. Hydrate. If you drink lots of water, like I try to do, you will flush your body and make it easier to lost any excess weight gained during the day. Plus, you will get very familiar with all the bathrooms throughout WDW (I have visited them all)
5. ENJOY. It sounds to me that your weight loss journey was not done with a fad diet, but with a lifestyle change. If that's the case, there's no remorse about this trip. Enjoy it, because you know when you get home you will get back to the routine that got you to where you are now. If you are doing weight training or resistance work, your body needs a week off every few months anyway. Depending upon the type of workouts you've done, you will probably see some muscle mass increase while you're on vacation. Be happy that you've gotten this far and know that this trip if your nutritional gift to yourself.

 

[rebelbuddhist]

I recently just lost a ton of weight and I am very proud of myself. But I am also going to WDW in June and everyone knows what that means tons of food especially since I have the Deluxe Dining plan. Is there ways or tips on staying healthy while still enjoying the food WDW has to offer?

Since last December. I have lost a little over 80 lbs. it was not all on purpose and emergency surgeries were involved. Anyway, PROTEIN is my best friend now. Both meat and vegetable proteins are important. Using the Deluxe Dining Plan it is very easy to get lots of high proteins-- especially steaks that are not only good protein but also a good way to get your money's worth on the DDP. Of course, deserts are a problem-- no sugar added is not necessarily a good thing. But now you can sub a fruit plate for dessert at many restaurants. Best of luck and plan well

 

[pagek83]

Congrats!! My last trip, I ended up losing 8 pounds with all of the walking we did. Just drink lots of water and watch your intake. Sweets are a big temptation for me too, but with you going in June, it will be hot, so maybe that will help curb the desire to overdo it? It was super hot when we went in November and that certainly helped me. Good thing Dole Whips are relatively good for you. Have fun on the trip and don't regret a second of it!

 

[Linleedo]

I recently just lost a ton of weight and I am very proud of myself. But I am also going to WDW in June and everyone knows what that means tons of food especially since I have the Deluxe Dining plan. Is there ways or tips on staying healthy while still enjoying the food WDW has to offer?

We have had the deluxe plan twice. We chose it to use the points to go to all of the Signature Dining restaurants. Walking and swimming will definitely shed the calories. We realized after one day, that we never ate so much food in one sitting. We were tasting each other's appetizers and desserts( not finishing them). At first , we were boxing the desserts and bringing them back to the room. But, it wasn't being eaten. There were times that we asked people in quick service lines, which dessert they would like and we gifted it to them after payment. The option for swapping out wasn't available then. It's a ton of food! Self control is what can save your waist. After the 2 years of Deluxe Dining( and getting to enjoy all of that great foods), we switched to out of pocket spending for meals or the Disney Dining Plan. We felt so guilty wasting food. We don't usually eat appetizers and dessert. But, now if we do; its shared. Enjoy the food! Disney has so many great options. Not sure if you knew, but here are all of the menus from Allears http://allears.net/dining/menu It can help you with planning.

 

[TXStormtrooper]

I haven't read any other replies, but wanted to share my thoughts and experience. First of all, with the exception of 1 cup of coffee each morning, I only drink water at Disney. I don't drink alcohol, so that isn't an issue for me, but I don't drink soda or anything else in the parks or with meals - just water. I pretty much only drink water anyway, so I don't feel deprived on vacation. When it comes to food, I go over the menu and choose sensible options. I don't limit myself to salads or "diet" food, but I don't choose the worst options, either. I eat in moderation, just like at home. I allow a dessert or two, but not every meal or even every day. Other than the water, I'd say the main thing is the amount of walking we do that helps. We are talking many miles each day, much more than I regularly do at home. That in and of itself helps a ton. I've never gained any weight at Disney, and have more often lost a little. Don't obsess about it too much and have a great time!!

