When I know I’m going on a cruise I have to admit one of the most exciting things that I look forward to is the food.  I know that it is going to be amazing and virtually on tap and I always try and go on a little diet beforehand so I know I can over indulge.  Cruising means there is just so much choice when it comes to your dining options with delicious gourmet cuisine, famous buffets and wide range of specialty restaurant’s, the food on board is just so hard to resist.

Everyone knows that by the time your holiday is over you roll off the ship feeling like you have gone up by a least a dress size or two with the average passenger putting on a least a pound a day!!

With this in mind I thought I would give you all some top tips to beat the bulge on board and still have a fab time whilst doing so.

1. ONLY EAT AT MEAL TIMES – I know this is obvious but because there is always plenty of food on offer it is very easy to get carried away throughout the day with a snack here and a cheeky cake there. If you can, try munching on fruit and yogurt instead and wait till main dinner for your pudding. Avoiding the midnight buffet will also help.

2. GET ACTIVE – Try and get up and move, most ships have gyms and running tracks on board so when you have free time and would usually lounge and read your book why not try a gentle jog or a game of tennis or mini golf for half an hour to do your good deed of the day.

3. EAT SMART – Before you eat your main meal maybe try having a light salad or soup which will help satisfy your hunger and save you some calories.  You can also allow yourself one treat at dinner so if you have a starter skip the pudding or have one glass of wine with dinner instead of a bottle.

4. DONT DRINK YOUR CALORIES – I love getting to late afternoon around the pool while the sun is starting to fade and order my favourite cocktail a Pina Colada.  They are so scrummy but are well known to be high in calories with on average as much as 200+ calories in them. If like me you love a refreshing cocktail maybe just limit yourself to one a day and then stick to spirits with tonics and diet mixers to keep the calories down.

5. GIVE THE LIFT A MISS – When on board it’s so easy to just jump in the lift to get from A-B. Maybe after dinner some nights go for a gentle stroll on deck or take the stairs to the next venue and walk off a few of those calories.

6. USE THE POOL – Set yourself a goal every day to do at least 50 laps of the pool throughout the day. It’s a good way to cool down if you are in a sunny climate and swimming is really good exercise and can be done at your own leisurely pace.

With a bit of planning and sensible decision making you can have a fabulous cruise without piling on the pounds. At the end of the day though if you do over indulge it’s not the end of the world and you can make up for it when you get back home with lots of salads and veg – after all you are on your jollies.