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10 Best Ways To Avoid Weight Gain On A Cruise (While Having Fun And Indulging!)
Jan 28, 2025
On average cruisers report putting on between 5 and 10 pounds of weight on a seven-night cruise! I have 10 tips on how you can go on a cruising vacation, have loads of fun and still indulge and avoid piling on the pounds on a cruise. They are all things that work for me, and I come back from my many cruises (including some 7 weeks long) without putting on weight. They are all practical and simple things and do not require hard core workouts or severe restrictions on what to eat and drink. They include some tweaks to cut calories, fun ways to burn calories without much effort and a few quirky ones.
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0:00
you're about to discover ten tips on how
0:02
you can go on a cruise have a huge
0:05
amount of fun still indulge and not put
0:07
on a huge amount of weight hi I'm Gary
0:10
beverage and this is another of my tips
0:11
for travelers on average cruisers put
0:14
between five and ten pounds of weight on
0:17
when they go on a seven-day cruise so
0:20
how can you go on a cruise have a huge
0:21
amount of fun and not pile on the pounds
0:24
of course one of the key things with
0:27
controlling your weight is it's a game
0:29
of maths it's balancing the amount of
0:31
calories you take in with amount of
0:33
calories you burn so let's take a look
0:35
at some of the tips around how you can
0:37
control calories but still indulge and
0:39
have fun one of the things I really
0:41
recommend you do is actually choose to
0:42
go to the main dining room rather than
0:45
the buffet restaurant first of all
0:47
because there's portion control so the
0:49
size of the portions that you could
0:51
serve is much more controlled than if
0:53
you're in a buffet where you end up just
0:55
out of habit piling up your plates now
0:57
if you do decide you want to know the
0:58
buffet a couple of little tips that will
1:00
make a big difference first of all
1:02
choose the smaller plate grab one of the
1:05
smaller plates because actually again
1:06
it's mentally reducing and helping with
1:10
portion control the other thing that I
1:12
like to do if I go to the buffets what I
1:13
do with my plate as I start by putting
1:15
the healthy stuff on the plate first
1:17
because then I find the plates full of
1:19
healthy stuff and then there's less
1:21
space it's just much easier to not load
1:23
it up with the bare things so a couple
1:26
of changes if you go to the buffet can
1:27
make a really big difference once you're
1:29
actually in the dining room or addameer
1:31
I have a couple of things that will also
1:33
make a huge difference not getting your
1:34
way of enjoying yourself or indulging
1:37
first of those is look for at the spar
1:39
menu so most cruise ships will have some
1:42
kind of spa or healthy option menu that
1:44
normally have a starter main course and
1:45
a dessert start by looking at those
1:48
choices first and seeing if any of those
1:50
appeal because you'll be surprised they
1:52
can make a dramatic difference in terms
1:53
of the amount of calories salt fat those
1:56
kind of things and they are designed to
1:58
be delicious
1:59
secondly then look at the fish now on
2:01
many cruises you can have local Fisher's
2:03
and great fish that's been brought on
2:06
board not only is it good for you
2:07
health-wise but it's going to save a lot
2:09
of calories and you might try some
2:11
exciting new fish types and varieties
2:13
also what I do is not assume that I'm
2:15
always going to have all courses so I
2:17
take a look at the menu and say actually
2:19
I'm just gonna have a main and a dessert
2:21
or starter so actually choose one or two
2:23
courses and have things that you really
2:25
really want there is a certain routine
2:27
and habit you get into every night of
2:29
having three courses the other thing
2:30
that I recommend and you think about is
2:32
avoiding speciality restaurants first of
2:35
all because they gonna cost you more
2:36
money but secondly because you're paying
2:38
more money to go to speciality
2:39
restaurant on most chips you are
2:41
therefore in a mindset of eating all
2:44
courses starters main course desserts so
2:47
you do end up eating much more than you
2:49
plan so I find when I go on a cruise I
2:50
try and minimize the amount of times
2:52
that go to speciality dining because I
2:54
do end up eating much more than I plan
2:56
to eat avoid bread and the bread boss
2:58
because if you're in a cruise ship with
2:59
a bring a bread basket save your weight
3:01
either no thanks or make sure they don't
3:03
keep topping it up save those calories
3:05
for something a little bit more exciting
3:07
the other thing I do which owns made a
3:09
huge difference is have steamed
3:11
vegetables so instead of whatever
3:13
perhaps the stuff that's coming with the
3:15
main course with the steak or chicken or
3:16
whatever I often ask for steamed
3:18
