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

[DisneyMomof2Princesses]

I reached 30K steps at Magic Kingdom the last time we went to WDW. My then 4 year old walked the entire time, also, and she takes 1.5 steps for every one of mine! A pedometer will definitely help you see how much walking you're actually doing!

 

[fairy oma]

I reached 33K one day, and almost 33K on our Epcot day. The other 4 days I averaged 24,500. I lost 6 lbs while at WDW last December. I tried not to eat too much bread, ate my protein and vegetables first and then nibbled on any starch if I had any room. I did totally stay away from fried food this time. If you like to have a bit of everything on your plate just try to eat half of everything. The DP can be a killer but you can get fruit for your snack.

 

[happymommy]

I agree with the other poster, that if you can ditch the dining plan entirely I would!

I've had both the regular dining plan once as well as the quick service dining plan once (both with free promotions). Both times it was too much food, and we couldn't use all the credits!

Portions to me are large, especially in the heat of Florida. My DD and I often share meals. I prefer water over soda (don't really care for soda much). I maybe have a dessert here and there, but as a snack not after a meal (I'm too full often).

It's only one week, so I splurge a bit on vacations. I do, however, understand you concern about undoing all your hard work!

I'm sure you'll be fine and hope you have a great time! I'd just rethink a dining plan honestly.

 

[mikepizzo]

I've also recently lost a pretty good amount of weight (started the year at 185 lbs, now currently 170 lbs). I've done a lot of research and would just like to share my thoughts, from someone that cares about their fitness to another.

Some base information to start with to understand my example easier:

Average number of steps in a mile = 2,000 (http://www.thewalkingsite.com/10000steps.html)
Walking Calorie Burning Chart: (http://nj2ny50.org/calorie-estimator-how-many-calories-do-you-burn-walking)
TDEE Calorie Calculator: (http://www.iifym.com/tdee-calculator/)
Turkey Leg Calories = ~1,000 (http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2010/02/04/eating-healthy-in-walt-disney-world/)
Mickey Bar Calories = 330 (http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2010/02/04/eating-healthy-in-walt-disney-world)
Amount of Calories in 1 lb of Fat = 3,500 (http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/calories/art-20048065)

Misc. Food Calories:(wolframalpha.com)

The human body burns calories just from living. Organs require energy to function. To figure out the amount of calories one's body burns just from existing, a TDEE Calculator is needed. Let's assume the person we will use in our example burns 1,700 calories a day, just from breathing. So to start, we will have a bank of 1,700 calories.

The amount of calories one burns from walking is a lot less than people think. Depending on the speed at which you walk, as well as your weight, will help estimate the amount of calories you burn per mile. You can use the Walking Calorie Burning Chart I linked above to help get some numbers that are more specific to you.

For examples sake, let's take a 160 lbs individual who walks 3.0 mph. That person will burn 85 calories for every mile they walk. It is realistic to assume an individual will walk about 20,000 steps every day in Walt Disney World. This equates to 10 miles, which means the person in our example will burn 850 calories through the entire day just from walking.

If we add our walking to our bank, we will have 1,700 calories + 850 calories for a total for 2,550 calories burned for the entire day. This means that the person in our example can eat 2,550 calories throughout the whole day and not gain any weight.

Burning 850 calories just from walking is nothing to turn your nose at, but in relation to the amount of food one may eat on vacation, it's really not a lot.

As stated above, one (1) Turkey Leg is about 1,000 calories. Let's say our person decides to skip breakfast (which isn't a good idea, but that's besides the point) and start eating at 11 AM with a Turkey Leg. Adding that to the bank, we have 2,550 - 1,000 = 1,550.

The person in our example now has 1,550 calories that they can eat without gaining any weight.

So our person goes on "it's a small world...", "Peter Pan's Flight", and "Haunted Mansion", and is now starting to get a little hungry. Their diner reservation at California Grill is in a couple hours, so as not to ruin their appetite for dinner, they grab a Mickey Bar.

1,550 - 330 = 1,220

So now our person can have 1,220 calories at their dinner at California Grill without gaining any weight. Let's say our person decides they want a nice 6 oz. steak, mashed potatoes, and a beer for dinner. 249 calories for the masted potatoes (1 cup), 379 calories for the 6 oz of steak, and 119 calories for 1 beer (12 oz). Our calories from dinner comes to 747.

Adding that to our bank: 1,220 - 747 = 473.

Awesome! Our person has burned 473 calories throughout the whole day. But wait a minute...what exactly did our person eat?

