How much weight did you gain on your cruise?

[imgoingtodisney]

After having lost over 30lbs this past year Im greatly concerned about gaining over the cruise.
How much did you gain? If not much, how did you manage to keep it off? Walking deck, dancing, etc? Did you tell waiters you were on a certain diet? Ever slack off? on what?
Pls dont say "Its a vaca, worry about it when you get back" Ive worked too darn hard to gain it back. Afraid my new clothes wont fit when I return if I go with that mindset.

 

[Michelle]

Zero.

I know how hard it is to lose weight and I refuse to let myself gain a few pounds on the cruise, because I know how much I HATE trying to lose it.

I do it by not eating everything in sight and by STOPPING when I'm full, even if there is still tons of food on my plate. I also often ordered the chicken breast with veggies and a baked potato for dinner, and that is a healthy choice (and it's GOOD). I never eat dessert so that was not a temptation.

At buffets take MUCH smaller portions than you think you would eat; if you're still hungry you can always go back for more. People tend to think they have to eat everything on their plate and if you get too much the first time you'll overeat.

I worked out some but not a lot, took the stairs 95% of the time, and dance a LOT every night.

You really don't HAVE to gain weight OR feel like you are depriving yourself at all.

 

[LAMPSKIES]

I ALWAYS lose weight on our cruises.......but it tends to be in the wallet!!! LOL Just have fun...that's what vacations are for.

 

[dclwdwlover]

I always work out one full month prior to going away purposely to LOSE weight before going to allow myself 'room to grow'. (I'm presently doing this getting ready for next month!) I'm not like Michelle in that I WANT to eat everything in sight & enjoy as MUCH as I can!!! The wonderful food & the liberty to eat as many dishes as you want is half the fun!
I think I probably also shed a pound or two walking all over WDW before we go.
I don't know exactly, but I would think that I probably gain about 5 lbs. on the cruise. That's why I try to lose 7 before going! My husb. & I do walk every am & pm around the entire ship, not only because we like to, but also to walk off some of our meals. We've never gone into the gym, but that's a possibility for you if you want to.
Have a great trip!

 

[takemeaway]

AS a personal trainer, remember that your body weight can fluctuate 5-15 pounds depending on the time of the month, the time of year , your stress level and other outside influences.

I think it is great that you have lost 30 pounds. However, I think you need to remember it is better to be healthy than always worrying what you are eating and how much the scale says. Personally, I think the only things that should have scales are fish.

Don't worry about food, don't worry about how big your butt is, don't worry about you ate or didn't eat today. Exercise and eat to live, don't live to eat. Just my opinion.

 

[4nana]

LOL....
As you can tell by my picture, weight is the last thing on my mind!! The food is wonderful and I've yet to figure how anyone could possible eat all they serve you!? Some nights we had just a salad or appetizer, other nights just the main entree. You will walk many miles if you are as active as we were on and off the ship. Congrats on your weight loss Barb!!
Don't worry be happy!!!!!!!!!!!

I never eat dessert so that was not a temptation.

Oh my Michelle ~
to pass up those delicious desserts....what will power!!!!

 

[Favorite Auntie]

I tried to take the stairs, and I ate a little bit of everything I wanted, so I never felt deprived. Most of the time a taste of the desserts was enough (except for the lava cake and choc souffle!) There is also a ton of fruit available at scoops in the morning and afternoon. I would have that a lot with an omlette that they make for you for breakfast. Deck 4 has a 1/4 mile "track" that runs along the outside of the ship. It is great to be out there when the ship is under way, and a great way to exercise!

People that say "you are on vacation, don't worry about it" don't know how hard you worked to get the weight off! I lost 70 pounds, and then put 30 back on with that attitude....

Continue to make great choices while on board and you will probably even lose some weight!

 

[figment52]

I surprised myself and lost a few pounds rather than gained. I ate at regular times every day and finished eating earlier than normal in the evenings (which is why I like early seating). I walked away from dinner a couple times being too full so I was surprised that I had not gained anything.

I didn't pass on desserts - yeah like Sasha was going to let me do that!!

And breakfast - I ate much better than normal and again at regular times.

I walked away from the cruise realizing that my eating habits at home are pretty screwed up and have gained better control. You should do just fine....you have the mind set to watch what you are eating.

 

[KEH]

We cruised last Halloween on the Magic and overall during that week and the week before at WDW I put on only 3lbs. I certainly didn't refuse any of the food on offer (my DD still reminds me that I had 2 desserts every evening and that one night I had 3!! I didn't finsih all of them, though, I hasten to add). I put the small size of the gain down to the fact that we did lots of walking round the Parks and that we took the stairs all the time both up and down whilst on the ship. In fact we found it quicker to do that most of the time. One day we went up 5 decks at the same time as the lift started off. As we reached each floor, so did the lift and the doors opened each time. In end we made it to Deck 9 well ahead of the lift. The people who were riding couldn't believe their eyes I don't think.

If you keep active, any gain will be minimised and if you have lost 30lbs (well done), you have the right mind set to get back on track when you get back home. This year I am 14lbs lighter than I was when we cruised last year, so lost the 3lbs and more besides and I am planning to enjoy the food on board and keep as active as possible which I hope will work again when we cruise this Halloween. Enjoy!

