Part of the reason I've been MIA lately is the uninspiring 40* summer heat in Dubai, as well as a busy work schedule. But mostly because I've been CRUISING! Yes, you read that right. A 26 year old on a cruise. I know what you think, cruises are usually packed with retirees and young families (you're not wrong, I didn't meet many other 20 somethings that weren't staff), but it was a family get away, so I decided to make the most out of a week of not having to cook, clean or do any laundry! Plus the fact that we got to cruise around the Mediterranean and visit places like Sardinia, Marseille, Mallorca and Barcelona (my personal fave).
Another preconception of cruising is putting on weight. All those days spent lounging by the (crowded) pool sipping pina coladas, endless gelato stops (only to determine which city does them best, of course) and nightly 4 course meals is delightful, but I knew it would leave me feeling pretty sorry for myself, overindulged and not so confident in my hot pink bikini.
So here are some tips to staying in top shape during your cruise, while still enjoying yourself!
Take The Stairs
The first thing we all committed to was always taking the stairs. If you've never experienced a cruise before, the ships are HUGE, with multiple floors and looooooong corridors. My brother and I were staying on floor 8, our parents below on 7. The spa was located on floor 14 and the main restaurant on floor 3. So as you can imagine, we climbed A LOT of stairs in 7 days! And you'll honestly be surprised how much exercise you actually achieve doing this! I feel like my legs are definitely more toned ;) Aside from taking the stairs, I found that we walked at least 20000 steps a day (thanks to my Dad's fitbit) just exploring beach side towns, which is a far cry from sitting in an office all day every day!
Drink Plenty Of Water
When there are so many tempting cocktails at your disposal, it is important to stay hydrated. I tried to drink at least 3 litres of water a day, just by carrying a bottle wherever I went. TIP: if you join the spa, they generally have lemon and fruit infused water that is super tasty! I stocked up on that daily! Drinking plenty of water will keep you energised, stop you from over-eating, as well as do your body endless favours.
Enjoy The Spa
One of my favourite parts of the ship was definitely the spa. There were private tanning areas (away from shrieking French children), jacuzzies, hot stone beds, saunas and steam rooms at our disposal. I was also spoilt with two treatments (both full body massages) that were heavenly. If you live a busy life, this is the ultimate relaxation and is definitely worth the expense. An afternoon at the spa helped me de-stress and relax, giving me time to myself. The massages worked wonders on my forever aching muscles as well, perfect if you're sporting a long-standing ache or pain!
Eat Your Veg
Aaaah, the food. With enormous buffets spanning half the length of the ship, there was plenty of temptation to gorge on pizza, burgers, chips, pasta and pastries all week long. Knowing that I wanted to enjoy yummy treats like gelato or macarons daily, I tried to eat well at meal times. This meant taking advantage of the fresh veggies and delicious protein prepared daily. Think whole baked salmons, steamed mussels and huge grilled prawns......yuuummm!
Enjoy, It's A Holiday After All!
At the end of the day, it is important to enjoy yourself, try new foods, have a crisp G&T in a trendy cafe and taste every gelato in Europe! Holidays are meant to be a break from reality, a time to really enjoy yourself. If you do put on a little weight or miss a few days training, it's no big deal. If anything, it will motivate you to get back into a routine of training well and eating well. The most important thing is to be happy, and not-so-surprisingly, your body will react positively to the good vibes.
Happy Cruisin'
(And btw, the best gelato is in Mallorca!!)
V x
