Just because it’s there doesn’t mean you need to eat it. Yes, even the mediocre stuff can be tempting but you just need to have a bit of disciple. Don’t be an horse ant the trough. And get off the ship and walk a few miles every day.

Anonymous wrote:I think a lot of the weight people gain on a cruise is just bloat from eating more salt and carbs then usual. Almost all restaurant/prepared foods have a lot more salt than most people would add on their own. I am sure there is a little fat gain due to eating more and being less active, but the reason is comes off quickly is because it's more bloat.

I think I eat more proteins and fewer carbs. At home I make a lot of pasta or sandwiches because I’m cooking for the kids and it’s a pain to remember to defrost meat, but on a cruise I can just get a steak salad or something.

I do excursions at every port.

On the boat I go to the pool and see shows etc., do other activities with the kids.

Anonymous wrote:this is op and i guess i am glad to hear that weight gain isn't inherent to going on a cruise! i'm not really a cruise person - as is probably obvious - but if we do on another one, i guess i can go in knowing that gaining weight there is a choice and not inevitable.

I think the first cruise it’s like sort of a novelty that the food is so available. After that you realize it’s not amazing food so you can kind of pull back, eat a normal breakfast and lunch, maybe indulge a bit at dinner, exercise and come back without gaining weight or within a pound or two (I also don’t drink a lot). My favorite thing is to sit in a lounge chair with a book looking at the ocean but I try to get in activity as well.

this is op and i guess i am glad to hear that weight gain isn't inherent to going on a cruise! i'm not really a cruise person - as is probably obvious - but if we do on another one, i guess i can go in knowing that gaining weight there is a choice and not inevitable.

I went on a cruise this summer and lost weight. The buffet was not good so I ate in the main dining room and the portions were small. I didn’t drink a lot, only wine at dinner. I took the stairs and walked on the track. Generally, I kept busy and didn’t sit by the pool all day, drinking and eating.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I cruise a lot. I don't gain weight. Sometimes I lose weight. I don't drink which probably helps a lot. But cruise food is mostly mediocre. I don't feel the need to indulge in it. My eating doesn't change much from when I'm at home.

2 eggs and coffee for breakfast or yogurt
salad for lunch
Entrée for dinner---usually protein and veg and I skip the starters and dessert.

this is op - and this sounds like my at-home eating, but def not how i ate on a cruise. what did you do all day if you weren't eating?! it just seems like that's the main activity on days you aren't stopped somewhere.

I go do morning stretches, activities like archery, ice skating, rock climbing, volleyball, fitness center, trivia, karaoke, spa, shop, pool, watch outdoor movie, attend shows. There is always something going on, and I am constantly walking from one side of the ship to the other. I also almost always take the stairs.

I didn't gain weight even though I definitely drank more. I always used the stairs and our port days were spent swimming and walking around.

As for what I did....breakfast was my usual... something small. I'm not a big breakfast person. Then I would spend my days reading , doing a 30-45 min workout, doing stuff with DH or DS, or doing some activities (usually just trivia type stuff). We only had 3 at sea days and we did a lot on port days. So I maybe had an extra 500ish calories a day but I seemed to burn it off.

I didn't eat just to eat and I don't like sugary drinks so made it fairly easy.

No - but I don’t feel I have to eat and drink my money’s worth.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This isn’t rocket science. If you don’t want to gain weight on vacation, you have to eat the same you do at home. Most people don’t do that, which is why they gain weight. For example at home I don’t eat breakfast and I rarely eat dessert. If I do those things on vacation I am going to gain weight.

yes, thank you for explaining how weight gain works to me - what a mystery until now

my question wasn't WHY people gain weight on cruises but if most people gain weight on cruises. i don't usually eat for entertainment at home, but i definitely did on the cruise - i know WHY i gained that weight; just wondering how common that is.

I’m sure it’s just as common as normal weight gain? I’m the pp you quoted. I do tend to gain 3-4 pounds on resort vacations (not so much on city, national park, or theme park vacations.) It takes me a week or so to lose the weight, but I mostly do it just by going back to my normal eating, and skipping snacks and desserts until my weight is where I like it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I cruise a lot. I don't gain weight. Sometimes I lose weight. I don't drink which probably helps a lot. But cruise food is mostly mediocre. I don't feel the need to indulge in it. My eating doesn't change much from when I'm at home.

2 eggs and coffee for breakfast or yogurt
salad for lunch
Entrée for dinner---usually protein and veg and I skip the starters and dessert.

this is op - and this sounds like my at-home eating, but def not how i ate on a cruise. what did you do all day if you weren't eating?! it just seems like that's the main activity on days you aren't stopped somewhere.

I read, went to the gym, participated in ship activities, played board games with the kids.

I just got back two weeks ago from a cruise and only gained a pound. I had a light breakfast, lunch was the buffet but I could portion control and only took a little bit of what I wanted to eat. Desserts were never a great option so often skipped. Dinner is sit down but the portions weren’t huge. I occasionally had a slice of pizza or tuna sandwich in between but not everyday. I drank water most of the time.

I think a lot of the weight people gain on a cruise is just bloat from eating more salt and carbs then usual. Almost all restaurant/prepared foods have a lot more salt than most people would add on their own. I am sure there is a little fat gain due to eating more and being less active, but the reason is comes off quickly is because it's more bloat.

I have not. But the cruises I go on are more private. Sit down meals in courses with healthier vegan options. Small portion sizes too.

I do think cruises tend to be more sedentary. I visited Italy and I ate tons of pasta and gelato, but I was also walking 10-12 miles a day around cities, so I actually lost weight on vacation. Cruises keep you contained and while you could hit the gym or try to find a place to swim laps, most don't. Combine that with all the food and alcohol and it's a recipe for weight gain.