{"id":1466,"date":"2015-03-12T22:46:04","date_gmt":"2015-03-12T22:46:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/flights.waveinteractive.com\/blog\/?p=1466"},"modified":"2015-03-26T22:28:18","modified_gmt":"2015-03-26T22:28:18","slug":"how-to-not-gain-weight-on-a-cruise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.flights.com\/blog\/how-to-not-gain-weight-on-a-cruise\/","title":{"rendered":"Don’t Sink the Ship: How to Not Gain Weight on a Cruise"},"content":{"rendered":"

Contributed by guest author\u00a0Alexandra Mulliner.<\/em><\/p>\n

Sure, you\u2019re on a cruise, not a diet. But that doesn\u2019t mean you need to pack on a pound for every day you\u2019re sailing. With some minor tweaks to your vacation style, you can avoid cruise weight gain, and won\u2019t wind up feeling bigger than the ship you set sail on.<\/p>\n

Eat the Fancy Stuff<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/span> $\"Cruise_Dinner\"$ <\/a><\/span>
\nYou paid to be on this cruise; why not eat the most expensive food? Take the time to check out the dining room, where you\u2019ll score gourmet, three-course meals with smaller, controlled portions. Order grilled seafood, steamed vegetables, and salads with vinegar-based dressings. Keep in mind, sauces and dressings are often laden with salt, which can cause bloating. Request your entree sauces on the side and use them sparingly to avoid being mistaken for a puffer fish during your snorkeling excursion.<\/p>\n
If you still find yourself at the buffet, avoid the cheap, fried food, and head to the salad bar. Of course the fries are tempting, but don\u2019t give in. If you do, by day three of eating processed junk you\u2019ll be placing an embarrassing order for prune juice.
\n <\/a><\/span> $\"Cruise-Salad\"$ <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
Resist the Urge<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Don\u2019t even let the waiter put the basket of assorted breakfast croissants or dinner rolls in front of you. Once they hit the table, there\u2019s no amount of willpower capable of resisting them.<\/p>\n
Be prepared, desserts are everywhere you turn. Since it\u2019s practically impossible to deny, limit your sweets to just the two formal dinners the cruise offers in the dining hall. On the other nights, distract yourself by ordering a cup of Peruvian coffee or an herbal tea with lemon slices.\u00a0 It won\u2019t be as delicious, but at least your pants will fit tomorrow.<\/p>\n
Sip Smartly<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Don\u2019t be tricked by the free juice available on the ship. Juice is packed with sugar and stripped of fiber, which is a recipe for weight gain. Some cruises let you bring a limited quantity of your own non-alcoholic beverages onboard, so pack some sparkling water. To give it an extra kick, add some lemon slices, which are always available at the drink stations on the ship.<\/p>\n
Booze with Benefits<\/strong><\/h2>\n
The frosty pi\u00f1a coladas taste amazing, but is there really any booze in there? Skip the sugar-loaded froufrou cocktails. Choose wine, which has the added benefit of antioxidants, or sip on a club soda mixed with your choice of alcohol for a lower-calorie buzz.<\/p>\n
Stay in Shipshape<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/a><\/span> $\"Cruise-Track\"$ <\/a><\/span>
\nTone up that bikini bottom by taking the ship\u2019s stairs instead of the elevator, especially when you\u2019re heading toward food. If your cabin is on the first level that could mean several flights of stairs between you and the salad bar. Losing weight on a cruise is usually unheard of, but many ships also include outdoor tracks and indoor gyms with ocean views, so you\u2019ll burn calories without missing out on whale sightings and sunsets. The top deck also frequently features things like a sky-high basketball court and mini-golf course. If that\u2019s not your thing, try the ping-pong tables, ballroom dancing events, or yoga classes offered by most cruise lines.<\/p>\n
Pamper Yourself<\/strong><\/h2>\n
After your workout, re-enter vacation mode by rinsing, hydrating, and heading to the whirlpool, steam room, or sauna in the ship\u2019s (most likely) impressive gym and spa. The real secret is the gym\u2019s showers. They\u2019re private and spacious, with jets that spray from every direction. Unlike the dinky showers in your stateroom, these luxury ones offer a spa-like experience so you can actually enjoy bathing, without flooding your cabin or stepping on the toilet as you reach for the shampoo.<\/p>\n
Cruising should be a fun, relaxing experience, filled with new adventures and luxury. With some willpower and a game plan, you won\u2019t confuse your whale photos with your bikini shots.<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/span> $\"Alex_Mulliner\"$ <\/a><\/span>Alexandra Mulliner is a wellness enthusiast, novice hula hooper, Certified\u00a0<\/em>Health Coach, and lover of all things natural. She’s originally from Virginia, but after backpacking around South America, she settled in Ocean Beach, San Diego. Between resisting California burritos and perfecting her pigeon pose in hot yoga class, she provides nutritional counseling and runs a healthy lifestyle blog: www.turnupwellness.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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