Cari Fit

Fitness Advice, Workout Tips, and Inspiration

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Tips For Dining on Carnival Cruise, Plus My Behind The Scenes Tour Of The Galley

I recently got back from a Carnival cruise with my family and we had a great time. Last time I went, I blogged about how you can stay fit on a cruise – since they have so many options. But, this time around – I wanted to focus a little more on the food. Even if you have never been on a cruise before – you may have wondered how do they feed so many people and also is the food in the dining rooms any good? I have to say that yes, their food (and staff) are on par with the best restaurants on land. On my last cruise I got to have a special tasting and behind the scenes tour which really made me appreciate all of the hard work and creativity that goes into the dining experience on board.

I had the pleasure of getting to know our Maitre d’ on our ship Mr. Csaba Varga Attila and he invited us to have a special tour of the galley (aka kitchen area) during our cruise. Not only did we get a private tour – but they prepared a special tasting of the entire menu for that evening’s dinner, including all options for starters, main courses and desserts. When we first arrived we were greeted by the Chef de Cuisine Mr. Ramesh and Food Manager Mr. Milind along with Mr. Attila. They gave us a little introduction about how many meals they have to prepare each day (2,000 in each of the 2 dining rooms – including breakfast and dinner) and how they go about creating tasteful and innovative menus that will please everyone.  There are so many cruisers (3,000+ on many ships) and they have to make meals appealing to everyone from the health fanatic to the foodie. So, they offer a huge variety meal options including vegetarian, vegan, nut-free and gluten free. I am a pretty healthy eater and loved sampling all the creative vegetarian options like the beet carpaccio. But, my Dad (who was also with us) is a big foodie and loves meat – so he really enjoyed sampling the ox tongue and other more decadent items. Every night they have at least one vegetarian option, but you can also make special requests for allergies and preferences.

Being able to go to the galley, meet the chefs and have a private tasting was a real treat. I want to especially thank Mr. Attila for giving us the tour and making our dining experience wonderful. Also, thanks to the rest of the carnival dining staff and chefs for making my family’s cruise extra special!

Tips For Dining on a Cruise:

  • Introduce yourself to the Maitre d’. He can help arrange your table so you can sit with family and friends and also alert the chef and waitstaff if you are celebrating something or have questions about dining.
  • If you have any special dining requests – ask your waiters. They can have the chef prepare something special for you – even if it’s not on the menu. For my baby, they would bring out special purees of veggies and other baby-friendly options. For me, I asked for plain grilled chicken and steamed veggies some nights when I had too many treats during the day!
  • They are kid and baby friendly – so don’t be afraid to bring your little ones. They have highchairs, kids menus, crayons, etc. Our waiters even tried to entertain our little ones by making animals out of napkins and telling them jokes. Also, some nights they do performances and get dressed up and dance around and it’s a lot of fun.
  • Try the “port of call specials”. Each day you are at a new port – they will have special menu that samples some of the local cuisine and they do a great job creating these specialty foods.
  • It’s still easy to over-eat in the main dining rooms at dinner even though their portion sizes are not super big. You are able to order an appetizer, salad/soup, entree and dessert and can even have more than one of each. Try to follow the 80/20 rule. Order 80% healthy and then the other 20% splurge on a small appetizer or dessert. Also, for dessert – they almost always offer fresh fruit and/or a sugar free option. You could order fruit and then split their famous melting chocolate cake (aka “Micky Mouse” cake).
  • Other more casual options are always available for dinner, but I highly recommend dining in the dining rooms at night – it’s a real treat.

 

Realistic Baby & Toddler Workouts

Now that my daughter is one – she’s kind of in between ages for “baby workouts” or mommy and me classes where you bring your baby. Most of those are designed for babies that will be super still or sleep in their strollers. But, she’s also too young for “toddler yoga” and some classes where the kids are more active. So, I wanted to share some of my favorite workouts you can do with your baby or toddler if you can’t find a class nearby.

