Staying in Ship Shape Form: Tips for Healthy Eating on a Cruise
One of the most convenient aspects about cruising is the all-inclusive food and fun, and with food always available it’s one of the most magnificent reasons to cruise! You and your family or friends don’t need to worry about splitting the bill, who is going to cook, or who will take the last cheddar cheese buttermilk biscuit—just order another!
However, all this being said, cruising is also one of the easiest ways to fall off your diet bandwagon. To alleviate the pain of this realization as you step on your scale once you return home, here are some of our best tips for being true to your diet while allowing for slight (and delicious) deviations.
Step 1: Listen to Your Body
No really, listen. Do you hear a deep rumbling? It is probably time to eat. However, if all you’re hearing during your cruise is an overworked digestive system processing food, it may be time to slow down. Follow this one simple rule and feel a world of difference: eat when you’re hungry, refrain when you’re not. It will be tempting to snack on all the food that is available around every corner 24 hours a day, but in the end it won’t benefit your health or your weight. And if you absolutely must try that raspberry chocolate soufflé with a hearty side of rich ice cream, just have a bite or two, it’s all you really need in the end!
Step 2: Use Your Eyes, Ears, Smell, and Even Touch
Making sure your eyes are not bigger than your plate can make all the difference in the end. Take the time to eat what is in front of you and think about what portion size you really need. Using smell, touch, and even sound to absorb the environment around you will make you more aware of your food. This awareness will help you make sure you are not mindlessly eating whatever is around you, but eating with a purpose and eating to refuel your body while sharing stories of the day with fellow cruisers.
Step 3: Colors and Balance
Having a rich variety of color on your plate and a balance of different types of foods will help you add vital nutrients to your daily allowance. The natural colors in vegetables and fruits will also help stimulate your visual senses and excite your body about these attractive options. Filling your plate with fries, pizzas, pastas, and hamburgers (not a lot of color there!) will only fill you with unhealthy fats and salts. Head over to the salad bar and include avocados, lettuce, tomatoes, melons, pineapple, and even simple oranges and bananas that will appease your taste and your body. Our advice? Try to fill half of your plate with fruits and veggies at EVERY meal.
Additionally, the sauces and creams that are used to marinate many types of meat dishes offered by cruise lines are a quick way to add up the calories. This can also add significant salts, fats, and unnecessary additives to your meal. Avoid this by choosing the simple grilled chicken or white fish at dinner. A growing trend on many ships are bountiful sushi bars, so consider choosing this for lunch a couple days a week as many sushi rolls are low in fat and are a good source of protein and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Step 4: Do NOT Drink Alcohol
Too much alcohol can lead to over drinking and over eating. Drinking stimulates hunger (even if it wasn’t there is the first place!) and can cause one to go straight for the pizza bar at 3am to satisfy late night munchies.
Step 5: Have Fun!
With all this talk of eating, it can be easy to overlook one the easiest ways to remain healthy on a cruise—be active! Take a Pilates class at the gym or participate in onboard dance lessons. Or, take a few laps around the ship at sunset and enjoy the ocean breeze. Working out doesn’t have to be boring, many days you’ll find yourself at port so take advantage of this and sign up for a shore excursion that includes biking, hiking, snorkeling, or even horseback riding. Also, don’t forget that you are on vacation, so enjoy it! During dessert it may be better to order the sorbet rather than the molten chocolate lava cake, but don’t forget that you can treat yourself. So go ahead, on one night during your cruise order the lava cake, but don’t forget to eat vegetables for dinner, stop when you’re full, and maybe even share with your neighbor.
While cruising, it can be easy to over eat and eat foods that make you feel slow and heavy. To feel (and look!) better, eat veggies and fruits at every meal while opting for lean meats such as chicken and fish.