The Cruise Ship Diet

Do you have an extra 3 to 5 pounds you'd like to lose before Christmas?

I'm not talking about British currency.

I mean a Special K pinch around your waist.

Okay, for some of us, that's more like a couple of handfuls of surplus nutrition, but let's start with a realistic goal: 3 to 5 pounds by Christmas.

You could substitute a one ounce serving of Special K for two meals a day, but if you're like me, there are only three servings to a standard box of cereal, so apparently I pour a bit more than the recommended amount into each bowl.  And then you'd still be starving for that one solid meal of the day, causing you to eat more than you should. 

If you allow yourself occasional snacks, you might find you've gained a couple of pounds by the end of that week of rigorous self-denial.

Wouldn't you rather diet the way celebrities do it?

They dine on the finest foods, prepared by culinary masters, eating sensible proportions of delicious courses. All they have to do is decide on what they would like to eat, and their chefs do the rest.  Without much conscious effort, they've consumed a perfectly balanced diet.

A cruise gives you the perfect opportunity to eat like a Senator or movie star for a week, while at the same time enjoying world class entertainment and exploring exciting new destinations.

As long as you don't spend your time between meals at the buffet or, worse yet, secretly snacking in your room, you will probably lose a pound or two just by virtue of getting away from your own kitchen. 

On a cruise, you're unlikely to sprawl out watching re-runs with your hand frequently dipping into a box of saltines, which you selected originally to go with soup but now is the closest thing on hand to that bag of potato chips you didn't buy in order to avoid temptation.

Of course, the way to boost the natural weight loss you'll get by eating right is to exercise. 

Cruise ships have amazing spas at sea, with all kinds of great exercise equipment and classes.  You can even sign up for more personalized training and spa treatment.

However, you don't need to take time away from your vacation to exercise.

If you're going from your stateroom with private balcony to the dining room four floors below for breakfast, use the stairs rather than the elevator. 

When you have a full meal under you're belt, head to shore and walk as much as possible.  If it's a sea day, of course, going ashore might not be (make that definitely IS NOT) advisable, so stretch your legs on the Promenade or Lido Deck, where you can take in the gorgeous ocean views all around you, or walking in the incredible cityscape that exists inside the ship.

You might also want to take a dance class so that when night falls, you can boot scoot, waltz or Cha-cha-cha with the best of them.

Don't deny yourself a little down time on your private balcony or in a poolside lounge chair onboard or, if it's a shore day, being leisurely transported to an amazing excursion destination, because when the sun goes down, you'll want to be ready for a full evening of fun that's included in your cruise fare.

Just getting out and walking between the night clubs, not to mention getting on the dance floor when the rhythm grabs you, will burn far more calories than being a couch potato back home.

By the end of the week, you'll discover that you've lost 3 to 5 pounds by simply enjoying your vacation.

While onboard, you can also visit the future cruise desk and deposit your next great vacation, giving you incentive to avoid returning to unhealthy habits back home in order to look even better in a bathing suit on the next weight-losing cruise.

The only question that remains is where in the world do you want to go?

Better service leads to better trips!



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