 

[hsmamato2]

1st-get rid of the Ddp.... that's what I would do since it will be wasted money if you don't want to eat/gain weight. It's a LOT of food that you're prepaying for,and a LOT of it is going to be desserts and extras you just don't 'need'.
2nd- walking vs. calories.... a LOT of misconceptions here. The average walking speed in Disney is fairly slow (except for a few brief "I'm late!" bursts) so figure 2.0 mph average speed. (maybe 2.5)
If you walk for about 6 hours at that speed, you will burn approx. 815 calories. (per the loseit app) A large decorated cupcake at Disney can be like 500+ calories alone. (they're huge) A 16 oz. soda packs around 180 calories.
If you walk for 12 solid hours a day at 2.5 mph,calculate. But not all of disney is walking, there's also a lot of sitting involved.
The Ddp is a LOT of sitdown expensive meals. You're better off financially and waistline-wise just paying oop for your healthier,smaller food choices.
Just one opinion,backed up by actual facts, rather than "i burn SO many calories strolling and eating'! (I've said that to myself in the past,as my waistband appeared to shrink lol)
That said, there are plenty of great healthy food options at Disney, just look! And if you keep your meals lighter, then splurging on a treat here and there along with all the walking won't feel so 'naughty'!

 

[hsmamato2]

I wouldn't count on burning off more calories then you can eat. That is simply not true. You will walk a lot, but walking all day will not burn enough calories to counteract the food you eat if you choose to stray from whatever diet you are doing that caused you to loose weight in the first place. If you stray once or twice-it probably won't be a huge deal. But once or twice could lead to all week. Is eating whatever you want for a week worth it to you?

I also keep reminding myself that since I am eating this way, and haven't had sugar, carbs, or any of those kinds of foods in nearly a year, if I do indulge, it will likely only make me sick, and then I won't be enjoying myself! That alone is enough to keep me on my path!
Good luck!

Exactly. been there done that too. One memorable trip,I hadn't eaten extra sugars or fats(like dairy,etc) for 5 months prior,lost 30 pounds....first meal on vacation was chicken fried something.....big mistake(lol,now years later) my body wasn't used to that type of food,and it let me know. Same for right now,yes,a treat here and there is fine, but overall I have to stick to my usual food patterns,or my body says "Oh no you ditn't"

 

[Lsyves]

Congrats! I lost 25 pounds this year too and just got back from a week at Disney...gained 4-5 pounds! I indulged though--had fries for the first time in almost a year, and had drinks by the pool every day. Only had ice cream twice.

Back to lean meats and veggies this week.

My advice is also to get rid of the dining plan--it's way too much food. One thing I did also that probably helped me to not gain 10 pounds was small bites at the buffets. I don't think I went back for seconds. I thought I'd be ok with all the walking and swimming but I don't think that did much in terms of working off the high calories that are disney foods!

Good luck and don't forget to treat yourself a little bit! I found I enjoyed the fries and ice cream but didn't really crave them more than once or twice. I think the sweet drinks by the pool were my downfall! But to me it was worth it!

 

[gorkt]

Avoid the dining plan. WAY too much food.

Schedule meals at off-times. A lot of time I will just grab a piece of fruit or a snack in the AM, eat QS/TS on the early side to avoid the crowds, like 10:30-11am, then eat again around 3-5pm. You will eat less, burn off your dinner instead of eating it last thing at night, and the bonus is you avoid crowded meal times and it's easier to get reservations. Plus you can ride more rides while people are eating lunch and dinner.

Concentrate on not wasting food. Split meals. The portions are big enough usually and if you leave hungry, you can always get a snack later.

Go for the salads for QS. Unless things have changed a lot in 3 years, the salads are some of the best QS offerings at all the parks.

Plan your treats and really enjoy them! Don't deprive yourself of everything you like to eat.

I agree that you will walk a TON - I brought a pedometer last trip and logged over 20000 steps every day.

 

[squeezle]

We also lost weight! We drastically changed the way we ate last summer, and, even with a little backsliding into old habits, we have been able to maintain the loss. But we decided to create a safety net for ourselves by going back to a strict eating plan in the month before our vacation to give ourselves a little "wiggle room" to enjoy ourselves.

These are going to be some of our strategies:
* Water, water, water, water, water!! and unsweetened tea or coffee
* Breakfast in the room, healthy snacks in packs
* Plan for treats and must-eats - for me this is a Mickey rice crispy treat, Kona macadamia-nut pancakes, and fried chicken from 50s
* Limit the bread - opt for salad over sandwiches and refuse the breadbasket at TS places
* Share appetizers if something looks tempting
* Ask to substitute veggies for starches
* Opt for a cocktail instead of dessert, because I have priorities

And then we will go return to sensible eating once we return home again.

 

[Missymoe4]

Congrats to all who have lost weight, are in the process of losing weight, and/or those who are eating healthier.