Being on WW and going on a cruise

[czexrus]

Looking for people who are currently on WeightWatchers but like to go on cruises. Do you stick to the "healthy" foods or just overindulge and worry about it after the cruise?

Just curious.

[travlnblueberries]

Take it from me, don't kid yourself. It's hard getting back on track. I try and keep it down to one dessert a day, and get lots of veggies, drink lots of water, take the stairs when you can, etc. There will be people responding to this post saying "I even lost weight while on a cruise". Then you talk to someone in reality...the temptation is always there on the ship everywhere you turn. Do your best, and that's all anyone can do. But don't, and I repeat don't, think you'll have anything you want and worry about it when you get back home. If weight plays head games with you as they do me, it's not worth the torture of the scale when you do come home. Do enjoy yourself, try and keep active, but don't over indulge, you'll regret it.

[cb at sea]

As long as you keep in your mind that what you paid for was TRANSPORTATION...and that you do NOT have to eat enough food to pay for the cruise...you'll be ok. Stick to your diet. (On most lines, the food has gone from 4 star, to 2 star, anyway!).

Eat what your body needs to function....not what your mouth wants!

[VonChap]

I blew my WW diet on a cruise in April and I paid for it for the entire month of May. It was a miserable feeling to come back from a seven day cruise, to see the scale and to have clothes that were too tight. I now know that it is really not worth a month to take the weight off that I gained on a one-week cruise.

 

So, for our cruise in October, I am going to try to watch what I eat and I am going to the gym every day.

 

I now use WW on-line but I am going to order their paper tracking log to take on the 12 day cruise in October.

 

Kim

[AugustPearl]

DH & I are going on our 1st cruise in November on Carnival. We've both been doing WW for about a year & have lost around 45-50 lbs. each. I want to be very careful about what I eat on board. Do any of you know if they allow snacks to be brought aboard and could I take them in port? I know things like produce are either not allowed or would probably have to be declared in port, but would something like 100-cal packs of nuts, granola bars, etc. be allowed? If I had these types of things in my carry-on bag, would they be confiscated by the cruise when I embark?

Thanks in advance!

[VonChap]

DH & I are going on our 1st cruise in November on Carnival. We've both been doing WW for about a year & have lost around 45-50 lbs. each. I want to be very careful about what I eat on board. Do any of you know if they allow snacks to be brought aboard and could I take them in port? I know things like produce are either not allowed or would probably have to be declared in port, but would something like 100-cal packs of nuts, granola bars, etc. be allowed? If I had these types of things in my carry-on bag, would they be confiscated by the cruise when I embark?

Thanks in advance!

 

You can only take food that is in pre-sealed packages like nuts, 100 calorie packs, etc. You can not take any produce, cheese, meats, etc. We usually do take some snacks that are in pre-sealed packets.

 

You can also take those packets off the ship on port days--as long as they are still sealed. You can not take any other food off the ship.

 

Have a great first cruise and congratulations on WW!

 

Kim

[cookie1961]

Hi everyone,

 

AugustPearl I posted this here a while back but I thought you might find it helpful, so I cut and pasted here:

 

I re-joined WW again in late September 2008. My family and I went on a 10 night RCI cruise over the holidays and stayed at a hotel in Tampa on Christmas night before the cruise. I actually lost 1 lbs. while I was away When I returned home, I gave myself 3 days of being POP (perfectly on program) and then I bit the bullet. I don't like to weigh myself at home and only use the WW scale for my measure. I was sooooo pleasantly surprised.

 

This is what I did on my cruise:

 

1. I brought ALL my WW materials with me and read them through a couple of times.

2. I recorded ALL my food intake but DID NOT count points.

3. I didn't deprive myself of any food I wanted, however, if I didn't like it, I didn't finish it.

4. I think this was the MOST important for me. I NEVER ate until I felt stuffed. I only until I was satisfied.

5. No bread from the bread basket.

6. I rarely snacked between meals but I was never hungry.

7. My family and I ate most of our meals in the Dining Room. We went to the Buffet 5 times because the Dining Room was closed.

8. When I ate at the Buffet, I first surveyed the food selections without a plate. Once I knew what I was going to have, I picked up a plate and only filled it up once. I never went back for seconds.

9. We walked everywhere and only used the elevators after an excursion. You won't believe how many times you go up and down the stairs LOL

 

I hope this helps some people :)

[VonChap]

Thanks for posting this! I am determined not to gain back any weight on our 12 day cruise.

 

 

This is what I did on my cruise:

 

1. I brought ALL my WW materials with me and read them through a couple of times.

2. I recorded ALL my food intake but DID NOT count points.

3. I didn't deprive myself of any food I wanted, however, if I didn't like it, I didn't finish it.

4. I think this was the MOST important for me. I NEVER ate until I felt stuffed. I only until I was satisfied.

5. No bread from the bread basket.

6. I rarely snacked between meals but I was never hungry.

7. My family and I ate most of our meals in the Dining Room. We went to the Buffet 5 times because the Dining Room was closed.

8. When I ate at the Buffet, I first surveyed the food selections without a plate. Once I knew what I was going to have, I picked up a plate and only filled it up once. I never went back for seconds.

9. We walked everywhere and only used the elevators after an excursion. You won't believe how many times you go up and down the stairs LOL

 

I hope this helps some people :)

[AugustPearl]

Thanks! This is all very helpful!!:D

[VonChap]

Today, on WW on line there is a story about staying OP on a cruise. It is in the Summer Vacation section on the home page.

