How to not gain weight on a cruise

Sun, tanning, snorkeling, doing nothing and all the food you can eat pretty much sums up a cruise. Perfection, right? However, there is a downfall. You might gain weight. Actually, unless you’re a mutant, there’s a good chance of that. But fear not, I’ll give you some tips to avoid that. I’ve been on cruises where I’ve gained weight and others where I’ve gained none. Things you want to gain on a cruise- a tan. Things you don’t-weight. Vigilance is key.

1. Eat in the dining room, not cafeteria. When you eat in the cafeteria, there’s unlimited food, and you’re more likely to consume more. I mean let’s real be, it’s pretty hard to turn down free food. But when you eat in the dining room, it’s like eating out at a restaurant. So maybe, you’ll eat more food than usual, but at least it won’t be a ton more.
2. Walk/jog/run the track on the top deck. Lying by the pool is great for at sea days, but don’t just do that. Exercise! Walking the track is great because you still get to be outside enjoying the sun and view.
3. Don’t drink a lot of alcohol. Hangover food, anyone? Umm, yeah, no. That’s how you gain weight. Especially since it’s free; you won’t be able to stop eating. Just say no.
4. Don’t buy food when you’re visiting ports. You’ll still probably want to eat more when it’s free on the ship, so just wait until you get back on the ship. Plus, you’ll save money.
5. Hit the gym. Even if it’s just for 15 minutes, it will help you jumpstart your metabolism, and it will make you feel mentally better, too. So even if you’re eating a lot, at least you can tell yourself you’re exercising.
6. Listen to your stomach. Even if you’re usually pretty good about doing that, it’s hard when the food is free. Your college mind tells you to eat all the free food you can, but don’t. It will stretch your stomach, and the results will be bad.
7. Eat well-balanced meals. Eating three-course meals with food from each food group can be a challenge and very, very expensive. College students usually don’t have the money for that. But on a cruise, the food is free, so eat a salad or soup as an appetizer, a fish meal as your main course (or whatever floats your boat) and pick a healthy dessert like a fruit cup.
8. Choose excursions that involve physical activity. Cave tubing, hiking and zip lining are just a few active excursions that are probably offered on your cruise, so opt for those. If you definitely plan to just hit the beach, that’s fine, but don’t just lay there. Burn some calories by snorkeling, swimming or even just walking along the beach. Every bit helps.