Limiting weight gain on a cruise!

[umbertsmum]

Always use the stairs, often use the gym, walk around the ship at every opportunity and make healthier menu choices.

Howver don't go over the top and remember that you are on holiday

[lexyplexy]

The rolls on the Island Princess were the best I have ever had--needless to say we ate all of them every night! We'll see how our will power is on the next cruise:D[/quot

 

LOVE, the bread on all the ships we have been on. Will do the stairs so I can have a dinner roll or breadstick or 2!!:D:D

[pablo222]

LOVE, the bread on all the ships we have been on. Will do the stairs so I can have a dinner roll or breadstick or 2!!:D:D

 

Ok, I googled some numbers.

 

Dinner roll 87 calories

Pat of butter 36 calories

 

Climbing stairs is roughly 10 calories per minute

[billco]

Ok, I googled some numbers.

 

Dinner roll 87 calories

Pat of butter 36 calories

 

Climbing stairs is roughly 10 calories per minute

http://www.livestrong.com/article/307968-many-calories-expended-climbing-flight-stairs/

Walking up stairs burns more calories than walking down a flat hallway because you must hoist your body weight from one stair to the next. Climbing stairs works your glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps and calves.

By Time

A 150 lb. person burns about nine calories per minute climbing stairs. That works out to roughly 0.18 calories per lb. of body weight.

By Steps

A 150 lb. person burns about five calories per flight of stairs, according to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. To put this in perspective, you would have to climb the Empire State Building about seven times to burn 1 lb. of fat.

Variables

Your body weight isn’t the only factor that affects your calorie burn on stairs. Your fitness level and pace affect how efficient your body is at conserving calories, with fitter people and slower paces burning fewer calories per floor. Also, longer flights and taller steps require more calories to ascend.

Potential

A 150 lb. person who walks up three flights of stairs six times a day can burn 32,850 calories in a year. That’s enough to lose more than 9 pounds in one year, just by skipping the elevator.

References

New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services: Calories Burned Walking a Flight of Stairs

Health Status: Calories Burned Estimator

John Stone Fitness: How to Calculate Calories Burned from Climbing Stairs

 

 

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/307968-many-calories-expended-climbing-flight-stairs/#ixzz20p5Dgqkx

[butternut1]

Everyone has a different method. For instance, I never exercise, take the elevator up (rarely down), eat anything I want (including in the Lido), etc. To me, if you deny yourself, I don't think you're going to have fun or enjoy all the great food onboard. I don't go on a cruise to diet, I go to enjoy myself and have someone else cook, prepare food, and put it in front of me. :) Moderation is the key.

 

Very well said, Pam!!:)

[tgwabd]

We lost a combined weight of 10 lbs, me six and my wife four, this is on a twelve day cruise. On the Med cruise you are of the boat 8-10 hours a day, and if you do self guided tours you will be doing lots of walking. We saved ourselves for the one nice local meal at each port, and we had salads and fruit on the ship and the main dinner.

[Luv2escape]

Have never gained weight on a cruise-we are seniors in our 60's

Having cruised Princess 9 times, our method is this:

Stairs (except with lugguage)

MDR not buffet for meals

Avoid bread before meals

Indulge in a small dessert so as not to feel deprived!!!!;)

Sauces on Princess are high in sodium so ask for them on the side...the same with salad dressing.

Lots walking (10,000 steps per day)

We don't drink the sweet mixed drinks usually a glass of wine with dinner does it for us.

Reasonable portions

30 minutes of resistance training boosts metabolism

Don't deny ourselves anything

BUT all things in moderation (I agree with Pam from CA)

Remember the first bite tastes the same as the last!!

Enjoy yourselves and relax.......

[Grammyluvs]

Have cruised 5x and only gained on one cruise. After being home 3-4 days, I lost that. I just drink a glass of water BEFORE eating (usually when I sit down and order I drink a whole glass while waiting on first course) and find I fill up fast. Also, limit alcohol. I drink one vodka tonic with diet tonic water and one glass of wine a day. I agree, moderation is the best. If you deny yourself, you will be miserable. Walking in the ports is great!

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

I agree that it is easier to eat healthy on cruises than at home eating out in restaurants, which we do alot. There are so many more choices on a cruise that I find it easier to control what I am eating. And we do try to stay away from the Lido for afternoon snacks.

[Grego]

Amazing to me how many want to make this out to be as complicated as rocket surgery. ;)

No reason to pass up some of the great menu items - just keep the portions down. Drink plenty of water and get some exercise such as doing the stairs, doing a morning walk on deck 7 and explore the port stops on foot to see the real life there.

[Cruise2End]

There is no "magical" way to maintain weight other than common sense. I've lost over 100 lbs and actually teach some nutrition as a volunteer now. If you don't like the unhealthy foods, I wouldn't eat them. But I do splurge on cruises IF it is something I truly enjoy and am seldom apt to have ... souffles happen to be one of those things! Or maybe we're in a port that has an unusual food I'd like to try... I know it has to be in moderation, but I also know that it's a temporary splurge :) DH likes to see how many different kinds of fish he can try during a cruise, as it's a healthier choice most of the time.

 

Have a wonderful cruise and enjoy but plan to get right back on the wagon again when you return home ... no procrastinating ... LOL !!

[cruiselvr1]

All these hints are just wonderful. Some great advice for not gaining any weight on a cruise. :D

 

I might as well stay home an save some money.:p

I have a great way of enjoying my cruise, I don't worry about gaining weight. This is a vacation.

