Cruise Update-challenges & survival techniques

Good afternoon OH family!  It has been two weeks since I have posted or even been on the website.  You might remember I posted a question about a spa treatment on a cruise I was going over the holidays! Did not do the spa treatment--they recommended 3 treatments---too expensive for my blood!  However, I did do a body composition test. . .but I'm getting ahead of myself.

First thing people are concerned about is gaining weight on the cruise.  My cruise was 6 days flanked by Christmas celebrations and New Year's Eve party!  Wow!  I had a trifecta of weight gain traps! 

I did not eat at home from the 23rd of December through January 2nd!  Let me tell you, it is difficult.

My strategies were simple---eat only things I liked,--not what I loved.  I would eat protein first and I would refuse bread during meals and lastly I would enjoy the deserts by only having a few bites after dinner and passing the rest off to my son and husband! 

Sounds like a good strategy, huh?

Well, to be honest it worked until about the 3rd day of the cruise.  Then a party came where the alcohol was free!  How can you turn down free mixed drinks??!  It takes a bigger, I mean better,  person then me, lol.  After that, I thought, hmmm that croissant with breakfast looks really good!  That slice of pizza at midnight will not be so bad!  Eating all that tiramasu after dinner only once will not hurt!

I hope you can visualize the slippery slope I hurled myself down--because, boy I sure saw it coming before I went down.  But, like a car wreck, you can't help but rubber neck it! 

I learned some real important things because of this holiday and the cruise combo.  I learned carbs--all carbs--are sliders for me no matter what packaging they are wrapped up in.  Before this, I stuck strictly to my plan and had successfully lost 98 lbs.. . that is until the holiday!   Carbs are yummy!!

At this point you may be wondering how much weight I gained. . .drum roll please. . .5 yes 5 lbs.  Not to be bad, huh--or is it?  (Psst. . .my husband gained 10).

The fitness instructor told me the average passenger gains 1 to 2 lbs per day on a cruise!   

There is no point in lying to myself.  The scale does not lie.  The important thing is what do I do once I am off the cruise?

The answer to this questions is simple and empowering! NO JOKE!  You start you plan again!  The weight gain does not have to be permanent---you can lose it!  You heard me!  You can lose it!  Today is Friday!  I have been home 5 days and I lost 5 lbs of this morning!  I am back to my pre-cruise weight baby!  What about those apples!

I love my VSG!  Before, I would continue to gain and I sure in heck would have gained a lot more than 5 lbs.  I consider the 5 lbs to be the trifecta of NSVs. 

1)  I gained only 5 lbs.
2)  I learned my limits.
3) I lost 5 lbs in 5 days after the cruise!

Victory is mine!

Sorry, the post is so long. . .and I have more news to share but I'll stop here and post tomorrow. . .

I am very happy for you! Now I know I can go on a cruise and survive...my husband and I have been wanting to go on one for quite a while now.

Go!  I am going on another cruise in February with my mom and sister!  Now I am excited for I know what to expect!

So glad you were safe and had a blast and made the personal realization about carbs while on your trip. Sometimes it's by making the mistakes that helps to teach us the most important lessons in life!

I guess what really surprised me is the fact that the weight fell right back off!  You are, this was an important life lesson. . .a good mistake to learn!

Glad you enjoyed your cruise! We've done 2 since I had my surgery. I always anticipate gaining on a cruise, but it sure is easier to get rid of it quickly. One thing I eat on the cruise I rarely eat anymore is bread and sweets. For me, all I have to do is cut out bread and sweets and within a few days, the extra comes off. At least I was at the gym every day on the ship, so I didn't feel as guilty!

The sleeve is a wonderful thing! It's so much easier when you get home because the bad foods aren't in front of you all day. The change in diet alone might push your body to give up a few more pounds in the next few days. That's what happened to me. I gained a few, then lost 13 in 2 weeks.

Wow, that is awesome!  I did a body composition test on the cruise and it came back that I only needed to lose 8 more pounds to be at my ideal weight!  I can't believe it!  Did Dr. Domkowski give you a weight goal?  He did not really give me one and I've been grappling with what mine should be.

He asked me, and I picked 140.  It's hard to pick a goal when you've always been overweight.  I just picked a number I remember I was for a short time in high school.  I still felt fat at that weight as a teen, but it seemed like it might be attainable.  And it was!  It's hard to pick a goal though. On one hand, you want to go as low as you can and be healthy, on the other hand, if you don't get there, you don't want to feel like a failure.  I think when you get close, you get a better idea of what weight looks good on you.   For me, I think it's actually easier now to control when I want to adjust it a bit.

Once I got to 140, I decided to try to lose a few more and try to get to a "normal" BMI.  I've been able to stay in the 134-136 range since June.  I did gain a few over Christmas, but once I sent all the junk food home with the kids, I was able to drop the extra in a few days.

So, maybe if you stop using all that body lotion, you can drop that last 8 lbs!  LOL  :)

Thanks for posting.
I am going on a cruise and Sunday, and I so worried. And it doesn't help that I have not lost at all during the holiday. And I just scared that the cruise will just end it all for me.
I glad to hear that you are doing well since returning.
I will try not to continue down my current slipper slope while on this cruise.
You have given me hope
Thanks