vegetables or spinach vegetables that I
3:21
really like but I avoid all the
3:23
vegetables that are perhaps really
3:24
greasy made with lots of butter
3:25
of course then try and cut back on the
3:28
various sauces and dressings so when
3:30
you're ordering you can either ask for
3:31
the dressing on the side or ask them to
3:33
switch it out but actually just look at
3:36
the dressings because often the big
3:37
calories are in the dressings that come
3:40
with meals not at the actual meal itself
3:42
my next tip is one that can probably
3:44
save you a lot of money but also save
3:46
you a lot of calories and that's
3:47
actually avoid drinks packages
3:50
particulars drinks packages which are
3:52
all-inclusive they can be pretty pricey
3:54
but also there is a sense that you have
3:56
to yeah what happens for me is I feel
3:58
that I need to get my money's worth so
4:00
by not having a drinks packed it doesn't
4:02
encourage you to keep drinking and
4:03
actually drinking things that have a lot
4:05
of calories in now whether you've gone
4:06
for drinks packaged or you're buying
4:08
individual drinks then a couple of
4:09
critical things to do is try and think
4:12
about what a great drinks that you like
4:14
but perhaps a little bit lighter on
4:15
calories so for example avoid cocktails
4:18
on cruise ships people even though they
4:21
don't win they're normally out about
4:22
seemed to drink a lot of cocktails they
4:24
are packed full of calories
4:26
they're full of sugar and they are very
4:28
very heavy in calories if you're a beer
4:30
drinker perhaps think about lighter
4:31
beers also if you prefer spirits think
4:35
about spirits which are perhaps a little
4:37
bit lower in calories for example vodka
4:38
tends to have lower calories than many
4:40
of the other spirits so that's a great
4:42
choice if you're a wine drinker consider
4:44
drinking spritzers I white wine and club
4:47
soda because again that still gives you
4:49
your wine hits or your wine tastes but
4:52
is much lower in calories you don't have
4:54
to give up drinking obviously the more
4:55
you can moderate them out of alcohol you
4:57
drink the better because they are very
4:58
calorific but just by making a couple of
5:01
switches and changes to what you do will
5:03
help but you can still go out have fun
5:05
in the bars and still be drinking now if
5:07
you're on a cruise which includes wine
5:09
with meals make sure that your waiter is
5:12
not just filling and filling and filling
5:14
and refilling your glass because if the
5:16
waiters cuz they're very good at doing
5:18
that keep topping up your glass you
5:19
could end up having three or four
5:20
glasses of wine if you're a coffee
5:22
drinker make sure that you're asking for
5:24
things like skinny lattes or skinny
5:26
cappuccinos you'll find any of the
5:28
vending machines or the self-service
5:30
machines will have cream or full fat
5:31
milk in so again just by switching to
5:33
skinny low-fat you can still have your
5:36
coffees your lattice or cappuccinos
5:38
the same of course with hot chocolate
5:40
for me I'm a big fan of hot chocolates
5:42
on cruises triangles make it a skinny
5:44
hot chocolate the other thing when it
5:46
comes to drinks is try and have diet
5:48
colas or sodas not the full on coke
5:52
sodas and Kurtis if you possibly can so
5:55
let's take a look at some very simple
5:56
ways of burning calories and still
5:58
having fun first of all one of the
6:00
things that I do that really made a huge
6:02
difference was ditch the elevators ditch
6:04
the lifts and use the stairs do if
6:07
you're on a big mega ship it's a lot of
6:09
stairs to walk up and down but if you
6:11
never use the elevators and you use the
6:13
stairs you are constantly burning
6:15
calories it's not a huge deal you can
6:17
take it at your own pace but seriously
6:19
it makes a huge huge difference also
6:21
means you're not waiting for elevators
6:23
and if you only do one thing is use the
6:25
stairs not the elevators get your steps
6:28
up this is again a very easy way of
6:31
burning calories without really noticing
6:33
causes some active things you can do so
6:35
for example many cruise ships will have
6:38
either a running track or
6:40
walking track or on ships that have
6:42
promenades that go all the way around
6:43
use it every single day get out there
6:45
and take a walk on the track or around
6:48
the promenade deck you'll find it's
6:50
actually quite social and our many
6:51
cruises they will often have group
6:53
get-togethers where you'll go as a group
6:55
and walk around on many cruise ships you
6:57
know you walk three times around the
6:59
promenade deck and you've got a mile
7:00
already of course walk the ship is
7:03
another great thing to do so after
7:05
dinner after meal just walk around the
7:07
ship stroll around because again walking
7:09
is a great simple way of burning
7:11
calories because another great way of
7:13
getting your steps up is ditch the
7:15
panoramic bus tours and go on more
7:18
walking tours you're going to see the
