One of my favorite things to do with my clients is to help them strategize before they go on trips! We all know that going out of state or just to another county sometimes we can often bring back “extra baggage!” When you work SO hard losing weight and then a trip comes up, fear usually sets in and it can be hard to manage. I love being able to help each Sparkle peep plan a successful trip so they can be confident in any situation, make wise choices, and come back feeling VICTORIOUS without any extra baggage! We make a customized plan before they leave on their trip so they are more than ready for whatever comes their way.
Since working with Jacynta at Sparkle A New You, I’ve learned so many things about how to lose weight and lead a healthier lifestyle. One thing that I’ve mastered is how to successfully go on a cruise and eat at buffets. I lostweight during our cruise over this past summer. Shocked, I ran to tell Jacynta. She, of course, said “You go Girl! That’s awesome!” … then she gave me homework and made me write this blog post. Something about empowering others and sharing knowledge, I wasn’t really listening because I was too busy looking at my super skinny self in those cheesy cruise photos.
PRE-BOARDING
DON’T PURCHASE THE BEVERAGE PACKAGE, DRINK WATER – I’m not even going to count this tip. You’re going to get thirsty on the cruise, don’t drink soda. Stick a bunch of Crystal Light Packets or Mio dispensers in your suitcase. Need a water bottle? Pack that in your suitcase, too! Did you know that you can bring a CASE of water and tag it as luggage? Bring even more water bottles in your checked luggage, or just carry a couple water bottles onto the ship. It will take hours between boarding and when your luggage arrives in your stateroom, we wouldn’t want you to get thirsty. You’re on Vacation, after all.
FIRST STOP… THE BUFFET!
Buffets are the best places to go while trying to lose weight! I know you’re saying to yourself “Girlfriend, you’re whack!” Sure, that may be true, but what’s not whack is that you have total control over your portions AND there are usually a TON of delicious vegetable and protein options available.
1. JUST SAY YES … to water. It’s exhausting walking from your cabin to the buffet. Before you load up your plate with goodies and strap on the feed bag, drink a glass of water. Heck, drink 2 glasses of water. Most of the time when you think you’re hungry, you’re actually just thirsty. Find out your water requirements and exactly how much water you need HERE. Water also fills you up so you don’t eat as much. The cruising rule is to fill a cup from the buffet water dispenser and then pour it into your water bottle, to prevent the spread of disease. Did you know that the human body is 80% water? So, replenish those fluids and feel full before you bring the first bite of food to you mouth.
2. START WITH A SALAD! I’m not talking about potato salad, macaroni salad, tuna salad, etc. I’m talking about the leafy green stuff. Salad is great! Salad dressing is not! The tip to eating salad dressing is …. Put the dressing in a cup on the side. Heck, put it on it’s very own plate, you’re not washing the dishes. Dip your fork in the dressing and then spear your lettuce and vegetables. You get the taste of the dressing without all of those calories. Avocado and nuts are fine, but limit your portions to a couple tablespoons of avocado and maybe 5 nuts, because the calories can add up quickly. Stay away from croutons, any breaded meats, anything deep fried, cheese and bacon. I know those are the best parts, but some man with a foreign accent serving you drinks by the pool while you’re wearing a one size smaller bikini is so-much-better.
3. I ATE MY SALAD AND I’M STILL HUNGRY – I should hope so! You’re on vacation! I think it’s against the law to eat ONLY salad on vacation. Ideally, you want to eat 1 plate of non-salad food and make it all vegetables and protein. If the vegetable is in a sauce, skip it. If the vegetable is doused in butter, skip it. If the vegetable looks naked, eat it! The closer it looks to it’s original form, the better. There are so many vegetables to try, it’s like being 5 years old all over again except that your mother isn’t forcing you to eat it if you don’t like it. Hate vegetables? How do you know if you don’t try it? A cruise buffet is the perfect place to find your new favorite vegetable. You’re not going to fit into those skinny jeans by chowing down on Sweet Potato Souffle with Marshmallow Topping. And, just because that onion ring has an onion on the inside does not make it OK. Now, let’s talk protein. Examples of protein are … eggs, chicken (skin removed), turkey, duck, pork, beef, fish, tofu, and beans. Again, stay away from anything breaded, deep fried or in a sauce. Mashed potato, although, a vegetable should be eaten in very small portions or left off the plate. Although grain does grow in the ground, Pastas and Breads are NOT vegetables.
4. YOU MUST EAT DESSERT! – Now we’re talking! I want you to not get 1 dessert, but FIVE desserts everyday! Each dessert gets it’s own plate! Once a day (my time was 3 PM), I got to eat anything I wanted. There were scones and jam during tea time, cakes, cookies, pudding and flan. I loaded up my plate with jello, ice cream, bread pudding, vanilla sauce and fudge. There were many delicious options and I ate ALL of them, well, sort-of (you know that was coming). I only ate one bite of each dessert. Then, I pushed it away. Sometimes, if I didn’t trust myself, I took a bite and then poured salt on it (true story). With 5 plates of dessert in front of me, it hardly feels like dieting. But that’s wasting food, you may say. Yes, IT IS! They say that mothers are always right, but in this case, they are wrong. BE A REBEL, do not finish everything on your plate and don’t listen to your mother. You’re on vacation!