Realistic Mom & Baby Workout Video

I have been meaning to post this video for a LONG time. I filmed it a couple of years ago when my son was about 12 months old and not yet walking. As you can see in the video – it was super hard to get him to cooperate! But, that’s real life! It’s hard to get in a workout with kids and they will cry, want to grab your hair and won’t sit still. Even if you just get in 5-10 minutes it is better than nothing! Just remember that soon enough he/she will be in school full time and you will miss these precious moments to include them in your daily life. The exercises in the video are for babies you can still hold. If you have a bigger toddler, try my sample workout below.

If your baby is a little older – you may not be able to (or want to) hold them for some of the exercises I show in the video. They may be too heavy for you or they may not want to be held. If you can hold them – I recommend that you start with a pair of dumbbells first and then work up to the weight your child is before trying to hold them during squats, etc. – especially if you are just starting out.  Here is another workout that might be a good option for you:

Mom + Toddler Workout

*Be sure to talk to your doctor first before doing this workout or starting any new exercise routine. 

  • Warmup together by dancing around, walking around the block or doing something to get your heart rate up.
  • 20 regular squats (toes pointing out and feet slightly wider than hips) holding baby, or if he/she is bigger see if they can try squats too! They love to copy mommy!
  • Set baby/toddler down and do 15-20 pushups. If they aren’t walking or crawling – you can lay them down under you – they love this (see in my video below)!
  • 20 Plie Squats holding baby (toes point out slightly and feet are slightly wider than hips). Remember – the bigger the baby/toddler the more of a challenge it will be!
  • 15 tricep pushups with baby nearby or underneath you (place wrists under shoulders and hands are more narrow, keep elbows close to your sides). Again, if they are bigger – see if they can hold “plank” or try a pushup.
  • 10 Reverse lunges on each leg holding baby or with them close by.
  • 20 Sets of Mountain Climbers with baby nearby or underneath.
  • 20 Side lunges holding baby (alternate left and right).
  • 20 “suicide planks” starting in a high plank (pushup position) then lower down to forearm plank. Repeat for 20 total and alternate going up and down on the left and right so it’s not all one arm doing the work.
  • 20 Hip Bridges holding baby on top of you on your lower abdomen/hip bones (like in my picture above with my daughter). If you are more advanced, you can do them with your upper back on a bench and hold your baby or toddler on your hips.

Favorites for Your Baby Workouts:

As you can see in my video above…some playmats don’t work very well for workouts and they slide around too much! I am in love with this cute circular playmat I found at The Baby Cubby. It’s so pretty and makes a great space for your baby (and you) to do some yoga, or you can have your baby play on her mat while you workout nearby.

The baby and toddler years go by so fast – so be sure to take pics of you working out together! Get a friend or partner to help. I also think it’s cute if you can find matching yoga gear or workout shorts, shoes or tanks!  My favorite yoga gear for “mommy and me” is by Jill Yoga! They have the cutest outfits (even if you don’t want to match) for infants through girls.

If your toddler is older, he/she may want their own set of weights. I bought a simple set of 2 pound dumbbells at Target that my kids love. Or, if you wan to go all out – you can set them up a little section in your home gym or workout area with this bench and barbell set.

 

For more ideas check out my Fit Mom Favorites. 

Mother’s Day Gift Ideas For the Fit Mom + Fit Baby

Happy Mother’s Day weekend to all the fit Moms out there! If you are looking for a gift for a fit Mom in your life (girlfriend, sister, daughter or your own Mom) check out my favorites below. Or – if you need to send your partner or kids ideas…you may want to share this post on Facebook : )

Fitness Clothes & Gear

Every fit mom likes new workout clothes and workout gear.

For clothes I really like all of Target’s new spring and summer colors. Also, I’ve been getting a lot of my stuff from Nordstrom like these Zella crops (they are also very comfortable). I almost always wear a hat when I workout to keep my hair out of my face. I like this cute “Momlife” hat from Etsy.

