Stayed on track, with a plan!

[ll6747]

I only gained .4 pounds on my recent Explorer of the Seas 9 night caribbean cruise.:D

 

I had started WW in February and lost 23 lbs, just over 10% by May 22 - cruise date. Nowhere near goal, but feeling better about myself and my clothes were starting to "fall off"!

 

I didn't want to destroy all my hard work so I went on the cruise with a plan.

 

For breakfast I had an egg white omelet, made to order with all the veggies and spray oil. No cheese was added and I asked for extra mushrooms instead. I also had scoop of oatmeal with splenda, four chopped apricots and milk, a cup of tea and a full bowl of fruit. Some mornings I had a slice of their fruit challah bread - that I absolutely love and never have at home - and took the smallest slice from the buffet. With all the fruit in the bread, I didn't feel the need for butter or jam.

 

For lunch I had a large green salad (no creamy salads) with their low-fat raspberry dressing and/or balsamic vinegar. I also had a slice of whatever meat they were carving OR some of the stir fry veggies OR a piece of fish.

 

Then at dinner I enjoyed myself. Always salad (only with balsamic vinegar, although one night I had the caesar salad) and a soup (usually the fruit soup). I also had 2 or three appetizers because these are really my favorite part of the meal. The main dish I ordered sensibly - no beef and nothing fried or cheesy. And I chose 2 or 3 desserts. I tasted them all. The one I LOVED I ate. The others were shared with family around the table.

 

We ate at Johnny Rockets one day and I had planned on ordering a kid's burger but alas they were not available, so I only ate half my Original hamburger (w/ everything, no mustard, mayo or cheese) with sauteed mushrooms. I admit I ate quite a few fries and onion rings but I had PLANNED this as my treat this week and enjoyed every bite. No shake, malt or sundae. I preferred my desserts at dinner.

 

Exercise:

I tried to make the stretch class (7:30 am) and the aerobics class (8:00 am) every morning. I'd say I made the stretch 3 times and the aerobics 5 times. No matter what I also did 15 minutes on the elliptical, and either 10 minutes on the recumbent bicycle or 10 minutes on the rowing machine - so I was out of the gym by 9am and meeting the family for breakfast.

 

I took stairs as much as I could - always down. Up, I did not do more than one floor with heels, and did not do more than 4 flights at a time.

 

I was also in the ship's pool 3 different days just treading water for 45 minutes. I think this is so easy to do and you can really feel the muscles afterward. The 2 beaches we visited also allowed me to tread water and do some beach walking.

 

It was all about making a plan and allowing myself to enjoy what I really wanted - essentially conscientiously making choices. As I read somewhere else, no one drags you to the buffet and forces you to eat everything. I can't say it was easy, but I kept reminding myself how good my loose clothing felt.

 

When I came home Saturday, I went right back on WWs and I was happy to find at my regular weigh in on Thursday that I was up only .4 pounds. Now I may have actually gained a pound or two since there were 4 days of point counting in between, but I'm going with my .4 and very proud of it!:)

[pungo3]

Congratulations! That took willpower. I'm very happy for you. I hope I do as well on my next cruise.

[dontstayathome]

Boy - you did a great job with weight watching on your cruise! Congratulations! I have too lost about 23 lbs. and am a little under 2 lbs. to goal but am afraid to reach goal too close to my cruise! Want to make lifetime status and getting weighed the week I come back from my cruise would not be a good idea I'm afraid! I'm planning to really watch closely for breakfast (which I do not like anyways) and lunch and "enjoy" my dinner.

[sacway]

I don't gain weight on a cruise, only between cruises. Your strategy was perfect, plenty of exercise without disrupting the schedule of those you were vacationing with, great food choices, and plenty of special treats each day. Treading water in the pool is an idea I haven't tried and is something I could add to my everyday workouts. I bet you also looked more fit on your return. Great job!

[Sirwinston]

116747 Way to go:

My usual plan on a cruise is to eat a sensible breakfast, and lunch,

avoid in between snacks and really enjoy dinner.

I do low carb so my choices would look different from yours for sure.

If I am doing good I banish the bread plate, and only have sugar free deserts or chese except for formal night.

I try to take the stairs, do some gym time and look for more active (but not extreme) shore excursions. And I love to walk laps on deck. Much more fun than a darn stair machine or treadmill.

One a cruise last summer I was really doing well and I found I really actually enjoyed the food more, than when I eat too much and get that horrible stuffed feeling..

 

Tom in Long Beach