How to Avoid Sabotaging Your Diet While on A Cruise
Heading out on a cruise is an exciting endeavor. Often times, when we are taken out of our normal environment and go out on a vacation or a cruise, our diets can suffer. While on a cruise, it is easy for those who enjoy eating to eat over the amount they’re likely to normally consume at home. With so much food readily available at your disposal, it is easy to go overboard and consume copious amounts of sugary, salty, and fatty foods that end up resulting in our weight loss goals being sabotaged!
Fortunately for you, there are still ways to go for your cruise, enjoy yourself, while still sticking with your diet! If you’re looking to keep with your weight loss goals while out on the sea, continue reading for some of our best tips to keep you on track!
Tips to Stay on Track While on Your Cruise:
Stick to Your Normal Eating Schedule
It can be tempting to graze throughout the day while on a cruise because food is always readily available. So, if you’re thinking about having a pastry after breakfast, or some ice cream in between lunch and dinner, think again! If you find yourself craving food in between meals, opt for something healthy such as carrot sticks or a salad. Ideally though, you should stick to eating only during your normal mealtimes.
Don’t Go Overboard with Desserts
It is easy to get into this mentality while out on a cruise: since you’re on vacation, treating yourself to desserts is fine. While enjoying yourself and having a small dessert occasionally isn’t necessarily going to derail your diet, it can be easy to go overboard and end up treating yourself during every meal when you’re on a cruise! Try to stick to one sweet snack a day while on your cruise if you can and try to opt for some of the healthier options available. Following this advice will allow you to still enjoy yourself while avoiding any diet disasters.
Don’t Make Every Meal a Feast
Try to think ahead when deciding on what you’re going to eat throughout the day. If you’re in the mood for a nice juicy steak for dinner, consider having a lighter breakfast or lunch to offset some of the calories. It’s not too hard to fit in one extravagant meal during the day, but if you’re trying to go all out at every meal then you’ll likely find that the scale would reflect this the next morning!
Don’t Feel the Need to Eat Every Course
You probably don’t regularly indulge in four-course meals during your regular everyday life, so why feel the need to while on a cruise? If you’re not in the mood to try everything that is on offered, then don’t feel pressured to ordering every dish that’s being offered.
Opt for the Half-Portion
You’ll likely hear a lot about how you can order multiple courses during every meal and have as many desserts as you please, but did you know that you have the option to order a half-portion? If you’re interested in trying some of the ultra-tasty and rich food options available but know that you won't be able to stop till your plate is clean, then consider opting for the half-portion. You’ll get to try that amazing sounding dish while avoiding the potential weight gain that can come as a result.
Don’t Go Crazy at The Buffet
With so many options available from Italian food, to pizza, assorted meats, and desserts, it is incredibly tempting to go all out and fill your plate to capacity with everything in sight. It might seem like a great idea at the start of your meal, but as time goes on and the meal finishes, you’re likely going to feel pretty bad both physically and mentally. In order to avoid going overboard and to help stick with your diet, take a cursory look around the buffet before making any choices and then choose options that result in a complete, normal meal that you’ll enjoy without hating yourself after eating. If after finishing your plate, you can always go back for more, so don’t feel the urge to pile it on right from the start.
Choose the Dining Option Right For You
If you don’t have the self-control to make smart choices while at a buffet, consider opting for the main dining area for your meals, where your food options will be plated for you and portion sizes are controlled. It’s a common recommendation among those who are looking to stick to their diet while on a cruise to avoid the buffet no matter what! Buffets for some are just too tempting, and it’s impossible to control the impulse to go back for more and more food, and then follow it up with every dessert in sight!
Try the Healthy Options
It’s common nowadays for cruises to have healthy options marked so on their menus. Whether you're on one of the many luxury western Caribbean cruises, or a more low key cruise in the northern Atlantic, you should be able to find healthy options. These healthy options are usually simple, low calorie options that are not so laden in fatty sauces. Some cruises will have a separate healthy menu, commonly called their spa menu, that you can order off of that make it especially easy to stick to your diet while enjoying a good meal.
Avoid Late-Night Meals
Although the midnight buffets that were once popular on cruises have become less so, nearly every cruise still offers options for those looking to eat late at night, and many even have 24-hour dining available! It can be tempting for some to tack on an extra meal to the end of their night while out on a cruise but if you’re on a diet, you’ll likely regret this decision!
Wrapping Up
Although being stuck on a cruise with so much food available everywhere you turn can be a recipe for weight gain, it doesn’t have to be. By making some smart choices about your meals, you can have a great time on your vacation and feel good about yourself when it comes time to head back home. By avoiding the urge to overindulge, you can stay on track to reaching your weight-loss goals!
AUTHOR BIO:
Kevin Devoto is an avid outdoor enthusiast and freelance writer. He enjoys writing about sustainability, ecofriendly behaviors, and local travel. He has traveled all over the world but has taken a particular interest in our great National Parks.
