Do you really come back 10lbs heavier???

[whyrlygig]

It can really be a problem for some people. I have been lucky and never had a change on the scale. Our first cruise (a 7 nighter), my DH gained 7 pounds and my boss gained 17! :eek: Me thinks he did nother BUT eat.....

[Annefran]

I'm usually so excited the week before the cruise, I lose a few pounds :rolleyes:. I think everyone is different. I pretty much eat whatever I want, drink lots of water and always take the stairs instead of the elevators. In other words keep active. Moderation is the key for me. Enjoy!

[pickleo]

Unfortunately for me, I exercise everyday and always take the elevator, and still come home gaining 2-3 lbs. Guess I just love the cookies on the promenade deck too much!!! Last cruise husband gaine 12 lbs. You can say, he overindulged himself!!!:D

[threeofus]

I always use the stairs...every day every time - but I eat what I normally don't eat at home so I wear my tight fitting clothes early on.

First cruise I gained 4 lbs.

Since then I am a little more careful - but still enjoy myself and usually gain 2.

 

What works for me is losing a few before and then you just get back to your normal weight.

[Schplinky]

I normally come back a smidge lighter. We tend to get a cabin in the middle and never use the elevators.

[Safetyal]

As was said use the stairs, try to remain active, and remember

 

All you can eat is not a challenge... :)

[nrdsb4]

If it's any consolation, some of the weight people gain is due to water retention. Cruise food may have more sodium than the food you prepare at home. That, coupled with air travel and the sea air, has been blamed for causing people to swell in their hands and ankles while on cruises. That is a symptom of water retention.

 

Just be reasonable, stay active, and drink plenty of water. You can lose it all pretty quickly if you don't go completely hog wild.

[tomko2]

The most we have ever gained was 1 1/2lbs. on a 11 night cruise. We eat much more than normal especially for breakfast (at home it is cereal and fruit only) and lunch (at home it is carrots and hummus or yoghurt). On the cruise we do indulge in the desserts and higher calorie food (nachos - soft ice cream etc) but we walk ---- everywhere. We take the stairs 95% of the time and are usually in an aft cabin with the great view and long walk. Being so active all day long really helps burn off those calories. And yes, we groan as we walk back up the stairs after dinner but we really make an effort to avoid the elevators. Another key is to drink lots of water.

A word of warning: don't trust the scales in the gym -- the numbers move when the ship moves (it can be pretty funny).

[sept10dsm]

I never gain, my husband seems to. Always take the stairs and walk around the decks for exercise on sea days. I love fruit more than the desserts so I have less of a problem with sweets. My husband likes the desserts more!!

[caliber35]

OMG, next year I'm off for a 108 day World Cruise! Hope I don't gain 108 lbs.! Seriously, I used to gain on cruises but have learned the secret of portion control. I eat everything I want, but in moderate amounts and do not gain much if any at all.

[sept10dsm]

Lucky you. I think that would be a dream vacation, but I don't know if I really would like to be away that long. We have done quite a few cross country trips for a month, but that's really a long time and a long way from home. Have a wonderful trip!!!

[DCPIV]

You certainly can gain 10 pounds. The first cruise I ever took, I had to buy new pants halfway through (and I was only 23 when that happened)!

 

Since then, we take the stairs, look for active excursions, and hit the fitness center at least a couple times during the cruise. When I eat, I don't stuff myself, although I will enjoy what I want. I usually gain a few pounds, or I might break even. Whatever I gain, I lose fairly easily with some extra discipline when I get home.

 

Moderation is the key. Of course, I'm on vacation, so I also take moderation in moderation. :)

 

 

D

[Pomperaugrr]

My wife and I usually lose weight on a cruise. We enjoy meals, snacks, and cocktails, but we don't binge. One couple we cruised with used to gain weight, but they would seriously diet before going, then binge on the cruise. Moderation and activity are the key. My favorite morning ritual on a cruise is to be up on deck walking and watching the sunrise. We do about two miles at a brisk pace each morning and use the stairs most of the time.

 

Some people cruise to eat, and that's fine if that is the goal. We enjoy our meals, the quality, selection and availability of the food, but moderation is the key. I don't turn down the extra lobster or appetizers the wait staff bring out though. I would not want to be rude ;)

[gator582]

Guess it's up to you if you gain or lose weight on vacation. ;) The last few vacations, I've been lucky and have come home lighter! I try to keep pretty active, but I still eat and drink whatever I want. :D

[medfordgirl]

:confused: Is it true that after getting in tip top shape for my cruise -I'm gonna come back with clothes that don't fit?? I do want to enjoy myself but jeez...is this first time cruiser gonna have that much fun

eating>? I've heard a few stories that give me that impression...:confused:

 

I believe it you read the fine print on your cruise ticket contract...it is a requirement. Sorry!:p

[CruiseCrAzieS]

We did work out a few times and took the stairs ALL the time, we also snorkeled, swam, climbed on our excursions! We were very active and did not just "lounge and lush" all day!! (ok, ok, we did lush a LOT but we didn't louge while we lushed!! :D) I still gained on average of about 5-6 pounds on a 7 day cruise and the guys gained 10-12 pounds!! :eek: NONE of us are "over weight" to start with but by day 6 it is questionable!! :cool: I think most of it was "water weight" feeling puffy all the time! It took about 2 weeks to get back to our "normal" weight!

