WDW, Food, and Diet

[Ransom]

How do you handle the potential caloric overload that comes with a WDW trip?

I diet and exercise more than usual before hand, so that I can put on a couple of pounds during the trip without bursting out of my clothes. :D

I know others think of vacation calories as outside of their normal diet (as with Thanksgiving or other feast holidays) and don't worry overmuch about it.

Still others simply stick to their normal diet and deny themselves all the yummy treats.

What do you do?

[#1donaldfan]

.....we throw out any idea of dieting while there.....there's no room for being "good" while on vacation.... ... vacation is an outlet form the norm and sad to say, dieting is becoming the norm (at my age and slowing metabolism).....so, while at Disney....eat, drink and be merry, for in a week or so it's back to the 'grind".....:mickey:

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

We are always amazed at how little (if any) weight we gain at Disney, despite eating more than usual, and more treats than usual. I think a lot of it has to do with all of the walking you're doing!

So, we don't diet at Disney, but we're still reasonable, and eat the things that are "worth it". For example, I'll skip the fries at lunch, but have a Mickey Bar in the afternoon, etc. Just like at home, moderation is the key, enjoying the really good stuff (and the different stuff), but not going overboard just 'cause you're on vacation.

[Strmchsr]

Step 1 for me was not doing the DDP. That's just asking to eat WAAAAYYYY too much. And I often found myself eating when I really wasn't hungry just because I paid for it. So, once I decided to eat OOP I found it wasn't that hard to eat healthy at WDW. There are lots of tasty things to eat without having to get dessert every meal. So, if you're on the DDP just forget it. You won't be able to eat healthy and get your money's worth. If you're serious about eating healthy (though still good) while down there then check the menus in Info Central and you'll see a lot of options available to avoid caloric overload.

[wire0monkey]

We do the DDP, but I always lose weight at WDW. I eat about the same amount of calories on the trip as I do at home. It is more exercise than I normally get, but I get decent amounts of exercise at home. I do 4-8 hours a week of vigorous exercise -- I run, swim and bike. Two weeks before the trip, I finished my first outdoor sprint triathlon. Despite this, I lost 5 lbs on the last trip.

I think it's because we walk so much. ( We don't spend much time by the pool.) We also make an effort to pick healthy restaurants while we're there. I find plenty of healthy alternatives at WDW.

I don't worry about getting my money's worth out of DDP (which was free during the last two trips.) We usually skip dessert and most appetizers, even if we're on DDP. We don't feel obliged to clear our plates, either, which is good because Disney's portions are huge.

I don't avoid snacks, but I don't find an ice cream bar or a rice crispy treat to be deal breakers.

If you search around the menus and pick CS with an eye towards healthier alternatives, it isn't that hard to avoid a vacation weight gain.

[GFFan]

I am a certified nutrition consultant and I even throw away dieting on any trip to WDW and sometimes that ends up being 2-3 weeks out of the year. The food there is just so unique and perfect I can't pass up on it. However, there were a few instances when I stuck to my typical dietary restrictions and exercise regime while on Vcay. I stayed at Saratoga for one of those visits and their Fitness Center is awesome, i went there daily to run and lift and as far as eating, I selected all the healthier options offered and if it was something that was a real weakness (i.e. Liberty Tree Burger) I just took it off the roll and got grapes instead of fries. It may be easier eating healthy at disney than at home because the selections that are offered.

[DisneyFr33k]

My DH really excersized and dieted before our last trip - just so he could eat more. Our first night there we ate at Boma (all you can eat). Funny thing was, that due to his dieting, his stomach shrank and he couldn't eat much at all! Now his new philosophy is to stretch the stomach before going! :D

[Disney_Barbie]

I love the thought of going on vacation & eating whatever I want. However, we eat VERY strict at home, and too much grease, sugar, even just too much mass of food going into my body makes me very uncomfortable very quickly.
So although I'd like to just loose the diet all together, I pretty much never stray too far from it

[disneymom15]

I try to eat salads as much as possible while at Disney. Husband and I usually share desserts, so caloric intake is cut in half.

[Disney Doll]

I don't worry about it. We walk a lot at Disney so I know we are far more active that week than we are normally. Also, given that we are so active I don't like having many heavy meals. I prefer lighter meals which also saves room for snacks. :thumbsup:

[rubato]

I stay pretty close to my diet. I have worked way too hard to blow it! There are tons of healthy options at Disney. You can get seafood, veggies and salad at just about any TS restaurant. I don't do the dining plan because dessert is my weakness (I would be very tempted if I'd already paid for it). Plus, sometimes I'll just get an appetizer instead of entree due to portion size. I drink lots of water and stay away from sodas and lemonades. And, I run every morning before we hit the parks. This has also always been my take on cruises.

So, every time I go on vacation, I lose 3-5 pounds. It's nice coming home even healthier and still having enjoyed my vacation!

[EJS-Houston]

Like Rubato I pretty much stick to my usual food plan and eat healthy, but still allow myself the occasional dessert here and there. With all the walking you do in WDW, and with all the tasty healthy options available, there's no reason you can't enjoy dining in WDW and still come out with some weight loss at the end of the vacation.

[ilvdisney]

My daughters and I always lose weight on our Disney vacations! We eat anything and everything but we are walking pretty much from 8 in the morning to midnight each day. We also swim almost everyday too.:mickey:

[BrerGnat]

I have lost a few pounds on every WDW vacation I've ever taken! Including the one where I had the DDP...

I do admit to sticking to a pretty regular workout routine (as in, GYM time at the resort workout center, which is why I only stay at Deluxe resorts...the gym is ESSENTIAL for me), in addition to all the walking.

Plus, I don't know about anyone else, but if I overload on "junk" food, which is out of my usual routine, my digestive system just can't handle it all that well, and I end up getting sick, so I try to keep it reasonable. I allow myself ONE big splurge per day.

I keep myself in check by eating a very light breakfast of healthy cereal and fruit in the room each morning. The thought of eating a heavy breakfast and then walking around WDW all day just makes me feel :sick:. I don't know how people do that...then I just tend to eat when I'm hungry, and not eat HUGE meals, just like at home. I do more "grazing" at WDW than actually sitting down and eating meals.