Weight Watchers while at Disney?!?!

[BWallaceKY]

Hey all! I am doing Weight Watchers and have a trip planned for Disney the first week of April. We will be there for 8 days (yay!) but I do not want to come home with any extra baggage other than souvenirs We are staying on property and I am planning to bring healthy items for breakfast in my room and packing some Quest bars and fruit for snacks. Has anyone else done WW at Disney? How did you do it? Any great restaurants or menu items you want to recommend? Thanks in advance!

 

[jpeden]

Hey all! I am doing Weight Watchers and have a trip planned for Disney the first week of April. We will be there for 8 days (yay!) but I do not want to come home with any extra baggage other than souvenirs We are staying on property and I am planning to bring healthy items for breakfast in my room and packing some Quest bars and fruit for snacks. Has anyone else done WW at Disney? How did you do it? Any great restaurants or menu items you want to recommend? Thanks in advance!

I also follow WW (off topic, did you do it with Points Plus and SmartPoints? I did and I'm not the biggest fan of this new iteration). Honestly, I thought it would really hard to follow and my wife and I didn't try and just used that week as a break since you walk so much. Honestly, even with all the walking I still gained back about 5 pounds (I'm sure a lot of it was from the sodium intake from Disney food).

There is a person on Instagram my wife follows that is following weight watchers while at Disney - might be worth a shot to find her and see what she is doing! All I can say is good for you - it's awesome you're going to try and keep it going on vacation - I just don't have that willpower.

My suggestions would be to track QS as a meal at McDonalds (can't be any worse than that) or a comparable fast food place (such as Capatin D's/Long John Silver for a place such as Columbia Harbor House).

For the sit down restaurants, maybe stick to more basic foods that you can easily find a chain restaurant with a comparable dish and track it that way?

I'm sure it won't be perfect but it will be a lot better than nothing. I would imagine any small variations in points in that situation would be offset by your activity points due to all the walking. I know my suggestions aren't great but I hope they help a little! Have a blast on your trip and don't forget to allow yourself one or two splurges!!!

 

[BWallaceKY]

I am doing the SmartPoints now, but have done Points Plus in the past. I like the SP. I did Whole30 last year to try and help break the sugar habit and so I think that has helped. I haven't felt really hungry, but I am still trying to break those bad snack triggers! I have 3 kids who will want all the snacks at Disney lol so that will be a challenge for me. Thanks for your suggestions! Comparing to known fast food chains is a good idea

 

[JLitfin]

You can do it, my DH and I did a cruise in December and I tried to make good choices which was very hard while on a cruise. I came back, weighted in and was surprised that I stayed around the same weight as before I left. If I can do it on a cruise you can do it at WDW. Just make good choices while picking your foods, and you should be ok.

 

[married2mm]

When I was being a good ww girl I lost 3 lbs on vacay.
I really need to lose 3 stone now

 

[shannonstar]

The MyFitness Pal app has a lot of the nutritional info for Disneyworld foods, which might make it easier to choose and navigate your points.

 

[CarolynFH]

I'm using whichever points program it is now! But in any case I try to apply what I've learned - avoid fried foods, eat lots of chicken & fish, whole grains, veggies etc. And I do my best to limit myself to one bite of DH's dessert! As others have mentioned all the extra walking helps a lot!

 

[BWallaceKY]

The MyFitness Pal app has a lot of the nutritional info for Disneyworld foods, which might make it easier to choose and navigate your points.

That's fantastic! Thanks for sharing!

 

[smiths02]

I'm using whichever points program it is now! But in any case I try to apply what I've learned - avoid fried foods, eat lots of chicken & fish, whole grains, veggies etc. And I do my best to limit myself to one bite of DH's dessert! As others have mentioned all the extra walking helps a lot!

I know this isn't the same as tracking for a vacation at Disney, but I've tried to do the program over the holidays at my in-laws (no internet access). First, I brought Quest bars, a low point salad dressing, and had lots of fruits and veggies.

