Fact: The average cruiser gains 1 pound per day on their cruise. When you think about how long it might take you to lose 3, 5, or 7 pounds, gaining that much in a week or less seems pretty discouraging, doesn't it?
I was blessed to be able to go on a cruise with my husband this past week on Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas cruise liner and I'm proud to report that I gained less than ONE POUND in four days! Though I wanted to fully enjoy myself, I didn't want to come home feeling bloated, guilty, and sluggish. I wanted to be able to feel comfortable indulging and enjoying all the different foods (including the desserts) while still maintaining my healthy active lifestyle. But is this actually possible?
If you're a first-time cruiser or if you're cruising for the first time since adopting a healthier lifestyle, I want to share wiht you my TOP 10 tips for keeping your healthy lifestyle while still having the time of your life on your cruise:
1. Invest in a pedometer or some sort of fitness watch prior to embarking. Having a way to track your daily movement will encourage you to keep it moving during your cruise. The great news is that even on the days where you're not going ashore, there is PLENTY of space aboard the ship to get your steps in. I averaged over 16,000 steps/day on my cruise, with the highest day being over 20,00 steps. On most cruiseliners, walking from bow to stern is about 1/4 of a mile, so if you are doing this several times/day you will be able to hit your daily steps goal with no problems. My husband and I would frequently weave back and forth on each floor after our afternoon meal to ensure that we got in plenty of steps throughout the day. Just like with anything else, TRACKING what you're doing really helps to keep you focused. So whether you have a Fitbit, a Garmin watch, or a cheap pedometer from the Dollar Store, tracking what you're doing from the time you get up until the time you go to sleep will help so much!
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| Before dinner on day 3. I ended up with over 20,000 steps this day. |
2. Take the stairs ALWAYS! While there are elevators all over the ship and it's tempting to save time using them, taking the stairs is an awesome way to counter all the extra food you're eating! My husband and I were assigned a room on Deck 2 and most of the activities that we wanted to take part in were on Decks 9-12 (including food, which was on Decks 11 and 12). Taking the stairs each and every time ensure that we were constantly climbing. And, to be honest, there were moments when the lines for the elevators were so long that we probably still arrived at our destination quicker than if we didn't use the stairs. Yeah, after you eat a big meal or wake up from a nap, the LAST thing you want to do is take the stairs....but I promise you that it'll be worth it. If NOT coming home 5 pounds heavier is a goal of yours, take the stairs. I think one of the days we were aboard my husband's fancy FitBit Surge told him that he climbed over 90 flights!
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| Even the staircases are elegant! |
3. Limit your dessert option to 1 or 2, not 4 or 5! One of the BIGGEST health mistakes people make on cruises is to think that they have to try everything on the dessert bar! Why? Would you have six slices of cake at home after dinner? No! So why do we do this when we're in a buffet situation? I'll tell you why: 1) You reason that you paid for an all-inclusive, so I'm going to get my share of this ALL-inclusive and 2) You determine that you just must try them ALL to see what they taste like...why not, they're there for you to taste, right? Well, the problem with this logic when it comes to health and fitness is that it makes no sense. I'm of the opinion that just because it's there doesn't mean you HAVE to eat it. That's just silly. My suggestion: taste one or two at the most. Make your selection and really enjoy it. In our society we have a tendency to eat REALLY fast and not actually relish the taste of things. Really slow down and enjoy every bit of the item(s) that you choose. The fact is that after the 2nd or 3rd bit of ANYTHING that initial thrill that we get psychologically goes away anyway....so if you're going to finish the whole thing, really think about the way that it tastes and really enjoy it!
4. Keep yourself hydrated. Did you know that by the time you're feeling thirsty you're already dehydrated? Interesting fact, huh? Here's how drinks work on cruise ships (most of them anyway): You pay extra for alcoholic beverages and sodas in what's called "drink packages". A lot of people choose to purchase these, and that's everyone prerogative. But what I see a lot is that the kids (and the adults when they're not drinking alcohol) live on the soda and the adults live on the alcohol. If you're going to drink soda and/or alcohol, that's your choice; but making sure that you're also getting good old fashioned water in there is crucial to keeping that waistline in order. Have water with your breakfast, lunch, dinner, and any snacks that you partake in. Although I did have juice in the AM with my breakfast, I also had water. And to each ONE glass of juice I would have TWO glasses of water. Another water top tip: bring water aboard. You are allowed to bring bottled water aboard to have in your stateroom. I highly recommend this so that you can start your morning by hydrating. When you roll out of bed I can guarantee you're not going to make the treck upstairs to the food area, you're going to make one trip when it's time for breakfast. But hydrating when you first wakeup is a great habit to get into (even when you're at home). So keep water in your room and make sure to drink up whenever you're in there.
