Cruise Control: Program Edition

Welcome aboard to the pre-cruise / post-birthday blog!

This is the first time in my Thin’s In journey that I’ve taken a proper vacation while on Program—and honestly, I’m not worried.

Okay… maybe slightly panicky. At the time I’m writing this, I haven’t packed or finished prepping the house for my friend who’s staying with Penny while I’m away.

But I did plan my outfits! Does that count?

No? You’re right.

If it’s not in a suitcase, it’s not packed.

That said, you can’t always pack—or prepare—for everything. When it comes to Program, the most important things to pack are my Blue Book and food sheets. Luckily, they’re light enough. I’m leaving the food scale and measuring spoons at home!

While I don’t have an exact plan for the vacation, I do have a semblance of one, which is why I’m bringing my book and food sheets for the days I’m away. My goal is simple: write down everything I eat and drink. If I know what I’ve had, I can figure out what I still need—or don’t need—to eat.

Having the Blue Book with me will also be helpful, especially as a reminder of which fish and shellfish fall under Protein Group 2. As we all know, those are my favorite proteins… because you get more of them!

One thing I’m completely confident I don’t need to worry about is exercise. Between dance and Zumba classes onboard, walking the ship, and exploring the islands, I’m sure my daily step count will skyrocket. And choosing the stairs over the elevator is always a great option—depending on my footwear.

This past week, however, was the exact opposite of what cruise life will be like. Out of seven days, I only managed to squeeze in two workouts—either on the treadmill or with a Zumba session.

My schedule was packed, from hosting speed dating in Old Saybrook to birthday dinners with friends plus hair and nail appointments. Spare time was nonexistent (hence the unpacked suitcase), but food planning was only slightly more challenging.

To top it all off, I threw myself a reverse surprise birthday party at work.

If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, a reverse surprise party is when only you know about it—and everyone else is surprised. I baked cookies and cupcakes, ordered pizza for the office (and grabbed a simple garden salad for myself), and decorated the breakroom.

I briefly considered ordering a catered-size salad when the restaurant called to confirm but decided I didn’t need all the extra fats that much dressing would require.

One of the best things about Program is that it doesn’t stop you from enjoying food—it teaches you how to portion it. Thanks to the Pick ’n Chews List, I was able to fully enjoy the celebration and have a slice of pizza alongside my salad.

Whether you’re on land or at sea, staying true—or as true as possible—to Program is both doable and worth it.

I lost two pounds this week, bringing my total pre-cruise loss to 54 pounds. While I didn’t quite reach my original goal of 70 pounds before the cruise, I’m absolutely overjoyed with how far I’ve come. Not only do I feel great—I’m looking pretty good, too.

As a reminder, there will be no blog post next week, as I’ll be in St. Lucia trying not to get completely sunburned before swimming with dolphins.

When I return, I’ll be sharing highlights from the trip—and how I did over my two weeks away!

This week’s loss: 2 pounds

Total loss so far: 54 pounds