• Turkey Leg
• Mickey Bar
• Steak
• Mashed Potatoes
• Beer

That's not a lot...nor is it a very good diet.

So why this lengthy post with information that anyone watching their weight should know? Because eating on vacation can get away from you. Sure, our person burned almost 500 calories throughout the whole day, but they only had 5 food items, and let's be serious, that is not really a realistic view of what someone would eat at Disney (especially on the dining plan).

In my opinion, one should be mindful while they are on vacation, but not to the nitty gritty like this. I wouldn't have 4 Turkey Legs a day, but a few during your length of stay is ok. Watch what you eat and exercise hard before and after your vacation. But vacation should be exactly that...vacation. Enjoy the food, enjoy the drink. Don't go overboard but don't deprive yourself either. I workout and watch what I eat so that I can be a little more relaxed on my vacations and not have to worry about it. Depending on your eating habits, you may gain a little bit of weight on vacation, and that's ok. It's what you do when you get home that really matters.

 

[halfpintpeggy]

The dining plan is going to be an expensive waste of money in your situation. So you really want to drink sodas several times everyday, and eat desserts twice a day, every day? Do you want to pay for those large, fat laden portions of food that the restaurants serve? I think you've worked too hard to lose that weight! If you pay OOP than you can eat healthy, the way that YOU choose to eat & throw in a few treats throughout your vacation.

 

[SYDCOLEMOM]

Every summer we spend 10 days in Orlando. We are walking from sun up to sun down. We enjoy dinning plan and other foods as well. Its vacation..once a year...I dont put restrictions on myself. Every single vacation we come back and I discover I have lost anywhere from 5 to 12 lbs !! its the 10 miles a day walking I dont normally do. Disney is truly a magical place honestly we eat a light breakfast, snack during the day and eat like kings & queens at night. During the day its too hot for us to really want to eat too much. We do drink by the pool at night (wine, margaritas etc) so IM sure the calories add up but again the amount of walking & sweating we do takes care of that. Enjoy yourself - there are tons of great options at all Disney restaurants & lots of healthy choices. Have a fabulous time !

 

[Dis703]

I eat a ton at Disney, but have never gained more than a couple pounds because of all the walking I guess. It's a very active vacation. That said my trouble is actually when I return not so much while I'm there. I let go and eat what I want and find it extremely hard to not continue splurging once I return home.

I'm trying to lose a few more pounds now before a trip in about 3 weeks and will try to have a specific meal plan in place when I get back and see if that helps. Fingers crossed!

 

[GabBeFit]

Bringing snacks is so helpful! Its so nice that Disney lets you bring food into the park! You could look ahead a time to what treats stand out the most to you and pick a few ahead of time to look forward to. This way you are going in with a plan, and you know which may be worth it to you to try. You are on vacation! Also.. My boyfriend and I are both very conscious of our health.. but when on vacation we like to try new things, so we split things!So instead of both eating Mickey bar, well split it.

 

[CooperGear]

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?

Well, 80lbs is 280000 calories so it would be tough to gain that much. On average they say you walk 10miles/day at Disney so that's like 20000 steps on average so that will help. You must remember, you got to your high weight over years of eating too many calories, one vacation will not put you back to that weight so enjoy it.

 

[SirMickey]

Whenever I'm in the parks or at a restaurant anywhere, really, I have to remind myself that it's all about food choice. Usually, restaurants have some formof healthier choice on their menus regardless of the venue, and you have to seek out and ultimately choose those items to consume if you want to remain successful in not adding extra pounds while on vacation. Admittedly, it's easier said than done. But, with enough discipline, you can do it!

 

[momtotaryn]

Congratulations to everyone who has lost weight! Quite an accomplishment!

I haven't lost weight recently, but I am one who tries to eat more "healthy", so that I don't gain unwanted pounds. I normally don't eat that much at home, but I am looking forward to all the delicious food I will partake in, while in WDW! I will be on vacation, and I plan to enjoy myself, not watch every single calorie. Of course, I'm not wanting to gain weight either, so I'm counting on the added activity to help me keep things in control. In the past, whenever I go on trips where I eat a lot more than usual, I don't gain at all, or, surprising, even lose weight. In preparation for my June trip, I'm being extra cautious about what I eat right now, so that I can treat myself later.