5. Make time to workout while you're aboard. Whether you bring your own workouts to do or you use the fitness center, make daily fitness a priority even aboard the ship. Most ships have amazing fitness centers equipped with everything your typical small gym would have: weights, treadmills, bikes, selectorizor machines, yoga balls, etc. You'll find that a lot of ships even offer group fitness classes throughout the day like spin, bootcamp, yoga, etc. I personally brought my mini laptop and my Turbofire DVDs aboard and took my workout outside to the shipdeck to enjoy the early morning breeze, catch the sunrise, and get my workout on at the same time. It was a glorious way to wake up, let me tell you. There is nothing like that early morning breeze and the beautiful sunrise to make you feel magnificent. But if you're a gym rat or you don't feel comfortable working out in the open while people might possibly walk right by you, utilize the fitness center. Take a look at your daily itinerary that's provided to you by the ship each night for the next day and plan your workout. Just like we have to be intentional about fitting it in at home, we have to be even MORE intentional about fitting it in on the ship before all the day's activities begin! So make a plan and stick to it. (Side note: I layed out the clothes that I was going to wear to workout the night before so that it would save me the frustration of rummaging through my bags early in the morning. This helped out so much, especially on the mornings where Mr. White wanted to sleep in and I still wanted to get my workout on!)
6. Fill your plate with loads of healthy options during your meals and go light on the not so healthy options. You are going to have LOTS of choices when you're dining on a cruise. Whether you're taking advantage of the formal dining room or just meandering in during the open buffet hours in the buffet section - you will be AMAZED what the offerings will be. Think of your plate just like you would at home. Mostly veg, a small amount of healthy fat, a small portion of carbohydrates, and a nice portion of lean protein. There will be HIGH temptation to choose the mashed potatoes, the roasted potatoes, the baked potato, and the french fries all in the same meal. Don't! Choose one or two at the most of that category, find the veg (there is a salad bar available for each meal), choose a nice protein option (grilled chicken, fish, turkey, etc), and head back to your table. Oh, also take advantage of the nice fruit bar that you'll see at each meal as well. Pretty sure I had some amazing pineapple at every meal.
7. Don't forget about those cocktail calories. If you do choose to take advantage of one of the beverage packages, make sure you're keeping a mental account for those cocktail calories as well. That might constitute and extra 30 minutes on the bike that morning in the fitness center or one less mashed potato helping at dinner that day! You're meant to enjoy yourself, but keep things in proportion.
8. Get out and explore the places you port. When you arrive at your different port locations, get out and get moving. Walking around sightseeing is one of the best no-brainer ways to keep yourself on the go during a cruise. There is so much to see, do, and take pictures of during these trips that you'll be anxious to hit the ground running. Do that! Live it up. I walked over 6 miles the day that I was in Nassau just walking around the streets seeing all there was to see.
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| Walking around Nassau with my coconut water! |
9. Set goals before you even go. Before you set sail, write down your commitment to yourself to stay in control of your health and fitness. Writing something down somehow makes you so much more accountable to that thing, doesn't it? And making it public....even more so! So if you're part of a healthy mom's group on facebook, make an open commitment there that you'll stick to your goals. Commit WITH your travel companion(s) that you will not go crazy! Biggest commitment: make your goal totally public on social media!! This will keep you in check. However extreme or private you choose to go with your goal, setting one and writing it down will keep it top of mind while you're gone.
10. Get sleep. It's tempting to stay up ALL night on your ship. While that's ok to do maybe once or twice to check out the awesome shows, try to get mostly 7-8 hours of sleep. When we're rested we're able to make better nutrition decisions. Did you know that? Pay attention to your eating habits next time you're running on low sleep....you'll find that you're less likely to stay on track and more likely to snack. So catch some Zzzz's! You did come here to relax and recharge after all, didn't you?
So there you have it: my Top 10 tips for staying fit and healthy even on a cruise! You might be reading this thinking, "Gosh....who cares...I'm going to have fun and induldge! I'm not doing this. If that's you then, hey, more power to you! I'm not going to judge. That's your choice! But if sticking to your goals, continuing in the lifestyle you've set for yourself, and maintaining the hard work you've put in and the results that you've seen is key for you then I hope that you find these tips helpful.
Happy sailing! Cruising is the best way to vacation and sightsee, in my opinion, so I hope that you really enjoy it!
What would you add to the list? Are you a frequent cruiser who has your own list of tips and tricks? Share with us and leave a comment below!
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