Karen

 

[disney6]

I don't think I gained any on our cruises (don't get on scales ever but my clothes all still fit at the end!). I took the stairs almost always (kids loved the elevators so had to take those sometimes). I usually didn't eat lunch -- too busy! If I thought about it I had the grilled chicken breast sandwich from Pluto's -- it's AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!! I did eat a pretty big breakfast (made to order omelette) so that's probably why I didn't eat lunch but once or twice. I ALWAYS had dessert (and a couple of days a bowl of m&m's from scoops!). Didn't snack AT ALL (except of course the previously mentioned m&m's!!), but we don't snack at home so....... After dinner, never ate another bite.

You can walk deck 4, which I plan to do this time. I've never been to the gym but my DH has and liked it.

You don't have to watch WHAT you eat as much as HOW MUCH you eat! Just taste everything instead of finishing it all!

You don't have to gain 10 lbs. to enjoy the cruise!

 

[krhardy]

I gained around 3 pounds in my 7 day eastern, but I think every ounce of it came not from what I ate, but what I DRANK. I also work out compulsively, and lost weight prior to the cruise so that I didn't have to obsess about what I ate, or "couldn't" eat onboard. The important thing is not to eat just because there is food available. We ate well, (there was a group of 6 traveling together), but we didn't eat just because we passed somewhere where food was available. At dinner each night, we usually got every dessert, and passed them around the table...taht way you got a taste of lots of different things without gorging yourself. I also took the stairs just about everywhere I went. Not only is it better for you, it usually is faster. Our room was on deck 6, so we were right in the middle, making it much faster to go a few flights of stairs than wait for the lifts.
Bottom line, don't obsess too much about it. It's great that you've lost 30 pounds! But this is also your vacation. Eat when you are hungry, and eat what sounds yummy to you. If you gain a couple of pounds onboard, just remember how much fun you had doing it!

 

[jgalecpa]

My DW and I do pretty well on cruises, rarely gaining more than a pound or two.

To do this we concentrate on the seafood entrees and moderation of desserts.

We also try to do deck walking and lots of walking on excursions.

Then the day the ships charge records also scares a few pounds off me instantly.

Jim

 

[AnnMorin]

Take the stairs, drink LOTS of water (which will be easy since it is hot) and do four laps on deck four each day (that equals a mile and should only take about 15 mins. at a brisk walk. You will find that you will be doing a lot of walking with excursions and swimming with snorkleing so don't get too worried. I eat what I want just move my butt!

 

[Lisa F]

If you're anything like me, don't discount the fact that you might retain a ton of water just from traveling. We took a 3 day cruise and I did REALLY well, eating mostly salads (dressing on the side) and healthier options, stopping when I was full, got a lot of exercise, just had a bite or two of desserts instead of the whole thing, drank lots of water etcetc and when i got back from my THREE DAY cruise, I had gained 9 (that's NINE) pounds. It HAD to be water because it came off in just over a week (and it normally takes me 3+ months to lose that much weight). Anyway, since then I do what takemeaway (and my doctor) recommends. I eat healthy and exercise for its own sake and don't focus so much on the scale, and I'm much happier (plus I weigh myself once a month now and enjoy the larger losses than once a week!)

Lisa

 

[Doctor P]

Honest to goodness: we all lost weight on the cruise and on our vacation in general. The activity level is high relative to our normal life, we ate probably more balanced than we often do at home, and our outlook was also very positive which I think helped.

 

[CRB#33]

I absolutely refuse to get on a scale within a month of any vacation

 

[Buckaroo's Dad]

After having lost over 30lbs this past year Im greatly concerned about gaining over the cruise.

imgoingtodisney - congratulations on the weight loss thus far. If you eat three full meals a day, denying yourself nothing, I'd imagine you'll be fine. NO snacks, NO alcohol, exercise in the morning and night with a one mile walk on deck 4, drink plenty of water inbetween meals, forget that the elevators exist, do 10 sit-ups for every dollar lost playing bingo and try one of those body-detoxing spa therapies...

 

[imgoingtodisney]

BD - its the "NO alcohol" in your post that has me concerned

 

[Michelle]

Barb, as long as you aren't downing a multitude of "fru-fru" drinks each day (I define those as fruity drinks with a variety of liquors, usually high in calories) you should be fine. Everything in moderation.

 

[moinab]

Alcoholic beverages are high in empty calories and should be treated like other empty calorie selections, such as desserts. You know yourself best. If you can handle one or two of these "treats" a day without losing control of your eating habits, you'll be fine. If you have a strong tendancy toward backsliding, you should stick close to your regular eating plan.

If you do choose to stick close to your diet plan, you won't be horribly depriving yourself. You may actually end up with better tasting food than some of the more high-calorie choices. Personally, I prefer grilled vegetables and fish to anything smothered in sauce. Having said that, though, I have to admit that on our DCL cruise in July, I ate an obscene amount of food. By the end of 3 days, I couldn't button my shorts, so I think that in 7 days, you could do some serious damage, if you don't pace yourself and make (mostly) healthful choices.

There have been a lot of good suggestions, such as using the stairs, drinking LOTS of water, and stop eating when you are full. More than anything else, whatever choices you do make, don't let yourself feel deprived. It's not all about the food. Absolutely nothing on board will taste as good as a 30-pound weight loss feels.