 

[katt789]

Congratulations on your weight loss! That's fantastic!! Here are my suggestions for keeping healthy in the parks.
-Keep hydrated, and with WATER! Drinking soda, the "all natural lemonade" or anything like that will obviously JUMP your intake up, and it's loaded with sugar. If I feel I need some quick sugar, I'll opt for a smaller kids apple juice or something from a QS place
-There are TONS of healthier options around the Disney parks, you just have to be able to resist the pull of the deep fried stuff, with the deluxe ddp, I suggest looking at menus online in advance, checking out the options and looking for things that are healthier, that you'll still enjoy
-Swap out starches for more vegetables
-Eat sandwiches/burgers open faced, or take off both pieces of bread all together
-Ask for fruit for dessert, esp if you can get it to go to munch on later
-If you still want something carbonated, I usually ask for a glass of soda water with some lemon & lime wedges to give it a little flavour
-Skip the bread, or only eat one, then ask them to clear it when you're done if the rest of your group doesn't want it.
-Opt for salads as appetizers, or skip the appi all together
-Or opt for entree salads as well!
-I usually plan out one "treat" per day when I'm on vacation and willing to give myself a bit of extra wiggle room, but that "treat" covers everything from a sugary alcoholic drink/beer, to chicken nuggets at lunch to a nice piece of dessert, or a mickey bar. I get ONE per day to keep myself on track .
-Remember that protein and healthy fiber is what helps keep you full, try to concentrate on that during meals and you shouldn't need to much too much in between.

You will be walking a lot (I averaged 20,000 per day last trip) but that doesn't mean you'll walk off everything you eat, esp with that Deluxe ddp, so be mindful.

Also remember that it's vacation, and you're always allowed to live a little and moderation is key. If you want to have that burger & fries with ice cream for dessert, go for it!

 

[Duckiedee]

As someone who is also on the weight loss train with the DxDDP, here is my intended strategy.

Make 2 of three meals "Healthier". One treat meal and share treat-style snacks. For lunch or dinner - you can ask to sub a side salad or soup for your dessert at most restaurants.

You don't have to finish everything. If you get a dessert - have and enjoy 3 bites. This could also go for snacks.

There are also lots of healthy snack items in the parks, looking at the menus in Touring Plans or similar... there are carrot sticks, banana and apple slices, etc.

Lay off the alcohol. Enjoy it at one or two Signature dining experiences and perhaps the day of arrival!

Pool your credits for 2 TS service meals - finer dining and less overall food.

Plan a 5-day sugar/carb/green smoothie something detox for two days after your return (time to buy the groceries from the list your prepared before you left!)
And know you CAN lose those pounds again should a couple return. This is life!

Maybe start training for a 5K or something X amount of weeks out after your trip. Incentive to get back on plan immediately.

 

[YawningDodo]

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.

Honestly, I like this approach the best. Go into it with a healthy baseline, make little healthy changes here and there so you're only really splurging on things that are worth it to you, and don't worry about it too much. I say that as someone who also went on a big weight loss journey. The key is to set a time limit on how long you're allowed to throw caution to the wind and eat what you want, and have the discipline go back to your regularly scheduled diet when that time is up. The other thing you might not realize is that in order to get as far as you have, you've already learned a bunch of really good habits -- when I compare my "splurges" from before I lost eighty-five pounds to "splurges" I'm likely to do now, the difference is huge. I couldn't and wouldn't eat the amount of indulgent foods I used to on bad days anymore, just by natural desire at this point.

My actual concrete advice:

• Add fresh fruits and vegetables to your plans. If you fill up on healthy things (as snacks or in the mornings at your resort room), you'll be less hungry for junk food.
• Nix the sweet drinks apart from special treats. They add up fast.
• Ditch the deluxe dining plan unless you're planning to spend all those credits on going to a ton of specialty restaurants and shows that cost multiple TS credits -- even then you'd probably be pushing it. You're looking down the barrel of three TS meals per day, appetizers and desserts included with lunch and dinner, sodas with everything. I'm normally a big eater, but when I'm at WDW I never want to eat that much in one sitting due to the heat and the need to not get sick on rides. We usually eat two sit-down meals per day (either two QS or one QS and a TS), no appetizers and usually no desserts, and supplement with a couple snacks. I can't see how one would use the deluxe plan and not either massively overeat or throw out tons of food.

 

[squeezle]

when I compare my "splurges" from before I lost eighty-five pounds to "splurges" I'm likely to do now, the difference is huge. I couldn't and wouldn't eat the amount of indulgent foods I used to on bad days anymore, just by natural desire at this point.

This is so true!