How long does it take you to break your pre-cruise diet once you board the ship?

[levib2]

I've been looking at the delicious food photos for RC ships online, and realize that I do the same thing every cruise....Watch my diet before a cruise, lose some weight so my clothes will fit for cruise, and then go crazy eating and drinking once we are onboard including bread, pasta, ice cream, etc. My thinking is "It's vacation time....Enjoy it!   Love the morning mimosas, wine with lunch and dinner, frozen drinks or mojitos at pool and martinis or mixed drinks in the evening.

My husband who is a 79 year old personal trainer always eats healthy foods at home.  He eats/drinks more on a cruise, but still keeps things under control.  Usually has a good breakfast, very light lunch and regular dinner portions with lighter choices. Most days he doesn't drink until his pre-dinner martini.  

I really would like to eat/drink healthier on cruise, but know this will never happen.   Wondering how many others do the diet before cruise/overeat and drink once onboard. 

 

[HeWhoWaits]

How long does it take to get from the boarding point to the Windjammer (with a stop at a bar on the way)?

[Pooch]

I am really, no really, honest I’m trying!!! To diet for our March cruise.  I retired in January and that coupled with what I loving call the “Covid 19” has not been good for my weight.  I am currently down 12 pounds. We took a short trip last week and I did not diet but we only ate 2 meals a day, I didn’t snack & we did a ton of walking.  Came back about 1.5 up which I lost in a few days. Back to the diet (doing WW) and am hoping for 25 by March.  It’s not a lot for the time I have but takes into consideration the holidays & a few short trips.  It’s a process.  I will NOT diet on the cruise!

[Ampurp85]

Maybe because I am already fat, lol, I have never gained weight after a vacation. I think it is because I am always at least twice as active. I don't diet, the whole diet thing is bad imho. I try to maintain a healthy relationship with food as a general rule. Everything is okay in moderation. When I vacation, I enjoy, as it is a break from my every day rotation. I think the major thing is I am not a drinker, maybe 1 to 2 alcoholic drinks on vacation and not every day. Regularly I can go months without picking up a drink. Drinks are where you pick up the pounds

[Pooch]

And vacation is really the only time I drink.  Ok my kids give me Baileys for my birthday and I may imbibe a little then.  I’ve been fighting my weight forever and mostly my weight wins.  

[PG Cruiser]

From July 2020 to September 4, 2021, I was on a strict Keto diet... then the Allure sailing happened.  Good thing I no longer had carb cravings so I was able to keep a rather lenient Keto diet, or should I say, a low carb diet,  while on board.  A few slices of pizza here and there, a bite of dessert, some sugar in the mocktails were some "freedoms" I enjoyed.  Gained some 4 lbs on a 7-night cruise but lost them within a week after the cruise.

The story's all here:  

 

 

[Pooch]

I’m Italian.  We are legally bound to eat carbs!!  It’s kinda like that scene from My Big Fat Greek Wedding:

He’s a vegetarian.  He doesn’t eat meat.

No meat??  Ok, I make you lamb.

[KLA]

I lost a good amount of weight through Covid and I admittedly haven’t been dieting during the cruise at all. Breaks are good - I’m looking forward to getting back on track next week. 
 

I will say I’ve been wearing my Fitbit and we have been getting 10k+ steps a day and have worked out during the cruise - so there’s that! 

[LovetoCruise87]

As soon as I walk into the WindJammer right after boarding

[Zacharius]

Honestly, I find the food pretty mediocre so it's easy for me to eat fairly reasonable portions. It's also really easy to load up on fruits and veggies, and I walk a TON. I've never even seen the inside of an elevator on a cruise ship. And I do a daily run on sea days, and often on port days too. 

Alcohol, however? Oh boy, watch out. 

[wordell1]

I never plan to diet during a cruise - the food is a big part of the enjoyment for me.  I usually will diet up to about 1 week out.  I have found that it is not good for my system if I go from one extreme to the other in a short period of time.