SIT DOWN DINING
You’re feeling pretty confident at the buffets. You start with a glass or 2 of water. You’re eating mostly vegetables with protein. You’re staying away from sauces and fried foods. You’re eating things that resemble what they look like when originally picked from the plant. Dessert is only once a day and only a taste to satisfy your craving. So, your cruising buddy says “Let’s go to a sit down restaurant” and you’re like “WHOA! I only know how to eat at a buffet! I’m ruined!” Don’t worry, I have a bunch of tricks to navigate the minefield of Cruise Ship Sit Down Dining.
5. DRINK IT STRAIGHt! – The bartender is the first person to greet you after you sit down at your table. Those fruity cocktails look really pretty and are loaded with calories! Most of the calories come from the Fruit Juice or the Soda in the cocktail. Now, I’m not one to keep you from getting your drunk on. In fact, I’m all for it! So go ahead and order a shot of your favorite liquor. Hard Liquor is only 60 calories per ounce … just in case you were wondering. Feeling left out because all of your friends are drinking fancy cocktails? Whisper to the nearest bartender “I’d like a water and an olive, (or a cherry if you’re feeling sweet), in a martini glass, neat.” By saying “Neat” it means no ice and shows the bartender that you mean business. After you gulp down martini after martini and you’re not only standing, but you’re not even slurring your words, your friends will be in awe (and a little jealous).
Super Bonus Round: you’ll easily meet your water requirements for the day.
6. BREAD IS YOUR ENEMY! – Oh bread, how I love you. I will not be tempted by your siren song, or will I? The only thing worst than being the only dieting person at your table, is being super obvious about it. Seriously, no one cares and saying “I’m not eating carbs this week” just makes you look like a tool. When the waiter comes around with the tongs and the bowl of hot, fresh bread, say “YES”. But, don’t choose just any bread (there I go again …). Your first choice is any bread with nuts or oats or grains on top. Your next choice is any bread with nuts or raisins on the inside. The goal here is to eat the healthy fat, like nuts, but not eat the actual bread. It’ll take you a good 20 minutes to pick off each sunflower seed from the crust or dig through for that one walnut/raisin, until your dinner arrives. Fill your bread plate with bread! You can see it as destroying that piece of bread or playing with your food! Either way, no one needs to know that you’re on a diet, but you.
7. ORDER MORE THAN 1 MEAL – Did you know that you can order as many meals as you want in the sit down dining restaurants? The cruise line is picking up the tab, order away! I like to order a few meals and graciously THANK the waiter when he is astonished at how I can eat so much and still look so svelte. You must order the whole meal and then pick and choose what you want after the plates arrives. Pick the Salmon from one (no sauce, please), the asparagus from the other and the couscous from the otherwise disgusting Mediterranean themed dish. There are 3 plates in front of me and I’m still losing weight. BAM! Cruise Ship Sit Down Restaurants, you’re my b*itch, NOW!
LET’S GET PHYSICAL!
8. TAKE THE STAIRS – Every diet book says “don’t take the elevator, take the stairs” … the stairs being some dark hall at the end of the corridor, pungent with the smell of urine and bad life decisions. On a Cruise Ship, stairs are gorgeous carpeted grand staircases located right next to the elevators. While those other suckers are spending their vacation waiting for the elevator, my kids head to the stairs. After many unscientific tests, my very active children decided that taking the stairs is “way faster” than when Mom and Dad take the elevator. It’s an actual proven fact. We race. The elevator doors open, there are my 2 little hellions staring and smiling at us in the creepiest way possible. I never rode the elevator again. So, burn those calories take the stairs, save time and don’t forget to smile at all those slow poke elevator riders.
9. FREE GYM CLASSES – We all know that cruise lines nickel and dime you to death, so if they’re offering me something free, I’m taking it. Check the daily list of activities to find the FREE exercise classes. Our last cruise offered a daily 7:00 AM Stretching class and a daily 4:00 PM Total Abs class. I’d use their FREE treadmill or bicycle while looking out over the ocean then head over to their FREE class. Always finish it up with a FREE glass of mint/lemon/cucumber water (just ask the front desk) while I use their FREE towel to wipe off my sweat.
10. FREE FRUIT – I have a secret. Please promise not to tell anyone. Shhhh … I sneak fruit into my stateroom. Whew! It feels so good to get that off of my chest. Whole fruit is available at the spa and all of the dining areas, just waiting for someone to set it free! I mean, who eats fruit on a cruise? WE DO! And that’s why we lose weight on a cruise.
When all your friends say “I went on a cruise and gained so much weight” You can say “Strange, I didn’t gain a pound, I actually lost weight.” Follow these 10 strategies and you will ignore people when they are talking to you … because you’ll be too busy admiring your super skinny self in those cheesy cruise photos.
Sparkle On!
Jacynta!
