Avoid Extra Cruise Weight

By Dr. Amy Lee, Head of Nutrition for Nucific

It is such a timely article, as my husband’s sister just came to visit me right after her cruise trip to Hawaii. From what she has told me, I can see why people gain weight. The most obvious reason is the heightened excitement of taking a trip. It is a natural human response to be super excited when there is a new event and partly, the inhibition is probably lower when anyone goes on vacation; especially when traveling in other countries with different foods and culture.  

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Being on a cruise however, the most common is the buffet and the extravagant lay out of endless food options. There can be endless options of entrees, appetizers and even desserts. I would recommend that if you are planning on a cruise, opt out of the buffet and mainly focus on the ala cart ordering; so you don’t end up overeating.  Besides, why eat something that is laid out for hours and exposed to all the potential germs? Also, most people do end up overeating hundreds of calories when it is all you can eat!

The second reason on why one would gain weight is the lack of activities on a cruise. There may be scheduled excursions, but you do have to plan around them. Some cruises charge a higher price as you add more activities. Plan ahead and make an effort to sign up for daily activities early on so you are committed.  

Another reason one would gain weight is probably the endless party environment along with the alcohol intake. Again, there are plans that allow you to upgrade to all you can drink. Do yourself a favor and focus and plan ahead by allowing yourself a few drinks a day. This can save you a good number of empty calories.  

Some cruises do stop on land and allow you to roam around the city before having to get back on the boat again. Make sure you bring your walking shoes to get some steps in when the boat docks even for an only a few hours. Use a wearable device to set goals to take at least 10,000 steps daily so you know you are at least metabolizing the food and alcohol you have consumed all day. Also, getting fresh air can help you gain energy and motivate you to stay active throughout your day.

Be mindful about the type of calories you are eating even if you have signed up for the all inclusive buffet deal. Eliminate sugars and refined carbs. Cut down on sugary desserts and sodas and choose the fresh fruits and non-sweetened ice teas instead. This way, you know your body is not simply dumping all the sugars into the fat tissue which results in weight gain. It you find yourself struggling to avoid the buffet of desserts, you can use a supplement such as Bio X4 that uses ingredients such as Caralluma Fimbriata which has been found to ease unhealthy food cravings.

The last recommendation I have is for one to stay well hydrated. Being in the middle of the ocean can be very drying and the sensation of thirst can sometimes translate to one being hungry. Of course, once you act on these feelings with thinking much about it, the likelihood of you going back to the snack bar would be much higher.  ​