My family and I are going on a cruise over Thanksgiving. We've cruised before, and I know it can be a real eat-a-thon. For some reason, I feel very confident that I'll be able to stay pretty close to program (I already know I'll drink too much, and I'm going to have full Thanksgiving dinner--a planned cheat). I plan to walk around deck every day to get some exercise to help counteract the extra alcohol, and I'm going to pack some bottled water since it can be very expensive on board.

Has anyone else here been low-carbing on a cruise? Any other tips you might want to share with me?

Tami,

There's no way around it...you'll be bombarded by wonderful dishes and desserts from the minute you board! You know this already, and you have the right attitude. The first rule for my next cruise (in Jan.) is:

BE AWARE. Don't just gobble down everything in sight because I'm excited and it's a vacation! Every time I sit down to eat, I'm going to remind myself that I have CHOICES. If I choose to indulge, fine. But the "awareness" itself is a good moderator.

BE SELECTIVE. Most of the desserts I gorged myself with at mid night were not all that great. It just felt like I was in food heaven and was only going to get that chance once, so all common logic went out the window. In retro, it was foolish. I would have thoroghly enjoyed "one" slice of something, or "two" half slices of something just as well.

BE ACTIVE. For as much as I said I would use the free gym, I was just too exhausted from the "eat-a-thon". Next time, I want to start my day with coffee and a walk around the beautiful outdoors, then spend some quality ME time in the gym, THEN go have whatever I like for breakfast. After doing something good for myself, I may have second thoughts about overdoing it at EVERY meal. (Wait for dinner... )

BE PREPARED. I knew I would gain weight on my trip, so I didn't bother watching anything I ate. Well, I was right...11 pounds back on in 5 days. Yes, a few fell off within a few more, but basically, I had to start from scratch. This time, I want to prepare myself for a small increase, but will remind myself that I CAN get back on track if I should really blow it on a goodie I have to have!! Can't have fun if you're overwhelmed with guilt.

I also plan to see this cruise as a time for ME. To clear my head, read some books, have quality time with DB, set some goals, do some meditating out on the ocean...I'm preparing my head that this is NOT a food festival, but a rejuvenating experience.

Hope that helps...HAVE A GREAT TIME!!

I cruised in August, and it was silly-easy. Try to stay away from the buffet as you can be more sure that you're not getting flour, sugar or other added no-nos in the dining room. The salad bar, tho, and the hamburger patties are fine. If I had to eat at the buffet, I got double cheeseburgers with all the veggies and no buns.

For breakfast, you will have a wonderful assortment of egg dishes, and you can order sides of ham, bacon, sausage etc.

Lunch in the dining room will usually offer a caesar salad with chicken - ask for double chicken, and/or some other fish/chicken type entree. As a fall-back, there's the burger-no-bun option.

Dinner is no trouble at all. Steak, salmon, lobster etc. Lots to choose from. Just memorize the "hold the potatoes, double veggies" line and you'll be fine. As for appetizers, think shrimp cocktail, satay skewers, mixed greens.

When cruising, seconds or double portions are included, but you do have to ask.

Also, if you have trouble resisting temptation, do not go to the midnight buffets. These are the least likely to offer things you can eat, and most likely to be filled with stuff you shouldn't.

I had dessert each night if I wanted it, and wine or drinks, but I stayed legal the rest of the day, and didn't gain anything either.

Cheers,

Friday

Thanks for all your ideas and suggestions. You both mentioned the midnight buffet. One thing I've learned about cruises in general is that the midnight buffet always looks better than it tastes!

The friend who started me on Atkins went on a cruise in April and overdid things. She had planned on it, and went right back on Atkins afterward, but still hasn't been able to lose the ten pounds she gained from the cruise. We talk every week and she's really trying, but it's taking a lot longer than she expected.

Hi Freydis!

Glad you found your way here!

Oh, I don't want to hear this. I'm struggling today with all the stress--trying to get all the laundry done, packing, etc. We're leaving at 5:15am tomorrow. It's now about 1:30pm, and I know I need to eat, but I have no appetite (or at least for "legal" foods!)