I always take my phone with me on runs in case the baby needs me. The phone itself is bulky enough without a bulky arm strap and dangling wires on headphones. So, I use a neoprene armband  (lightweight & flexible) similar to this and love my Apple Wireless Airpods (headphones).

Let’s face it – as moms…we have to squeeze in a workout when we can and sometimes that means at home. I recommend getting a set of Adjustable weights for home workouts so you can keep just the one set in your workout area without taking up too much space. I love Apple TV so I can stream youtube workouts and Instagram live workouts (like the one I’ll be doing on my @Bombshell_Bootcamp Insta soon!).

Spa/Beauty

All moms want to look and feel pretty. If she likes spa days…I recommend Milk + Honey spa in Houston. If she’s been super busy and doesn’t have much time to fix her hair – get her a  giftcard to the Drybar for a blowout or braid that she can show off at her next yoga class. But, if you think she’d like a completely new look or just really awesome highlights – send her to my colorist Sarah at Ceron salon. I’ll be doing a post about her soon because she has a great transformation story! I also love these new hair bands I found at Sephora (another great idea for a gift card!) because they don’t break or damage my hair.

Items For the Fit Baby & Kid

Fit moms are setting a great example for their little ones (and big ones). Most babies and kids try to copy their parents’ behaviors – so if you are a fit parent, they want to workout just like you! Next time you do a home workout or take your kid with you on a run or bike ride – try one of these cute products:

The baby dumbbell rattle is so cute and babies love rattles! I also love this cute Under Armour baby workout outfit (shown in my picture below) for babies. Have a bigger toddler? Check out this toddler weight set with barbell! If you have bigger kids, get them excited about yoga with their own Kids yoga mat and yoga deck cards!

 

Fitness Classes

Fitness classes or gift cards also make great gifts. I personally love the Bombshell Bootcamp Giftcard ; ) but yoga or spin classes make great gifts, or just help her make time for early morning runs by watching the baby or swap carpooling the kids with another fit mom friend! Most cities also have “Mommy and Me” classes for babies and moms under 2 or ask around for baby bootcamps or just see if your favorite bootcamp will allow you to bring a baby in a stroller (mine will).

Healthy Lunch or Dinner Out

Fit moms like to celebrate and go out – but sometimes it can be stressful picking a healthy spot that the rest of the family will enjoy. My new favorite for lunch in Houston is Bebidas. For dinner I always love True Food Kitchen (you HAVE to order the crudites!) and it’s a chain – so if you don’t live in Houston check out their other locations. A few of my other local favorites for healthy (and vegetarian friendly) options are Ruggles Green and Molina’s (grilled chicken or fish platter with veggies) and Escalante’s (grilled fish tacos and their baked tortilla chips).

*All opinions on the products and companies are my own.

How to Stay Fit And Healthy On A Cruise

Cruising has come a long way from endless buffets of fried fatty foods and deserts, crowded staterooms and non-existent gyms. Now days you can take a cruise and actually come back a healthier person! A couple of months ago I went on a Carnival cruise with my family and we had an amazing time. One of the best parts was that I was able to stay fit and healthy and returned feeling refreshed instead of regretful. Now, I know that most people aren’t too concerned with weight gain when cruising – but I’m here to tell you it IS possible to keep the big LB’s off and maybe even tone up a little. The best part is that Carnival actually makes it easy if you just put in a little effort and get creative. Below are some tips on how you can make your next cruise a healthy one for you and your family.

We decided on the Carnival Breeze ship because it’s a newer ship and visits a couple of places we haven’t been before. If you haven’t taken a cruise in awhile you definitely need to check out Carnival’s fleet. Most are new or have been completely renovated and there is literally something for everyone. Most people look forward to the food and the drinks on vacation and Carnival doesn’t disappoint in this area. However, I was pleasantly surprised by all of the healthy food and drink options, the fitness facilities (who knew they offered spin classes on the water?!) and creative outdoor workout spots (you do crunches while watching dolphins swim by!).

