It is very easy to put on weight during a
cruise. In fact it is a long standing joke with
seasoned cruisers that a couple of extra kilos
per cruise is the norm. However having a
cruise holiday does not mean that you need
to swap zippers and buttons for elasticated
waistbands, in fact it is even possible to come
back from sea more svelte than when you left.
• Just because it’s there does not mean you have
to eat it. Cruise ships are full of food, often
there are opportunities for second and third
breakfasts, lunches and dinners. And that’s not
counting the constant flow of food in between
meals, and the midnight ice-cream cart. The
best tip to keep in mind here is to enjoy your
meals at meal times, but leave off the extras
because it’s here that the extra kilos sneak up.
• Take the stairs instead of the escalator, it’s an
easy way to keep the holiday weight off
without really thinking about it. Plus it is only a
little bit of exercise in short bursts so you are
unlikely to seriously exhaust yourself.
• Check out the ship’s gym. Most vessels will
have at least a walking machine which can be
great to use whilst staring out at the ocean.
• If the rocking motion of the gym’s walking
machine’s leaves you a little queasy, hit the
decks and do laps around the ship. It is also a
great way to meet people.
• Select land tours which have some physical
component to them. Try to minimise the tours
which are just one long coach ride around
attractions, and opt for more tours which take
you walking around the sights, or bikeriding, or
swimming or kayaking. You will be so involved
in the activity and enjoying the sights that you
won’t even realise that you are exercising.