The new points calculation is based on calories, saturated fat and sugar while protein helps lower the points. As you know, most fruits and vegetables are free. So avoiding sugar and fried foods as much as possible (also foods in sugary or buttery sauce--like BBQ sauce or alfredo sauce) while eating lots of fruits, veggies, and lean protein to stay full.

 

[loves to dive]

While I'm not on WW I do eat as healthy as possible while at WDW. As others have said just apply what you have learned. Ask if there is sauce on veggies and if there is, ask them to leave it off. Ask how the meat is cooked and again ask about sauce. No fried food. There are sugar free desserts on just about all the menus. Stay away from alcohol. About the walking. Just the walking you do at Disney is not going to burn those calories. Sorry, you just aren't getting your heart rate up to where it needs to be, you are doing a lot of stopping and standing. While it certainly helps over being a couch potato, it isn't going to burn a significant amount of calories. If you work out at home, try to continue that at Disney. I know you are on vacation, who wants to work out on vacation. I tend to get up earlier than my son so I get up and do a fast walk around the resort, I wear my heart rate monitor so I know I'm getting my heart rate up to where it needs to be. I used to jog but can't do that any more because I blew out my knees. I'm not young (knocking on the door of 60) so now, at home, I do 30 min. of something at least 3 times a week, more often than not that is 5 days a week. That 30 min. will consist of cardio at least one day a week, strength training, one day, interval training one day, some sort of abs work one day and yoga or stretching one day. After my walk every morning at Disney I find some nice secluded place and do a little yoga, helps get those muscles stretched out for the day and relaxes me. I tend to not do my strength training while on vacation any more but I used to go to the resort gym and lift weights, it would be easy enough to throw a resistance band in your luggage though.

 

[quandrea]

I ate a lot of kids meals. We also eat breakfast in and I cooed one meal a day. Healthy snacks. I did indulge in a few treats though. Just watched portion size. Avoided fried stuff. Tried to make decent choices. Lost half pound that week. I'm heading down in a week. I'm doing points now post Christmas and will look to keep it sane on the two week holiday. I'm lifetime now but am pretty sure I'm up lost Christmas. Haven't had the courage to get on the scale yet. Drink lots of water.

 

[BWallaceKY]

I know this isn't the same as tracking for a vacation at Disney, but I've tried to do the program over the holidays at my in-laws (no internet access). First, I brought Quest bars, a low point salad dressing, and had lots of fruits and veggies.

The new points calculation is based on calories, saturated fat and sugar while protein helps lower the points. As you know, most fruits and vegetables are free. So avoiding sugar and fried foods as much as possible (also foods in sugary or buttery sauce--like BBQ sauce or alfredo sauce) while eating lots of fruits, veggies, and lean protein to stay full.

Someone on the WW app mentioned Quest bars (I've never had them) so I just ordered some from Amazon. Thanks!

 

[BWallaceKY]

While I'm not on WW I do eat as healthy as possible while at WDW. As others have said just apply what you have learned. Ask if there is sauce on veggies and if there is, ask them to leave it off. Ask how the meat is cooked and again ask about sauce. No fried food. There are sugar free desserts on just about all the menus. Stay away from alcohol. About the walking. Just the walking you do at Disney is not going to burn those calories. Sorry, you just aren't getting your heart rate up to where it needs to be, you are doing a lot of stopping and standing. While it certainly helps over being a couch potato, it isn't going to burn a significant amount of calories. If you work out at home, try to continue that at Disney. I know you are on vacation, who wants to work out on vacation. I tend to get up earlier than my son so I get up and do a fast walk around the resort, I wear my heart rate monitor so I know I'm getting my heart rate up to where it needs to be. I used to jog but can't do that any more because I blew out my knees. I'm not young (knocking on the door of 60) so now, at home, I do 30 min. of something at least 3 times a week, more often than not that is 5 days a week. That 30 min. will consist of cardio at least one day a week, strength training, one day, interval training one day, some sort of abs work one day and yoga or stretching one day. After my walk every morning at Disney I find some nice secluded place and do a little yoga, helps get those muscles stretched out for the day and relaxes me. I tend to not do my strength training while on vacation any more but I used to go to the resort gym and lift weights, it would be easy enough to throw a resistance band in your luggage though.