Take advantage of the fitness facilities.

Most ships have great gyms and fitness centers with a variety of equipment. Carnival not only had a great gym but they had a spin studio, yoga studio and even a fun outdoor gym that the whole family can use. The gym was super nice with a lot of cardio equipment, weight machines and a free weights area. They also had a ropes course, mini golf and other fun things to get your family involved. Just make it a goal to explore a new fitness area (or class) each day.

Be active as much as you can.

Even if you are not a gym person you can still find ways to burn calories and stay physically fit. The ship has a walking path that you can use to take a walk around the boat (try a sunset or sunrise walk for a nice view) or go for a jog. If you are a runner – you can even get in your own mini 5k. Also, you can make the pools a place to get fit. The pools are small – so it may be hard to swim laps unless you go during a less busy time like early in the morning – but you can still use it to burn some calories. You can do things like tread water, do tricep dips on the edge (in the water), do leg raises (for core) and lateral shoulder raises (pressing up against the water is great resistance). If nothing else – just go exploring the ship. If your family is with you, you could even do a fun scavenger hunt or see what fun things you can find.

Make the buffet your BFF.

The words Buffet and Healthy usually don’t go hand in hand. However, I was really surprised by all of the heathly things I could find on Carnival’s Breeze. They also mixed things up daily and had a variety of new healthy choices throughout the week – so I never got bored. Just be sure to watch portions and unlimited items. This is one of the hardest to do while cruising. The buffet areas are packed with tasty treats almost all day long – so temptation is always there. What I did was make sure I filled up on heathy items like veggies, fruits, plain baked chicken or fish (no sauce) first and then if I wanted a small treat I would get one. Not into buffets? They have a variety of specialty restaurants (some like the Steakhouse have an extra charge) that offer a la carte items and you can request that your chicken be cooked without butter or ask for a vegetarian option. They were more than happy to accommodate my requests and one of our waiters even pointed out the healthier items for us one night. A fun fact – the cruise ship staff are all very fit and health conscience. Some are working on the ship for 6-9 months at a time and their health is their priority. They even have a gym for the crew members to use.

Make your room a fit haven.

I was surprised how roomy the staterooms are. Yes – they are very small but for a cruise ship they aren’t too bad. Plus, Carnival does a great job making it a very usable space and there are plenty of storage areas and spaces for your things. You can organize your workout clothes by the day of week have itall ready to go each day. You could even squeeze in a workout in your room if you wanted. I loved being outside – so some mornings I would do a quick set of squats, shoulder presses and bicep curls out on my balcony. I also recommend stocking your room with healthy snacks such as fruit (you can bring some back from the buffet), carrot sticks, protein shakes (bring your own shaker bottle) and nuts.

Chose a more active excursion.

Carnival has lot of fun excursions to choose from. They are also categorized by activity level – so if you are fit and healthy you can choose one that’s a little more active. Some require more walking (wear comfortable shoes) and some activities are just more challenging like horseback riding, zip lining or scuba and snorkel.

Change your mindset.

Make it more of a healthy spa trip vs. an indulgent trip. I like to start my trips with a healthy mindset and treat my trips and cruises like a healthy spa trip vs. an indulgent vacation. If I start off thinking about staying fit, enjoying new fruits and veggies, trying a new fitness class and then rewarding myself with a spa treatment – I’m less likely to return home feeling bloated and out of shape.

I hope these tips will help you enjoy your next cruise even more and help you return felling fit and healthy! Comment below and share some of your tips for cruising!

 

This post was sponsored by Carnival but all opinions are my own. 

 

Raw Blueberry “Cheesecake” Recipe

Happy 2017! I’m so behind on blog posts and have so much to share with you guys…including a lot of fit travel posts that will be coming soon! Until then, I thought I’d share this amazing recipe that I found on Instagram via @EhVegan. I saw the beautiful pic and decided to track down the full recipe and see if this dessert tasted as good as it looked.

