I Made My Husband Go On A Weight Watchers Cruise
My husband Philip is the best, and I really love him. It's only logical that I want this amazing fella to take care of himself so we can enjoy many more years of wedded bliss. But when it comes to fitness, we are pretty average. We don't diet. We don't even own a scale. I recall fondly the day I made him go to the gym with me - and he fell off the treadmill. Twice.
When we were offered a chance to check out the Weight Watchers cruise just the two of us, I thought, This could be the wellness breakthrough we have been waiting for! Thankfully, Philip agreed to try. If you've ever wondered how you're supposed to enjoy a Caribbean vacation and get your husband to drop a few pounds, this is it.
The Weight Watchers brand is built on wellness and moderation - basically the opposite of what the cruise industry has become known for. But, seriously: If David Hasselhoff fans have their own cruise, it's only right that Weight Watchers does, too. The brand offers an eight day, all-inclusive cruise where you can dine at buffets brimming with healthy (and delicious!) recipes. They're all labeled with Weight Watchers point values, too, so you can easily stay on track.
If you're like us, the Weight Watchers brand conjures up images of frozen dinners and a complicated point system. But today's system really isn't your mother's Weight Watchers - words straight from the mouth of one of the program's on-board exercise instructors. With the new Freestyle program, there are now more than 200 zero point foods. You can snack all day on most fruits, veggies, lean meats, seafood, eggs and tofu without dipping into your daily points.
We talked to a bunch of Weight Watchers devotees and heard a lot of people tell us the system really helped them lose weight and keep it off. Some had even lost more than 100 pounds. The most repeated mantra: "It's a lifestyle, not a diet."
Weight Watchers is designed to steer you toward healthier choices. No food is off limits; it's all about portion control. There's an online support community through their social network "Connect" and local meet-ups with fellow members to keep everyone motivated. I think this is the most unique thing about the program: You're immediately connected to the nicest, most supportive people who cheer you on even when you totally fail to meet your goals.
And it turned out, we failed a lot on this cruise.
We were on the boat for three days. We both gained a pound. But that's our fault, not Weight Watchers. We were so excited about being on a cruise, we were unable to resist the decadence. That's right: You can cruise the typical way, too, with piña coladass and cupcakes. By the end of the first day, my husband had blown through his daily points (32) and weekly points, clocking nearly 70 total. Overall, we were really satisfied with the Weight Watchers menu, but just the poolside cocktails were 30 points each, a.k.a. one day's worth of points. And we had a lot of those.
This was a real wake up call. There were temptations everywhere. We walked past the free soft serve machine what felt like 5,000 times, each time trying to muster up the willpower to avoid it. We failed.
Even though we struggled to stay on track, we were definitely not going hungry eating from the Weight Watchers-approved menu. A typical day started at the buffet with a huge selection of breakfast fare: eggs (zero points!), toast, fruit, yogurt, sausage, bacon, French toast casserole, pancakes - you name it. Lunch was back at the buffet, or you could ask for a Weight Watchers menu at one of the restaurants. Both lunch and dinner menus start with your choice of zero-point crudité or soup. (Pro tip: If you go, do not pass up a chance to try their Tandori-cauliflower soup - the soup of all soups.)
We were never disappointed in the selection of entrees: Lunch and dinner offered three choices from each menu with a nice spread like roast chicken breast with spiced cauliflower, rosemary pork with Brussels sprouts, or penne with roasted tomatoes and leeks. Dessert was your choice of pie, ice cream, or fruit. Even if we weren't drinking piña colada and eating cupcakes at every meal (shout out to the black bean peanut butter cupcakes!), we would not have gone hungry. And by the last day, we were finally getting the hang of things and tracking close to our daily allotted points.
You can get a few extra points to burn if you exercise, so we tried to squeeze in as many of the exercise classes as we could - not something we prioritize in our normal lives. Prior to the cruise, Philip had never even line-danced at a wedding, so it was a real treat for me to see him shaking it at the morning Zumba class. Because of the strong winds we never got to try the aqua cycling, but others raved about it. The yoga classes were packed mat to mat with first-time yogis, but just like everything Weight Watchers, trying new things is highly encouraged.
We were easily distracted from our diet failures by the amazing ship. The Italian-owned MSC Divina is huge - over 1,000 feet long, with seven restaurants, 18 bars, five pools, a sparkling staircase, spa and saunas, a huge theater with a live show nearly every night, a casino, and a 4D movie theater. Its spirit guide is Sophia Loren who actually christened the ship and has a dedicated luxury suite onboard. We also spent five hours in Antigua enjoying local beaches and cuisine during our offshore excursion.
Just like Weight Watchers is designed to accommodate everyone's preferences, cruises offer their guests a lot of autonomy in picking the activities that are most appealing. Turns out Weight Watchers and cruising make a perfect match. We got to do it all: enjoy the Caribbean and also not eat total trash.
There are more Weight Watchers cruises scheduled for 2018, but they book up fast, so if you think this is for you, book your tickets now. While you aren't guaranteed weight loss, it is definitely a vacation you won't forget.
Book your Weight Watchers Cruise now, at weightwatcherscruises.com.
Follow Delish on Instagram.
Download the Delish app.
You Might Also Like