 

One tip that I liked was to get a appetizer for dessert--like the fruit cup, grilled pineapple or chilled fruit soup. Or to ask for a double-portion appetizer for an entree. Like a double shrimp cocktail.

 

The tip for the the buffet is to to go the carving station and then head directly to the salad bar and skip everything else.

 

Great tips!

[McDebbie]

Great tips. I am thinking about the WW on line program and wondered if they have any tools/spreadsheets that can be downloaded to the computer to use when on a cruise. Or even printed out. I take my netbook but I don't want to connect to the internet on the cruise. Sounds like you have to buy a paper tracker even though you are paying a monthly fee anyway? Hmmm

 

I have never gained weight on a cruise but then I have never lost weight before going and I don't want to ruin all the hard work. Thanks for all the tips.

[VonChap]

Great tips. I am thinking about the WW on line program and wondered if they have any tools/spreadsheets that can be downloaded to the computer to use when on a cruise. Or even printed out. I take my netbook but I don't want to connect to the internet on the cruise. Sounds like you have to buy a paper tracker even though you are paying a monthly fee anyway? Hmmm

 

I have never gained weight on a cruise but then I have never lost weight before going and I don't want to ruin all the hard work. Thanks for all the tips.

 

Actually, you do not need to purchase a paper tracker when using WW on line. I dont use paper at all now. I did order a paper tracker journal from WW to take on the cruise. It arrived today. It is small and easy to use. So, I am going to take and use it on the cruise.

 

I have not seen any downloadable forms on the WW on-line version. It is all web based.

 

Have a great cruise,

 

Kim

[McDebbie]

I meant I won't be on line when on the cruise so wanted something to use for tracking during that time. I was hoping they had a computer form or something that could then be uploaded when I got back.

[toolgrl919]

If you go to a place where they hold the meetings you can get free paper booklet, weekly tracker its called i believe, that you write all your food & points in. Or buy a cheap small notebook & write it in that.

[QT3]

Hi! Just wanted to throw this out there. I lost around 10 pounds on a Trans-Atlantic cruise a few years ago. Plan to do it again this fall!

My rules:

• Take the stairs, unless you are dressed for dinner or dancing
  
• 2 hours of exercise for at sea days if I want dessert. And I alway want dessert! Dance class counts! :)
  
• If you want the chocolate croissant, take one but don't eat it if you don't love it! Many desserts or pastries, after that first bite...
  
• HAVE FUN! You are on VACA!!
  

[AnnJohn]

Good tips. I have always had good intentions on a cruise, but haven't done as well as I'd like. I have been working on recognizing when I'm really hungry vs. just wanting something and also not to eat something high calorie like dessert or something unless you really love it.

[FLUFFY01]

Hi

 

One thing I like on cruises the variety of fruit, so I try and eat fruit before anything else for breakfast and lunch. It helps fill me up before I have anything else.

Hope this will help

 

Regards

 

JO:)

[emmtee]

I've done WW in the past. When people returned from cruises, we always applauded them for "only gaining __(usually 2-3)__ pounds." I would treat cruises like you do the holidays. Don't waste your points on bread or beverages. Fill up on healthy stuff (salad, fresh fruit, etc.) and save your points for some special treats. A lot of things look better than they taste. If you try it and don't like it, don't finish it. There are also foods (like the RCCL Bailey's Creme Brulee) that I still remember over a year later.

 

You're on vacation! It's okay to splurge a little. If you completely deprive yourself, you'll get discouraged and give up. ("Grrr! I was on that stupid WW program and passed on the Bailey's Creme Brulee. Everyone said it was the best thing they've ever eaten, and I missed it.") Decide before you go how strictly you're going to follow the program. It's okay if you change your mind once you get on board and see the menu. Just make sure you're making a conscious decision and are willing to accept the consequences of going off plan for a few days.

 

One tip I would offer: Eat in the dining room rather than the buffet. The food is better, and the portions are smaller than what you might serve yourself.

 

I've never gained weight on a cruise. I eat what I want, but I get a lot more exercise on a cruise than I do back home. I always do a lot of walking on the shore excursions. On sea days, I love to walk the Promenade deck. Taking the stairs is not only good exercise, it's probably faster than waiting for the elevator.

[Bookworm77]

However you decide to handle being on WW and going on a cruise, decide BEFORE you go. Then get it in your mind that this is how you are going to do it. Plan, plan, plan!!! If you know you are going to allow yourself a little gain, then do it. Plan what you will and won't have, what exercises you will & won't do.

 

Don't deny yourself. Remember, you can taste, you don't have to devour!! I live by the 3 bite rule when I travel. Bite #1 is to taste (mmmmm, yeah, that's GOOD); bite #2 is to savour (mmmm, oh, so GOOD); and bite #3 to remember (mmmm, that was GOOD). Put your fork down and move on!!!

 

Make sure you get your GHG (Good Health Guidelines) and THEN indulge, but always remember to be conscious of portion sizes.

 

If you plan, plan, plan! you should be okay. The key is to go into it having a plan and staying with it. Then when you get home you won't be surprised.

[BarelyACruiser]

I agree with all of the guidance given and I have been living the WW lifestyle for 3 years now. I leave this week for a Western Med. cruise and here is what I will be doing:

 

1. Eat GHG (the buffet usually always provides this)

2. Always take the stairs

3. Walk, walk, walk wherever I go

4. Enjoy myself and the local cuisine - If I want it, I am going to eat it

5. Do my best to track but regardless, write it all down

6. Going to try to find a meeting to weigh in Barcelona if time allows before boarding the ship

 

No matter the result, my goal is to enjoy my vacation!!