[CJS2766]

Thank goodness for onboard fitness centers on the ships!!! 

[CrimsonCruiser]

I usually give up once I get off the plane. lol

Whatever I eat in that week isn't gonna be enough to tip the number too much. lol (big eyes, tiny stomach)

[SPS]

14 minutes ago, CJS2766 said:

Thank goodness for onboard fitness centers on the ships!!! 

The what? 

[Phillip Diamond Plus]

Lose weight on a cruise:

I somehow lost about 3 pounds on my 7 day cruise last month. And I ate and drank a lot!!!. Go figure?

 I believe that I lost some weight because I was so active each day. I am much more active during a sailing week than I usually am at home. My "fitbit" proves that.

And, a lot of the foods that I ate may have been healthy choices??? (Except the desserts! Ha Ha) 

So maybe cruising will not be so bad for your diet???

 

 

 

[Andy & Sheryl Unwin]

We hit the WindJammer in under 15 mins every time. In my case, I start my cruise by building a custom burger

[Pooch]

3 days in Baltimore to watch the Sox.  According to my Fitbit we walked 29+ miles!

[Jacqui]

I'm doing a dietbet right now and it ends right at the start of my cruise in about 2 weeks.  I'm being really good now, but it all goes out the window once I step foot on the ship.  I'll probably gain it all back during the week, but oh well.  It's vacation and I'm going to enjoy the drinks and food!  I'm hoping walking around the world's largest cruise ship helps offset some of the calories consumed lol

[BrianB]

What’s this word ‘diet’ that you speak of? 
 

As I always say….calories don’t count on a cruise ship. That’s a known scientific fact I just made up! 

[HeWhoWaits]

25 minutes ago, Pooch said:

3 days in Baltimore to watch the Sox.  According to my Fitbit we walked 29+ miles!

Every time you moved your arms to applaud the Sox counted as a step. Given how bad the Orioles were this season, that alone could have accounted for several miles per game.

[karmamule]

We got the unlimited dining package so I anticipate boarding the ship and HELLO JOHNNY ROCKETS burger and shake.

Let the indulgences commence.

In general I'm progressing towards a healthier body for me (last few months have exercised more and shed some extra poundage) but cruises are ALWAYS a guilt-free zone. I am not going to count calories or fret on some of the most joy-filled times of my life. 

[emmef]

3 hours ago, PG Cruiser said:

From July 2020 to September 4, 2021, I was on a strict Keto diet... then the Allure sailing happened.  Good thing I no longer had carb cravings so I was able to keep a rather lenient Keto diet, or should I say, a low carb diet,  while on board.  A few slices of pizza here and there, a bite of dessert, some sugar in the mocktails were some "freedoms" I enjoyed.  Gained some 4 lbs on a 7-night cruise but lost them within a week after the cruise.

The story's all here:  

 

 

Thanks for sharing this with all of us!  Should be an interesting read.

[AlohaLivin]

Pre-cruise what?

[Pooch]

1 hour ago, HeWhoWaits said:

Every time you moved your arms to applaud the Sox counted as a step. Given how bad the Orioles were this season, that alone could have accounted for several miles per game.

Oh no, Sox absolutely sucked in Baltimore.  Happy but not really sure how they beat the Yankees in the wild card game.  Definitely was NOT the same team we saw.

[Ray]

As soon as i hit the Airport Lounge thats me officially on Holiday! 

[Marlena]

In the same realm I only let myself be photographed in a bathing suit on first 2 days of the trip. After that carb and alcohol bloat kick in!

[IorisThor]

unfortunately this is always the case when you are on a ship

[Riversong518]

I’m the only person I know who loses weight on vacation Much more active, and I don’t go too crazy with the food. I tend to eat lots of fruit. Alcohol, though….

[bryresangel]

As long as it takes me to get to the lunch buffet!

[Fox Forlenza]

We were going to be so good last time.  Yeah, didn't happen.  Next trip we are planning on just enjoying it.  We will still go to the gym, try and make good choices, but the desserts at my weakness.  I always order more than one, or two...