The resistance band is a great idea! Thanks

 

[bumbershoot]

If you have a car there's a meeting center in the Hunters Creek area.

Just the walking you do at Disney is not going to burn those calories.

If you've ever worn a tracker at Disney you might be surprised. Mine has a heart rate monitor at the wrist so is as accurate as a wrist monitor can be (and my very good chest strap monitor used to miss beats entirely for ages so the wrist one is more accurate) and just walking and standing burns a LOT more than it seems you would think.

 

[biondagirl]

I've never done Weight Watchers but I lost weight in 2010 and still work my butt off to keep it off. So, I still measure and track my food. While at Disney, I watch, but I don't obsess. We bring protein bars for breakfast and I normally eat a salad at lunch. Dinners vary depending on my mood and tastes. I try to pick the healthiest options, but I definitely splurge a little. We are on vacation! Whispering Canyon killed my diet in 2015!

They have good salads at the Commissary at DHS. Sunshine Seasons at the Land in Epcot has healthier food options, too. I think almost every restaurant serves some sort of salad. I know they can be unhealthy, too, so it's a matter of making better choices.

Even with the walking and the better food choices, I usually gain 3 or 4 pounds. Considering I gained 7 on our cruise last year, I'll take it!

 

[eeyoresmom]

Disney has awesome salads at every restaurant just about. Most days my lunch will be a salad or a kids meal.I LOVE Disneys snacks (Dole floats, ice cream cookie sandwiches, warm funnel cake, jalapeno cheese stuffed pretzels.....) We probably get 2-3 snacks per day but those are shared among 2-3 people. Feels so indulgent but really breaks down to 1 snack per day. I've been going to Disney 2-4 times a year for 16 years and I have never gained while there.

 

[lovedisney123]

I also follow WW (off topic, did you do it with Points Plus and SmartPoints? I did and I'm not the biggest fan of this new iteration). Honestly, I thought it would really hard to follow and my wife and I didn't try and just used that week as a break since you walk so much. Honestly, even with all the walking I still gained back about 5 pounds (I'm sure a lot of it was from the sodium intake from Disney food).

There is a person on Instagram my wife follows that is following weight watchers while at Disney - might be worth a shot to find her and see what she is doing! All I can say is good for you - it's awesome you're going to try and keep it going on vacation - I just don't have that willpower.

My suggestions would be to track QS as a meal at McDonalds (can't be any worse than that) or a comparable fast food place (such as Capatin D's/Long John Silver for a place such as Columbia Harbor House).

For the sit down restaurants, maybe stick to more basic foods that you can easily find a chain restaurant with a comparable dish and track it that way?

I'm sure it won't be perfect but it will be a lot better than nothing. I would imagine any small variations in points in that situation would be offset by your activity points due to all the walking. I know my suggestions aren't great but I hope they help a little! Have a blast on your trip and don't forget to allow yourself one or two splurges!!!

 

[lovedisney123]

Can you share the Instagram your wife is following? I would love to see pictures of what they had to follow WW at Disney. Thanks!

 

[CarolynFH]

I'm using whichever points program it is now! But in any case I try to apply what I've learned - avoid fried foods, eat lots of chicken & fish, whole grains, veggies etc. And I do my best to limit myself to one bite of DH's dessert! As others have mentioned all the extra walking helps a lot!

I’m quoting myself because I want to add to what I said last year. I track my points by estimating quantity of known ingredients (weight of steak as stated on menu, etc.) and try to keep my total of “known” points within my daily limit. Then I hope that the tremendous increase in daily activity will offset the unknowns (such as oils and fats used in cooking). My goal is to maintain my pre-trip weight - I don’t expect to lose, I simply don’t want to gain! But if I do come home with more than I left with, well, I don’t beat myself up; I get back to work!