One of the best things about going on a cruise is the unlimited food. However, it’s all too easy to overindulge, from the breakfast buffet to the fancy sit-down dinner and even the late-night snacks! With such an abundance of food, it’s tempting to sample everything. But the last thing you want is to overeat and end up feeling uncomfortably full. Having been on more than 25 cruises, I’m sharing my strategies to prevent overeating on a cruise ship.
How Not to Overeat on a Cruise
Avoid the Carbs
Keep an eye on your carb intake and go easy on carby foods like pasta, bread, and pizza since they can make you feel full quickly. It’s a good idea to limit these foods. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up on burgers or sandwiches. Just be mindful of your carb consumption!
For example, when eating a sandwich or burger, eat only one side of the bun and leave out the other to avoid feeling too full too fast. Alternatively, consider wrapping the burger patty in lettuce instead. Don’t eat too much fries! Also, if you’re snacking on chips and guacamole, try to go easy on the chips!
Pace Yourself
One of the most important things you need to do on a cruise is to pace yourself. It’s not easy to do so with so many tempting food options. Just take it easy and sample a little bit of everything. Don’t have too much bread from the bread basket! Don’t eat too much rice or pasta!
Walk it Off
Make sure to keep active between meals to burn off those calories! It can be challenging on sea days when you’re mostly doing non-active activities like art auctions, bingo, and trivia quiz shows. However, you can counter that by taking the stairs instead of the elevator or by taking a brief stroll around the ship’s top deck.
Just staying on the move and being active can help you burn those extra calories! You can also join more active cruise activities, like dance lessons or fitness classes at the gym, to shed some calories.
Portion Control
It’s important to control your portions when you’re at a buffet to avoid overeating. Instead of piling your plate high with a large scoop, start with a small sample to avoid loading up on too much food. This way, you can enjoy a variety of dishes without overeating.
Check out all the Food Options
When you’re at the buffet, don’t just settle and start helping yourself to food from one section of the buffet without checking out all the food options. Buffet lines on cruise ships are big and sometimes what is offered on one side of the buffet may not be offered on the other side. Make sure to check out all the food options of the buffet so you can be strategic about your food choices.
Don’t Drink Too Much
One thing you don’t want to do is fill up on drinks that leave you feeling too full to eat! Especially if you have a cruise beverage package, it’s tempting to drink a lot, but that will make you feel too full to eat! Be careful not to drink too much carbonated beverages because the carbonation can easily fill you up! Check out: 25 Things People Forget to Pack for a Cruise
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