Ola!  My husband and I just got back from the Love It Like You Mean It Marriage Cruise; it’s our third one and I highly recommend this for any and all marriages, it’s honestly fantastic.  This is our 5th time for cruising, and I thought you might be interested in how to do a cruise without gaining 10 pounds, because that would be reeaalll easy.

First of all, as with any and all vacations, or special occasions, don’t make the journey all about the food.  That’s a big mistake.  Anytime you anticipate food, or a food occasion, the compulsive-excited part of the brain takes over and before you know it, you’ve eaten multiple servings of really, really, unhealthy food.  That leads to all sorts of negative feelings and self-promises to starve/cleanse/detox/whatever it takes to get off the weight, which of course, always leads to “rebound gluttony”.  That’s the Diet Roller Coaster I talk about – you don’t want that!

The problem on a cruise, as opposed to a regular vacation, is that the food is so omni-present; it’s an assumed part of the cruise culture that you’re going to go on the ship and just eat and eat and eat.  With food not just highly available, but visually enticing you everywhere you go, it’s important to go mentally prepared.

What did I do?  Several things: I brought my own lunch food, (bison, beef, and turkey jerky), to eat at lunch time (yep, that’s all I ate at lunch, in my room).  I ordered omelet’s for breakfast with a ton of vegetables, cheese, and some bacon.  Every night, I chowed down on as many vegetables and as much fish and chicken as I wanted, and then I ate a big piece of dark chocolate (that I’d brought) after dinner, back in our room.  I knew from experience that if I let myself indulge in the dessert bar, my sugar switch would be tripped and I’d be in big trouble.  Plus, I’ve learned so much about gluten that I’m scared of flour desserts at this point.  Do I always shun desserts?  No.  But “dessert bars”, where there are literally (honestly) hundreds and hundreds of desserts to choose from, are dangerous.  I like feeling good, and I like not being “food-hungover”.  If you go on a cruise, don’t even look at the dessert bar; it has magical properties that will draw you over and suck you in before you know what hit you.  Seriously.  Don’t even look.

I also brought my own Apple Cider Vinegar (it’s really important to keep the stomach super acidic because acid kills pathogens!), stevia packets, and tea.  And just like when we traveled all the way to Culebra, Puerto Rico, Mark brought his raw milk – so I stole some of the cream for the coffee we bought each morning:)  I also brought all my supplements, and some anti-viral/anti-bacterial essential oils that I used each day;  you can never be too careful on a cruise ship!

FYI: we were spending money on bottled and canned waters, thinking they were healthier than the ships water.  We were wrong (thank goodness, because they were expensive).  We took a “behind the scenes” tour and it’s a long explanation, but the water is desalinated and distilled with just steam and no chemicals – so it’s great!!!

All ships also have great gyms, with big weight rooms, plenty of cardio equipment, spin rooms, and yoga rooms; plus there’s always a big track on the top deck. Working out is a must for both of us; we don’t feel relaxed if we skip a workout.  Mark just lifted, but I did circuits every day alternating the elliptical and bike with leg presses, push ups, shoulder presses and triceps work.  Simple, but hard.

That’s enough about the cruise, but if you have any questions about the Love It Like You Mean It cruise, ask me.  It’s an awesome cruise with an awesome agenda.

How bout a little science?  I was asked if Canola oil is a good choice for cooking and salads.  My answer: No.  Canola oil, which is from the Rapeseed plant, can’t be safely extracted from the seeds, and that matters.  Here’s some details from one of my favorite sites:

“But here’s the main problem with canola oil, and why you should think twice before using it – canola oil is highly refined. The oil is removed by a combination of high temperature mechanical pressing and solvent extraction. Traces of the solvent (usually hexane) remain in the oil, even after considerable refining. Canola oil goes through the process of caustic refining, bleaching and degumming – all of which involve high temperatures or chemicals of questionable safety. And because it’s high in omega-3 and 6 fatty acids, (11% and 21% respectively) which easily become rancid and foul-smelling when subjected to oxygen and high temperatures, it must be deodorized. The standard deodorization process removes a large portion of the omega-3 fatty acids by turning them into trans fatty acids. The Canadian government lists the trans content of canola at a minimal 0.2 percent, but it is speculated that they are actually much higher due to the processing. This processing is much different from that of olive oil, which most often is first cold pressed to reduce the oxidation of the oil. Harmful chemicals and fatty acid-altering processing means do not occur with olive oil as they do with canola oil.”

From me:  the condition of the fats we eat really, really, matters. Fat and cholesterol make up about 60% of our brain matter.  Fatty acids and cholesterol comprise the exterior portions of ALL OUR CELLS.  Nutrients need to be able to properly enter cells, and wastes need to be able to properly exit cells.  Bad, damaged fats completely screw up this in-and-out process, and when that happens, all sorts of damage follows.  Canola oil is ALWAYS DAMAGED, always; the heat extraction and toxic chemicals used to produce it make that a sure thing.  There is no other method for extracting the oil at this point.                 

Use good fats for cooking and eating:  butter from grass fed cows, cold pressed olive oil, and coconut oil are three sure bets.  Oh, one more picture from the cruise:  a fun towel animal that the cabin stewards make every night – I love the towel animals!