Staying Healthy on DDP - Is this possible??

[PixarFanatic]

Greetings all!

I've been a recent board lurker for the past month or so and recently registered to the forums. I am ADDICTED to The DIS and simply cannot get enough! This place is the BEST!

With that said, I will be going to Disney in about 6 weeks and am now in full planning mode. I'm visiting WDW with nine other family members (aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.) for a 7-day trip. To be brief, I was once overweight and have completely revamped my dieting/exercise habits over the past 3-4 years to arrive at a normal, healthy weight. It's been a long, hard, uphill battle, but I want to remain at the same place throughout my Disney trip.

We're signed up for the Disney Dining Plan (DDP) and I'm a little worried about it. I've checked out most of the restaurants' menus and see that there are healthier choices out there, but still not exactly healthy. I'm really used to doing my own thing for meals while at home (mostly chicken, fish, veggies and fruits, plenty of water, etc.). It's not that eating out is anything new to me (contrary to popular belief, I am not a hermit), but eating out for every meal for seven days is a little out of the ordinary. I'm looking for some healthy ideas for meal (both sit-down and counter-service) and snack choices.

I decided to post this thread in the W.I.S.H. thread because if I posted it anywhere else, I expected to receive a ton of replies like "It's your vacation, it's OK to indulge every once and a while!!!" or "It's ONLY a week - just relax, buddy!" Yes, this is true to an extent but I also want to keep on the right track while I'm at WDW! I WILL be indulging on occasion (character breakfast, beer @ World Showcase, Dole Whip Floats, burger @ Pecos Bills, etc. etc.) but the majority of the time I want to be "good" and healthy. I plan on jogging on several mornings at sunsrise (we're staying at PO-FQ) and the walking in the parks alone should be GREAT exercise as well.

Sooooo, what does everyone think? Any healthy individuals out there have experience with the DDP? How about those of you who are dieting - what food choices have you made while at WDW? Is this even possible??? I look forward to hearing your thoughts. Thanks in advance!

 

[kennancat]

I think the key thing is how you approach the DDP. If you go in with a "I must get my money's worth for the plan" then you're done for. However, if you can think more along the lines of "there's plenty of food and I'm only going to eat until I'm comfortably full" then I think you'll do fine. When you're at the full service restaurants, be sure to let your server know that you're trying to eat healthier and ask what they recommend. You can also request different sides if you want the grilled veggies instead of french fries, etc. Good luck!

 

[disneychrista]

I always end up losing weight when I am on vacation. I lost 5 pounds during our 15 day trip to WDW. Of course once I get home it comes right off.

The best way to approach it is to go in knowing the way you approached eating healthy at home. Don't be temped to get a bunch of healthy foods just so you can get your moneys worth. Pick healthy options, with a few treats here and there.

 

[QueenGoblin]

It seems sort of contrary to what one would expect, but I found that the buffets were an easy way to eat healthy. CP, Boma, 1900 Park Fare all had lots of salads and fresh food options to fill up on. If there was something a little more caloric that looked tempting, you could just take a little sample to have a taste. The same went for desserts. They were often bite-sized, so instead of filling a plate with them, you could just take one or two that looked the best.
Have fun!

 

[disneychrista]

I agree about buffets having lots of healthy options. But they also have lots of UNhealthy options too. But if you are dedicated and can skip the temptations they are a great place to stay on track.

 

[delilah]

I actually lost 4 lbs the week we were on vacation at WDW in May. We weren't on the DDP, but, we did go to the buffets at Boma (our favorite) and Cape May for dinner. When we are at WDW, we walk alot more than we do at home (so much, my feet ache, and they don't hurt at all with my daily routine of working and exercising 45 min on the treadmill or elliptical machine). Also, many of the resorts have exercise rooms, which I used while I was there. As the person above noted, if you pay attention to how the foood is prepared, and choose items that are less caloric, you should do OK with the DDP.

 

[PixarFanatic]

You guys are awesome! Thanks for the great tips! I really appreciate everyone's insights.

 

[IluvKingLouis]

I don't know if this would appeal to you, but for CS, I make it a point to know which ones serve veggie burgers (boca burgers). I love these and load em up with lettuce and tomatoes. Oddly some locations have better burgers then others. I loved the one at ASMu and thought the one at Cosmic Rays was ok.

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

All this is great for ideas. The good thing to hear is that you are planning how to enjoy your time.

Remember that most of the meals will be larger in portion than what you are accustomed to eating. Enjoy, but maybe make your portion smaller.