mickrory

Going on a 14 night cruise on P & O Oceana next weekend and really looking forward to it.

Only worry is the weight I will be piling on eating 3 big meals and drinking beer and vino every day.

Any tips for keeping the weight down apart from don't eat and drink too much?

I'm to old to jog and never manage to find the gym!

traveller69

Now that is a challenge!!! The one thing I always force myself to do on a cruise is never use the elevator. Stairs only. Other than that I would say don't weigh yourself - enjoy and save the dieting until you get home!

jacketwatch

Well if you plan on eating, drinking and avoiding the gym for 2 weeks there is only one thing to do. Buy clothes a size larger and gt on with it.

diann24

You present a tough situation. I always try and go to the gym on the ship daily!!! Walk it off, or do the eliptical trainer. That is the only way!! No other I am afraid. It will help you quite a bit. If not then as jacketwatch said better start shopping now for the larger sizes!

jerauld

I ate and drank my way around Italy for two weeks a couple of years back. I recommend lots of walking and exercise. I even lost a couple of pounds running around all the hill towns.

fmpden

You probably will not like this. On our last cruise we lost about 5 lbs. First, don't eat three big meals. We keep breakfast very light and fruit oriented. May grab a banana, crackers, cookie, cheese for a lunch. Almost never have lunch on the ship. Follow a very active schedule. We generally have the late dinner setting. When we return to the ship around 4 or 5 pm have a light snack mostly salad oriented. Enjoy the late dinner and absolutely avoided the midnight feeding. Instead do three or four laps on the deck. Don't have to jog -- just walk. Works for us.

Dukey

Ditch the "I'm too old to jog" attitude and your "tough situation" gets a whole lot easier IMO.

Reisender

Sadly if you can not find the gym or the walking/jogging trail on the upper deck, insist on three gut stretcher meals a day plus snacks, AND the late night buffets, then you are doomed to come home fatter than you left!

I have found on all cruises I avoid the problem of weight gain by exercising every morning either in the gym on the walking/jogging trail, try to eat healthy low-carb foods, seldom go to the buffets for any meal (I think it is way too easy to overeat in a buffet and I question the cleanliness). Walk walk walk everywhere never use the lift.

Jed

What you need is a guilt feeling.

On the first day, eat and drink as much as you can to get physically sick or mentally depressed. Then on the rest of the trip you will feel guilty and eat and drink moderately and feel so much better.

FainaAgain

Can you try to make those 3 big meals full of veggies, along with some meats and carbs?

On the sea days, walk as much as you can on the promenade level, swim, or just window-shop.

On the port days, walk, walk, walk.

boots08

I always choose the earlier seating arrangement for dinner so that there's plenty of time to go for a brisk walk and burn off some of those excess calories before turning in.

mickrory

Thanks guys some good tips there.

We do always try and use the stairs as we find it quicker. I intend to do loads of walking when off the ship and will endeavor to make at effort to walk an hour a day on the treadmill during the 4 at sea days.

Light breakfast I enjoy 50 weeks a year at home so 2 weeks on a cruise I have a penchant for Eggs Benedict and the odd fry up but like Reisender we go to the waiter restaurants, not keen myself on buffet food. Plus being waited on is far more civilised and relaxing.

As for jogging the head says try it but can't seem to convince my legs!

I'm tipping the scales at 13 stone at the moment. Let you all know what I come back with on 9 June when reluctantly the diet will start.

Happy cruising.

Jed

Carrying one of those stones around in a belly pack would be a good deterrent.

traveller69

mickrory - Don't worry about jogging they say a good brisk walk is just as good and is easier on you so never mind what your head says just walk. I am always a good girl and diet before the cruise as well so its never a big problem if I overindulge. So if you do a lot of walking in ports and a walk in the evening around the deck you should be just fine. Enjoy those eggs benedict. 13 stone is about 183 pounds for anyone who doesn't know. I guess it depends on how tall you are!!!!

FainaAgain

Mick, just walk around with that ice-cream cone in hand instead of sitting down

JulieAgain

My husband & I refrain from gaining weight better if we go to the local buffet, rather than dining out! Isn't that odd?! But it is true. We allow ourselves to go out to eat twice a week & we almost always choose the buffet. Reason it works - we get satisfied by having a few bites of different foods & then fill up on salad & sometimes get a small few bites of dessert. Mentally we feel better about "grazing" rather than being stuck with 1 or 2 items. For instance, yesterday I had 2 small chicken livers (yum!), 1 bite of Italian sausage (it was already cut up on the buffet so I took 1 small piece), lots of cauliflower, broccoli, & salad (no dressing, no cheese, no eggs, etc., just veggies, but I like it that way).

So, do conisder the buffet if you have some restraint. It might work better for you & allow you to feel indulged!

Now - I must be honest. I don't know that I could take a cruise & not gain weight! It's all mental. I so look forward to the food variety, the indulgence, the whole works. We never eat bacon & eggs - so how can I possibly pass them up when someone cooked them for me???

Soooo, I wanted to take the Russian cruise in June, but we decided not to because we don't want to work so hard afterwards to lose the weight - usually about 5 lbs even with all of the walking we do! Go figure! And we are taking a cruise in Nov.

Have fun whether you gain weight or not!

JulieAgain

Ewwwww! I like Faina's idea!!!

and a piece of pizza? a doughnut?

Eschew

Develop a daily routine is the key to weight lost at a cruise ship.

Get up at 6 am, walk around the promanade deck 3 times. (it's about 1 mile) It may take 10 minutes, it may take half hour. Doesn't matter. There is no one you know to see how you huff and puff all the way except the friendly crew giggling and smirking at you. And I bet you will never see them again after you leave the ship.

After that, shower and go have breakfast. Eat anything you want in small quantity of each but no sugary stuff, and that would mean no pastries. You can have lots of natural sugar from fruits and veggetables. Eat lots of fish and they are good for you - Omega 3s.

Never take the eleveator. Walk up from deck 5 to the top (deck 12) at least 5 times a day and from the front of the ship to the back of the ship at least 5 times a day.
Walk everywhere.

For shore excursions, pick those that requiress physical activities rather than those sit eat and watch excursions.

To see how much weight you lost after the cruise, first weight yourslef before you leave home with full winter parkas and boots on. Make sure your wallet is also full including a few rolls of quarters for playing the slot machines.

At the end of the cruise, admire your lean and trim body in mirror, weight in with just your emptied wallet and nothing else. You should have lost at least 5 to 10 pounds!

kfusto

Sticking to my exercise routine when on vacation and taking it up a notch works for me. And I also keep up my healthy eating habits.

An hour of working out every morning when the gym opens, added to using the stairs and being active in port, helps me to indulge a bit on a cruise.

ParrotMom

Oksy. I eat.. and alot..lol..no midnight buffets though.. but I find myself walking everywhere .. more so than at home.. The last cruise I gained five pounds but lost it within the week..(the smoked salmon at the buffet in the a.m. did it0 We stay away from all those frou-frou drinks and consume lots of iced tea instead.