 

This time I am going to loose about 10+ pre-cruise pounds and hopefully NOT feel like a beached whale trying to shimmy and shake by flubber off the ship on debarkation! :rolleyes: :p

[bickee]

I also believe that a lot of it is water weight. Wait a week after the cruise THEN weigh...usually almost half just drops right off! Example, hubby always weighs before and immediately after...and then a day later like 6 of 8 lbs are magically disappeared. So don't panick until about a week after your return! ;)

[&d&m&y]

On my one and only cruise (Carnival), I lost weight. I do think I took the stairs a lot, but not all the time. What I most remember is not really liking the food that much. I'm hoping it will be better on RCI. You can also probably chalk the weight loss up to being 22 at the time and having a great metabolism! Probably won't be the case this time around...:(

[RoosterSharkey]

From what I'm reading in THIS thread, everybody on cruises always take the stairs up (and down, I assume). If that's the case, how come the elevators are always slow in coming and crowded when they arrive?:confused:

 

...or is this just a clever plot by veteran CC'ers to free those elevators up for themselves...? Hmmmm.......;)

[golfer1966]

We are so active on a cruise that we usually come back a pound lighter. :)

 

We are usually so busy snorkeling, walking and sightseeing, swimming...etc that we usually gain a few if any Its those darn desserts....!!!:rolleyes:

[CleoPat]

I guess I'm doing something right. My first cruise this year, I dieted BEFORE the cruise. Lost 22 lbs. I actually did not gain one single pound on the cruise and I ate like a pig. BUT I was very active doing tours at each port and a LOT of walking. Did not do any formal exercising. Just all that walking. Second cruise this year, I gained 1 lb. Third cruise in a year which I just came back from, I gained 2 lbs. but lost it when I got back. This last cruise I took the stairs most of the time and walked a LOT! I actually wore a pedometer this time just to see how much I walked and it was a total of 12 miles for 7 days. LOL. I ate much more on this cruise than I did on the others. So my advice is diet before the cruise, enjoy the food on the cruise and do excusions, walk and take the stairs. Oh, AND I started ordereing room service for breakfast instead of piling on those large plates at the buffet. I think that helps a lot.

[Onessa]

I've found that with the leisurely pace of dinner and controlled portions, combined with lots of fruits for breakfast (I love the fact that they have it all cleaned and prepared!) and ALWAYS taking the stairs, take active excursions and walk the decks; I do not gain and often lose a bit.

 

I still eat the desserts! But I'm not a big drinker and CAN'T just lie on a deck chair.

[bigdaddyvoges]

I wouldn't worry a bit about gaining weight while on the boat. This is YOUR vacation and enjoy every minute of it. You only live once, so how hard would it be to lose 10 pounds when you get back, not very. Don't worry about a thing. Eat late, eat a lot, drink, and eat some more!!! Do NOT worry about it!!!

[negc]

:confused: Is it true that after getting in tip top shape for my cruise -I'm gonna come back with clothes that don't fit?? I do want to enjoy myself but jeez...is this first time cruiser gonna have that much fun

eating>? I've heard a few stories that give me that impression...:confused:

When we first cruised in 1980, I gained ten pounds in seven days. I had a check list so that I wouldn't miss a meal or a snack or a late night buffet. I operated on the theory that "I paid for it and I'm gonna eat it".:rolleyes:

After that experience I realized that I didn't have to eat everytime and everywhere that food was available. I decided to eat only when I was actually hungry and be guided by that rather than the clock. I also realized that if I missed lunch because I wasn't hungry, it wasn't a disaster and that when I became hungry there would always be some sort of food available somewhere on the ship. I also was more careful to walk and do at least a modicum of exercise. Since then my weight when I board is very close to my weight when I disembark. I have never gone hungry and have been able to enjoy the food on the cruise, including some scrumptious desserts, without a horrific weight gain. Best of all, I was able to toss away that check list and not worry about missing out on anything.:)

If you can exercise some amount of restraint your clothes should still fit you when you disembark (allowing of course for the shrinkage caused by being near the salt water:D)

[Tahoestarr]

Just got back from Mexico, and for it, because of the humidity, I retained a bunch....I mean a bunch (could hardly get my shoes on bunch) of water. Don't know why, but as soon as I got home, I returned to normal :)