[Pattycruise]

On Oasis?  Straight to their roast beef sandwhich. 

On my November Anthem I went to the windjammer on boarding day and they had fresh shrimp cocktail. I've never gone to windjammer on boarding day, so was shocked at that option!

When I sailed solo I made a point that there was to be no bread basket on the dinner table (I was disappointed the waiter insisted to bring it every night and I had to turn them down every night-usually the waiter listens).  I also hit the gym daily on my solo cruises. 

I add fresh fruit to my breakfast and have fresh omelets-egg white-
I will splurge on biscuits with gravy-only if they are good-as that is something I would never make.
Dinner it's worth it to have the desserts I would never make at home (creme brulee, grand marnier soufle and the apple blossom!!).
Most of my calories come from the alcohol.  One cruise I drank vodka, seltzer, splash of cranberry and noticed a lot less alcohol bloat (since I cut out all the fruity alcohol drinks).

I've watched my kids have the ice cream at the pool for years. This month I tried it and eeewwww I'll never have that again.  Whatever I have needs to be "worth it".

I find  solo sailing to be a lot more healthy for me.  Getting caught up with family/friends and what they eat/drink is a weakness for me.

 

[FJ28]

Straight to the windjammer with a stop at the ice cream machine.

[teddy]

 We actually eat healthier when on a cruise. 
 

Ever since our kids moved out, my wife and I have basically stopped the family mealtime we made a priority with the kids.  We are both working a lot of strange and opposite hours, so a lot of our meals are grab from the frig and go.   Cruising gives us an opportunity to slow down and eat actual meals together.  
 

 

[mathbees]

No letters in common between diet and gangway...

Besides I consume a lot of fruit onboard (pineapple concentrate, strawberry concentrate, coconut creme,...)

[HeWhoWaits]

44 minutes ago, mathbees said:

No letters in common between diet and gangway...

Besides I consume a lot of fruit onboard (pineapple concentrate, strawberry concentrate, coconut creme,...)

And most of what you mix with those fruit products is derived from grains, so...

[ChessE4]

We break our pre-cruise diet the night before the cruise when we eat out at Coco Beach for a Port Canaveral departure.

Other than that, our first dessert, usually in Windjammer spoils our "healthy" salad lunch on Day 1.

[OCSC Mike]

1 hour ago, ChristineHolland said:

my pre-cruise diet lasts until I set foot on the ship!

Same here.

[tonyfsu21]

5 min or less I can make it from deck 5 to the Boardwalk Doghouse for 2 hotdogs and a beer. I am otherwise very aware and on top of my health walking 25k+ steps per day (cruise or no cruise) and consistent Peloton rides keep things in check. I don’t bother dieting because it’s overrated. IMHO it’s ok to eat what you want and get control of yourself by not overeating. It’s all mental. 

[smokeybandit]

The good thing about cruising for me is even though I don't have a dedicated exercise time like at home, I get in a ton more steps anyway. 

[OCSC Mike]

14 minutes ago, tonyfsu21 said:

I am otherwise very aware and on top of my health walking 25k+ steps per day (cruise or no cruise) and consistent Peloton rides keep things in check. I don’t diet bother dieting because it’s overrated. IMHO it’s ok to eat what you want and get control of yourself by not overeating. It’s all mental. 

If I cruised more often I'd probably have to do things differently but as someone allergic to exercise who enjoys overeating on cruises, the pre-cruise diet is essential for me. I have very good control when eating healthy at home and am very strict during my pre-cruise diets... then all bets are off once I board the ship.

Different things will work for different people, of course. I fully acknowledge my way is not optimal but as someone with few vices, I'm OK with doing it 2-3 times/year.

On the plus side, as lazy and anti-exercise as I am, I loathe taking ship elevators and use the stairs almost exclusively unless I'm going like 10+ decks. Walking from the Aqua Show (deck 6) to deck 17 on Wonder in June was rough but I made it, lol.