On a recent cruise, I met a lady who told me that she had discovered the secret to staying slim at sea. Order a glass of low-fat milk and drink the entire glass before each meal. Using this diet secret, she said she only gained seven pounds on her last cruise. Well, I do NOT recommend that you follow their advice, but I do recommend that you follow some simple tips that I have put together to stay fit on your cruise. Using the tips below, I came back from a recent cruise at the same weight as when I started, so these are tips that are tested and work.
Did you know that the average weight gain on a weeklong cruise is eight pounds? Cruise vacations are famous and notorious for offering unlimited food. Cruises are often considered floating buffets and many cruise ships feel like they have to eat whatever they see, but the trick to staying slim at sea is to stick to your usual eating routine as much as possible. However, that does not mean that you cannot enjoy the culinary delights that a cruise has to offer, you just need to follow some sensible advice.
1. Work out in the ship’s gym every day. When the weather is nice or I’m in a large port of call, I love to walk on the upper deck of the ship in the morning, but sometimes the weather doesn’t cooperate – it can be too windy, too hot, or too crowded. . This is why I like the gym, as it always has treadmills, elliptical machines, and lots of state-of-the-art fitness equipment. Exercising for just 30 minutes a day while on a cruise can make a big difference in staying slim at sea, and exercising helps you keep those cruising pounds off.
2. Limit portion sizes at meals. Just because cruise ships serve unlimited food and five-course meals doesn’t mean you have to eat and / or taste every item you see at sea. When it comes to dinner, plan your meals carefully and consider ordering the “Light and Healthy” or “Lean and Mean” menu options that all ships offer these days. If you need one of the finest dinner entrees, follow this well-known Weight Watcher tip and eat just half a serving. Finally, if you think trying three different desserts is safe, just “taste” them and do this only if you have the self-discipline to pull it off. I know I don’t have that kind of discipline.
3. Consider skipping desserts or order fruit instead. I’m usually not tempted by desserts, except for chocolate and anything made with ice cream, like ice cream (or gelato), so I really have to discipline myself on a cruise vacation. I don’t eliminate desserts entirely, but I only order ice cream every other day and fruit like strawberries for dessert the other days. Focus on the goodies you get, not the desserts you give up. Remember, you probably wouldn’t be eating ice cream every day if you were home, right?
4. Drink lots of water. Drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day is just as important for weight maintenance as it is for losing it. By drinking more water, your kidneys will be stimulated, which will help reduce water retention, and your body will burn a few more calories in the process. Always drink water instead of “diet” drinks as it is caffeine free and calorie free! Cruise water is completely drinkable and probably safer than the water that comes out of your spout at home, so be sure to drink plenty of it while on your cruise.
5. Limit your alcohol intake. Liquor is high in calories, and those tropical drinks adorned with cute little umbrellas pack a lot of calories, whether they contain liquor or not. The average one-ounce serving of 80-proof alcohol contains about 90 calories, and a piña colada has more calories than a Big Mac. Although drinking a piña colada a day while on vacation is not a serious sin, I limit myself to just ONE a day and sometimes ONE every other day.
6. Carry zip-lock bags with you. While visiting the casual restaurant for breakfast, I like to buy some healthy foods like fruits, nuts, and vegetables to bring to my cabin as snacks during the day. It is considered extremely cold to load your sachets at the buffet, so place the items on your plate and fill the plastic bags discreetly at your table. If you’re spending the day ashore, pack your snacks in the little insulated lunch pack that you carry with you. I usually make a cheese sandwich, as it holds up well in most temperatures. Do not pack any food that can cause food poisoning if left in the sun.
7. Choose the first seat for dinner. You should not go to bed on a full stomach. Choosing to dine in the second seat is a guaranteed way to gain weight on a cruise when you don’t finish dinner until 10pm or later. So be sure to choose the first seat option when booking your cruise.
8. Avoid salty foods (bar snacks) at all costs. Eating salty foods will make your body retain water, and salt will also make you want to overeat.
I know this advice has probably been hard to come by, but personally I don’t think it’s a good idea to eat high on pork for seven to ten days in a row when it means you can’t get your clothes on at the moment. end of a vacation. You can still enjoy many delights without total deprivation, and you will return from your trip feeling much better because you made healthy choices during your cruise.