Like most of you guys…I’m trying to eat healthier this year. I had a baby in 2016 and am still trying to get back on track with my diet (lack of sleep makes it so hard!!). So, when I came across this beautiful pic of a “healthy” vegan “cheesecake” I couldn’t wait to try it. Also, I’m struggling with my toddler and his sweet tooth and try to avoid buying anything with processed sugar. When I made this dessert the other night it was a big hit and he absolutely loved it. It’s still a little high in calories and fat – but it’s completely all-natural and every ingredient is easy for your body to process – which means your body will metabolize it quickly and not hold on to the extra fat and calories. It doesn’t include added sugar – only sweetness from dates and maple syrup which is a great alternative and lower on the glycemic index.

 

Silky Raw Blueberry Cashew Cake

Serves: 8 Cooking Time: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 cup pitted dates (crust)
  • 1/2 cup almonds (crust)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla (crust)
  • 1 tbsp water (crust)
  • 2 1/2 cups raw cashews (soaked for 8 hours)
  • 3/4 cup maple syrup (the real stuff)
  • 1 cup blueberries (frozen is definitely best)
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Soak the cashews overnight in water (or in boiling water for 1 hour if you’re in a pinch).
  2. Using a food processor (or you can use a blender or do small batches in a nutribullet), combine the dates, almonds, vanilla, and water. Pulse as needed to form a sticky, workable dough. This will take a few minutes.
  3. Flatten the dough to fill the bottom of your can or mould (I used a small 6-inch pie pan).
  4. Blend the cashew, maple syrup, blueberries, and coconut oil until smooth. There should be no chunks.
  5. Pour the mixture over the crust and tap the pan to level out the mixture and remove any bubbles.
  6. Freeze the cake for at least 4-5 hours (I leave mine overnight). Leave at room temperature about 15 minutes before eating. I also think the cake would be good served a little softer (just refrigerated a few hours) and it’s more like a mousse cake.

*Recipe is from ehvegan.ca

Workouts FOR Your Baby

Most new moms tend to focus a lot (A LOT) on getting their pre-baby body back after pregnancy. So, we try to spend as much time in between feedings, sleep (or lack there of) and baby activities focusing on our own fitness. But, what about your baby? Should your baby be getting some exercise too? During your baby’s first few months of life – they don’t need too much to do and it’s all about eating,sleeping and growing. But, after about 3 months, when they start to move more (and you aren’t as afraid to take them out in public) it can be good for them to get in their own “baby workout”!

Yoga

With my first baby I tried baby yoga at a local studio and loved it. Then, I also came up with our own baby workouts and have some sample routines that you can do with your baby here. Yoga is great for babies because it stretches them, relaxes them and helps them be more aware of their newfound hands, feet and bodies. Baby yoga is great to do at home, or check for local “mommy and me” yoga classes in your city.

Swimming and Floating

The other week I took my new baby to Float Baby in Houston and loved it! I had seen an a video online and knew we had to check it out! My baby just loved being in the water and loved splashing all around. The facility was super nice and clean and each baby gets their own giant tub. Then, after we were taught how to massage our babies by the owner Kristi. My baby was super relaxed and slept very well the next few days. I would highly recommend Float Baby if you live in the Houston area. If you can’t take this class – swimming classes are great to start at a young age. Many babies love “swimming” and being in the water. Check with your local gym, YMCA or swim club.

Bouncing

For this exercise – I recommend that your baby is at least 6 months old so that they have stable head control. Obviously you also don’t want to bounce your baby too much and you want them to be safe and comfortable. But, babies (especially older babies) love to bounce and it can be great exercise for them! They love to move their legs and bouncing helps their legs get stronger and prepare for walking. I like the old fashioned Johnny Jump Up (doorway bouncer) and I also have used the Exersaucer Bouncer with both of my kids. You just don’t want to leave them alone or have them bounce for too long or they will get frustrated and not like it anymore.

 

*Please check with your baby’s pediatrician before beginning any exercises with your baby and make sure they are old enough.