Cruising - Avoid Putting On Weight!
Research
has suggested that the average person puts on 1lb a day during a cruise. A friend of mine on a Mediterranean cruise a few years ago had to have a large insert sewn into all his trousers by a Greek tailor, when the ship docked in Cyprus. But
that need not be the case.
Let's face it many of us lean towards excess on
holiday but it's fair to say that cruising has always been synonymous with food. Among the
many preconceptions about cruise holidays is the notion that weight gain is
inevitable. And with good reason. Not only is the majority of food served on
board included in the price - meaning you can over-indulge without ever opening
your wallet – the buffets on large ships are open 24/7 and there are frequent evenings events that focus on chocolate, 'sugary' cocktails and on-the-deck BBQ's.
But just a couple of eggs, bacon and
sausages and a hash brown and you have notched up 700 calories before the day
has begun. And don’t fool yourself that eggs Benedict is the healthy option:
the eggs might be poached instead of fried but factor in the bacon, muffin and
Hollandaise sauce and you’ve notched up at least 418 calories. And has for choosing which main course to
have at supper - the waiter will bring both choices, no problem!. Don't forget that maybe
you'll just about manage the cheese plate after scoffing a chocolate soufflé
groaning under its own calorie count. Why not head for the midnight
chocolate buffet.
Many ocean and river line
lines DO now offer excellent salads, low-calorie dressings, "light"
lunch options, round-the-clock fruit and low-calorie and diabetic desserts, not
to mention impressive gyms. Yet even in more health-conscious times cruise
companies celebrate over-indulgence. When Princess Cruises launched
Royal Princess in 2013, the cruise ship named by the Duchess of Cambridge, it
proudly unveiled the first pastry shop at sea. And it will take a strong soul
to resist the temptations of master patissier Eric Lanlard, who will be raising
the calorie count on board P&O Cruises' new ship, Britannia. One slice of his Black
Forest Gateaux and you’ve consumed 804 calories. And that’s before any
afternoon-tea sandwiches (300 for a smoked salmon sandwich) and scones and
cream (268).
The promenade on Royal
Caribbean's Oasis and Allure of the Seas feature donut, cup-cake, ice cream and
burger outlets. A burger and chips in Johnny Rockets fast-food joint on Royal Caribbean's ships? That’s a whopping 1,330 calories (for the basic ‘original’ burger), or
more than 2,450 if you can’t resist the onion rings and a Coke as well. And then there's alcohol to
consider. A poll of 3,000 Britons last year suggested that an average cruise
passenger consumes 42 bottles of beer, 16 cocktails, seven bottles of wine and
two glasses of champagne on a single voyage. A bottle of wine is around 622
calories, a G&T 179, a bottle of beer 142 - you're looking at more than
13,000 calories during a single trip (or even more if you opt for that fruity
Pina Colada cocktail - 645 calories - instead of a G&T).
Given the recommended daily
calorie intake for men is 2,500 and 2,000 for women, it’s no wonder that,
according to a 2012 survey, more than half of cruise passengers put on around a
pound a day – and that’s a conservative estimate. One cruiser posting on an
online forum confessed to gaining 5lb on a three-night cruise. Many passengers
pack larger-sized clothes for later in the trip or stop off at the tailors in Larnaca!
Yet IT IS possible to
maintain your figure - or even lose weight on a cruise. Stick to two meals a
day, choose the salad option at lunch (avoiding creamy dressings), skip the
bread, eat fruit instead of desserts and seek out the cruise lines with healthy
menus and you're half way there. Menus in the main dining room and
in the Princess and Queens Grill restaurants on board Cunard's three ships have
Royal Spa dishes that detail calorie, fat and
fibre content. And all restaurants on Crystal Cruises' two ships offer a three-course low-carb menu and dishes free of trans fats. While Royal Caribbean has devoted an entire restaurant on its new ship,
Quantum of the Seas, to healthy eating. It's a premium dining option, and so
incurs a charge, but all of the dishes served in Devinly Decadence, inspired by
NBC celebrity chef Devin Alexander, are under 500 calories. Lunch or dinner
costs £9 or £13 respectively.
But you needn't fork out on a spa-suite or joining the on-board gym, just use the stairs instead of the
lift. It’s tough for the first couple of days, especially on the ships with 14
or more decks, but it soon gets easier. Choose excursions that involve walking. Hebridean Island Cruises has
Footloose cruises with complimentary guided walks most days while Rambler's
Holidays offers cruises on Fred Olsen ships.Sign up to the keep-fit classes
cruise gyms offer. Aerobics, aqua classes and stretch sessions are usually free. Seek out your ship’s jogging
track, as my wife does every cruise. Seven laps around on Carnival Sunshine equals one mile. And you’ll enjoy
sea air and good views in the process.
In short, there is no reason why
you must put weight on on a cruise. It's about choice and resisting temptation.
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