7:21
sights you're gonna get a chance to talk
7:22
to the various passengers around you and
7:24
you're going to be burning calories
7:25
while still having a great time
7:27
sightseeing the next key tip I've got is
7:30
you can burn calories while actually
7:32
having fun so instead of just lying
7:34
around on a lounger which of course you
7:36
may want to do for some of the vacation
7:37
is take advantage of all the fun things
7:39
to do on a ship but you can go and play
7:41
table tennis you can go to the sports
7:43
deck where often they will be hosting
7:45
various little activities and events you
7:47
may be on a ship where it's got
7:48
activities like flow riders ice skating
7:52
basically fun things that are going to
7:53
keep you active and burn up your
7:55
calories dancing is another great way of
7:57
burning calories you go to dancing
7:59
classes or even just going out dancing
8:01
so whether you're into ballroom dancing
8:02
or disco does you having fun and dancing
8:05
and you'll be surprised actually how
8:07
dancing is going to chew through a whole
8:09
bunch of calories of course there's also
8:11
going to be organized activities like
8:12
gym classes or water aerobics these can
8:15
be very sociable they're a great way of
8:17
going having fun meeting other
8:19
passengers and they are actually very
8:20
sociable events my next tip is about
8:23
being active on shore so I've already
8:25
mentioned that you could go on walking
8:27
to us but you'll find increasingly
8:28
cruise ships are offering much more
8:30
active tour so you can go cycling you
8:32
can go kayaking you know much more
8:33
active hiking look for excursions which
8:36
have much more activity to them and
8:38
again you're in a huge amount of fun
8:40
perhaps even test some of your limits
8:42
and try things that you haven't tried
8:43
before even for example look for apt to
8:45
things to do if you're not going on an
8:47
organized excursion for example in kotor
8:48
i took time to walk up the huge big hill
8:51
that overlooks the port i've got great
8:53
views didn't cause
8:54
me anything and spent a whole lot of
8:56
calories my next three tips are more
8:59
general tips but they do make a big
9:01
difference and I found they've actually
9:02
helped me a lot first of all look at
9:05
what you pack so what a lot of people do
9:07
in that pack is they think about packing
9:08
things they can grow into if you take
9:10
along some of your favorite clothes that
9:12
you know fits you well when you're kind
9:14
of in a weight that you're happy with it
9:15
is a little way of nudging you if you're
9:18
eating too much so if you're going to a
9:20
meal wearing trousers that you normally
9:22
feel very comfortable in it's a little
9:24
reminder about what feels comfortable
9:25
it's a little sort of thing that nags in
9:27
the back of your head don't pack
9:29
elasticized pants don't pack clothes
9:31
that you can grow into it's just a
9:33
little thing that's going to nudge you
9:34
and keep you sort of on the straight and
9:35
narrow secondly avoid things from the
9:39
spa that are claiming they're going to
9:41
help you lose weight
9:42
unless it's a fitness class on ships
9:45
you'll find all sorts of rap products
9:47
treatments you're gonna pay a lot of
9:48
money for where they claim to help
9:50
reduce cellulite and weight avoid those
9:52
because they are not going to make a
9:54
difference another great tip of course
9:56
is to go on a wellness cruise
9:58
increasingly with the growth of and
10:00
popularity of themed cruises a lot of
10:03
river cruises and ocean cruises have
10:04
wellness cruises where they try and have
10:06
great menus great drinks activities
10:09
excursions which are all around wellness
10:12
so they make sure that you eat well you
10:14
eat fantastic stuff you can indulge but
10:16
actually it's all with a wellness spin
10:18
cruises report that they put on between
10:21
5 and 10 pounds of weight on a seven-day
10:25
cruise going on cruise and having a
10:28
great time but then having to go on some
10:30
big diet regimen afterwards it's not a
10:32
great end to the vacation so hopefully
10:34
with these 10 tips and 10 ideas you can
10:37
actually go on a cruise you can have a
10:38
great time but come back from your
10:40
cruise waiting the same only putting a
10:42
little bit of weight or even having lost
10:44
weight I followed these tips and they
10:46
have worked for me I've been on cruises
10:47
of seven weeks or longer and come away
10:50
from that cruise actually weighing less
10:52
than it would where I went on feeling
10:54
fitter and healthier by following these
10:56
tips if you enjoyed this video I'd love
10:58
it if you watch many more of my tips for
11:01
travelers videos because they're
11:03
designed to help you make much more of
11:05
your precious travel time and money on
11:06
both land and at sea
11:09
[Music]
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[Applause]
#Weight Loss
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