My husband and I have just completed a cruise on a top line ship. After 16 days away, we have each lost half a kg.
I have been following sugar free since I was diagnosed with type 2 Diabetes in September. I have lost 10 kg, but more importantly all my blood readings, cholesterol and triglycerides and BMI have come back to near or completely normal. (see post Diabetes Success Story in Introduce yourself).
I was concerned just how I would go eating all that delicious fare on the ship, knowing that most people put on a lb. a day on cruises. I did not restrict what I had, but I did restrict anything with sugar. On that point, one night I tried the "sugar free" dessert and my BGL readings showed me that the dessert was definitely not "sugar free". This was confirmed by one of the dining room staff next morning, who said they were sweetened with (you guessed it!) FRUCTOSE.
My typical day on board was champagne, omellete, bacon, two slices whole wheat toast and tea for brekkie. Lunch was normally chicken, roast meat, or salmon with salad, and good old iced water. Around 5 p.m. we had canapes and a cocktail (not sugar based). Before dinner we had another cocktail, then appetiser, soup or salad, main course (normally chicken, fish, beef, or pork) with a side salad. Dessert was cheese plate or berries. We had a bottle of red wine or champagne each night with dinner as well. At no time did I feel hungry or deprived.
My husband sort of tried to do the sugar free thing, but was a sucker for the dessert each night. I was pleased that he at least recognised the things that caused the problem, and restricted his consumption to night time dessert only. He used to fall for the home made choc chip cookies in the afternoon on previous cruises, but this time he abstained.
We both felt that we had not put on much weight, but were over the moon when we got home and found that we had each actually lost on this anything but restrictive diet. Hubby has lost 6 kgs since I went on sugar free (typical male, I go on the diet, he loses the weight!), but I thought that perhaps the desserts may have caused a problem on the cruise.
As I said in my previous post, anyone who has weight, diabetes, or other weight related health issues and is not at least giving sugar free a fair trial is doing themselves a disservice.
We are leaving on a month long cruise in February, which was booked long before I found I had type 2 Diabetes. I had been concerned that my life on board was going to be miserable with the necessity to restrict lots of foods. I now know that I will enjoy this next cruise as much as I have enjoyed the cruise we have just finished.
Bon voyage,