[Josy1953]

5 cruises ago we sshared a table with a couple and the lady felt every roll in the basket on the table before she decided which one she wanted. Since then I have avoided the bread (other than the occasional slice of toast at breakfast) and I have lost weight on every cruise since. I have not changed anything about the way I eat on cruises other than this so I am now convinced that avoiding the bread is the way to go.

[frenchmartiniplease]

There is no "magical" way to maintain weight other than common sense. I've lost over 100 lbs and actually teach some nutrition as a volunteer now. If you don't like the unhealthy foods, I wouldn't eat them. But I do splurge on cruises IF it is something I truly enjoy and am seldom apt to have ... souffles happen to be one of those things! Or maybe we're in a port that has an unusual food I'd like to try... I know it has to be in moderation, but I also know that it's a temporary splurge :) DH likes to see how many different kinds of fish he can try during a cruise, as it's a healthier choice most of the time.

 

Have a wonderful cruise and enjoy but plan to get right back on the wagon again when you return home ... no procrastinating ... LOL !!

 

Wow, so many great replies! I feel more relaxed about the cruise now. Healthy options with the odd splurge and keeping active is the way to go. Everything in moderation is good, though there are times when i like to let go and be very immoderate! :D

At least being in the Med there wont be any pina colada liquid lunches or staggering off of rumpunch soaked snorkelling trips!:o

Roll on 5th Oct. The port is 20 mins away from us, so no luggage allowance to worry about and my own personal weight allowance will be alot less with hopefully a bit extra off for a head start.

[RASHOPPER2]

I avoid the breakfast goodies in the dining room, never have rolls for dinner, and have dessert every night, but eat only half of it. I agree that eating in the MDR, I control my weight better than if I eat at the Buffet. I also try to walk around the deck as often as possible (treadmill hurts my legs). It works - I have been on 16 days and only gained one or two pounds.

[1 HappyCruiser]

I have a great way of enjoying my cruise, I don't worry about gaining weight. This is a vacation.

 

You've got that right. While not trying to gain excessive weight, I'm not skipping a thing while sailing and I'm not coming back from the beach and walking up to deck 15 from 4 with my beach bag. :p

Diets are for home. :D

[Pia1913]

I am probably one of the few who prefer the buffet for weight maintenance. My way is to be in the gym by 7:15 every morning; on an empty stomach. You need to get your metabolism working early. Then to buffet for vitamins and breakfast. I have been watching my weight all my life and I find that a glass, or even two of white (yes, white) wine in the evening helps keep weight stable. I also eat only what I like, unlike some folks who eat because it's there.

 

 

We cruise way too much to keep gaining, though DH doesn't exactly share my principles.

[Iamcruzin]

I usually gain about 7lbs when I cruise. Some of it is due to water retention from the flight and the salty food. Last cruise I drank a lot of water which helped reduce the water retention and it also filled me up so I wasn't eating as much. I only gained 5lbs that trip. I don't worry about the weight gain because I know after a week at home I will be back to where I started. There are things I eat on vacation that I never eat at home. Breakfast is one of them. I probably enjoy breakfast on a cruise more than any other meal. I will eat bacon, home fries, eggs, pancakes and a danish in one sitting. At home I drink coffee for breakfast and on a rare occasion I may find time to stop at a deli for an egg white omelet. I don't cruise as often as a lot of you but even with the few amounts of sailings I have been on I have become bored with the desserts especially in the buffet. They look better than they taste so I stopped trying them and only have dessert in the MDR at dinner. The other treat for me is alcohol. At home I am a social drinker and I really don't go to parties or out to dinner much. I stopped drinking those sweet tropical cocktails and only drink light beer at the pool and Vodka Martini's in the evening. When I was on a low carb diet I learned the Vodka has few carbs and an olive is a healthy fat. I am so glad that I never had an interest in drinking those fancy designer coffee drinks with all of the whipped cream and caramel syrups. Those have to be high in calories. I think the real secret to not gaining weight on a cruise is to cruise long itineraries many times a year until the novelty of food and drinks wears off. Until then I know that I won't be satisfied eating high fiber cereal, egg beaters, and salads. I think I can live with the 5 to 7 lbs weight gain every few years until then.

[BratDet]

I am by no means fanatical watching what I am eating..when we cruise

 

.but we also enjoy mixing unsweetened ice and lemonade...

we just make sure we water it down (and the calories)

by filling the glasses with ice...

 

Bernadette

[Grammyluvs]

Does anyone know if there are scales on the ships?

[Iamcruzin]

Does anyone know if there are scales on the ships?

There are two places you will never find me on a cruise. One is at the check your metabolism seminar and the other is on a scale.

[billco]

Does anyone know if there are scales on the ships?

There is usually a scale in the fitness center.

[pppatpc2]

We did the Grand Mediterranean in 2010 then added on 5 days in Rome, plus 2 days pre-cruise in Barcelona for a total of 21 days of eating and drinking like there was no tomorrow. I came home with only 1 extra pound. We did a ton of walking in all the ports and, since I hate the gym, ended every evening in the Wheelhouse Bar dancing the night away.

[jaxw17]

We walk a lot and just try to avoid the creamy soups etc but we eat well and pick a lot of the healthy options. I am not keen on deserts so only have them if we go to chefs table or in the speciality dining rooms.

We do however drink copious amounts of red wine and this is something that we do not limit ourselves.

I find the big choice that there is easier to make some good and tasty choices. More about quality than quantity.

[1 HappyCruiser]

There is usually a scale in the fitness center.

 

Sometimes they remove it on the last sea day so people won't feel to bad about how much they've gained. :D