I tried to make beef jerky to take with me, but it's just too salty. I'm going to take a few Atkins bars with me. I'm taking my own salad dressing, too. I'm going to ask our waiter to mark it with our table number and refrigerate it and then bring it to the table each evening.

I really hope I don't do a 10-pounder. I've done it before, so I know it's entirely possible.

I almost didn't want to go on this cruise for this very reason. I can't tell you how many diets I've blown by going on vacation. For some reason, I'm one of those all-or-nothing kind of people, and I know I've got to get over that. Once I go off a diet it is EXTREMELY hard to get back on. I can do a one-time cheat, but if I really slide for several days its much, much harder. I guess because I mentally beat myself up over it. Sooooo.....if I don't show up here next week, you know what happened. So email me, pester me, remind me to check my journals and review all the reasons why I must lose weight!

Tami (aka SthrnRdr)
SthrnTami~AOL.com

I find cruise buffets a low carbers dream! Yes there is temptations..but there is also as much meat/cheese/eggs/veggies you could ever want in every shape/flavour/size etc...I did buffets 3 meals a day for a week in vegas..not a problem!

I'm baaaaack! I haven't weighed myself yet, but I expect a small gain. I was pretty good, but not perfect. Baconbabe was right, in many ways a cruise is a low-carber's paradise. Plenty of choices to "do the right thing", IF you can skip the rest. A couple of days there were avacado slices with chicken salad (yummm), several seafood salad choices, always rotisserie chicken plus at least one other legal protein choice, a scrumptious salad bar, and CHEESE. That's one area I went over. I had a cheese plate for dinner nearly every evening. Better than cheese cake! But, even with all the wonderful choices, I did go off program a couple of times. I still feel very good, though, and feel very strong about getting back on track right away.

We went on a cruise a few weeks ago. Had a wonderful time. For anyone who is interested, anyone who might go on a cruise and reads this thread. Your main dining room (evening) server should be able to request sugar free desserts for you. Our server made sure they had sugar free desserts on the buffet in the casual dining room since he knew we would be eating there. He even had desserts sent to my room every evening. I came back from our 7 day cruise 2 lbs lighter than when I left. I had no trouble sticking to my WOE, I even had a few drinks...frozen margaritas..yum yum... The cruise line was Royal Carribean, Ship was Explorer of the Seas. Just so you know who is willing to bend over backwads to make you happy.
Worth every penny we spent on the cruise. Would use Royal Carribean again in a heart beat!

Wow, Allison! That's great that you actually lost weight while on vacation. I am exactly the same weight as when I left, and I'm thrilled. I agree that cruising is a great way to vacation simply because of the choices available, and the fact that they do bend over backwards to please you. I didn't request special sugar-free desserts, but did see them offered on several occasions. Since they also contained flour, I avoided them. I did have a sugar-free jello dessert one night that was delicious. I had the cheese plate as my dessert selection several nights. I adore brie cheese!

We were on Holland America's Zaandam. We've cruised on Royal Caribbean and NCL a couple of times as well, and I've found each one to be very accommodating. Yes, there is food available 24-7, but it's relatively easy to stay on program simply because this program allows you so many delicious, filling, and satisfying choices to prevent feeling deprived.

I've never returned from a cruise without gaining several pounds (yep, I even had a 10-lb. gain on one cruise when I had been on a strict diet prior to leaving). But the really odd thing is that I can't remember ever enjoying my food better than this cruise. I think it must be that a "treat" is more of a treat if you don't have it all the time!

Tami

Has anyone else here been low-carbing on a cruise? Any other tips you might want to share with me?



Pepto Bismal! Sorry, couldn't resist (all the media coverage on the cruises/food poisoning)

I have no idea how to stay away from the tempting carbascious food, but good luck!

hahaha, Renee! The Norwalk Diet is one I think I'll pass on! We felt pretty lucky...we were on the Zaandam, and her sister ship is the Amsterdam. Plus, we went out from Port Canaveral, and the other cruise ship departing and returning on the same day as us in the same port was Disney's Magic. Both of which, of course, were docked for disinfecting. We felt fortunate to have scraped by hale and hearty!