On a cruise? Stop waiting for an elevator and take the stairs!

My advice to people nervous about gaining a little extra weight on a cruise is to always take the stairs!  It’s so easy to wait for the elevators, and convince yourself that it’s too many floors.  Start by taking the stairs and if it gets too much and you’re out of breath or something is hurting, then you can always stop and take the elevator the rest of the way.  I don’t like waiting for the elevators; so, taking the stairs is perfect for me as I can control how quickly I get to where I’m trying to go. 

According to a livestrong.com article by Shannon Torphy, “the number of calories burned when taking the stairs differs depending on your weight. A 150-lb. person will burn an average of 7 calories per minute walking up the stairs, as opposed to 1 calorie per minute when taking the elevator. A person who weighs less will burn fewer calories, while a person weighing more will burn more calories.” 

Torphy also points out that going down the stairs almost burns as many calories, 6 to 7 calories per minute, as walking up the stairs. “By taking the stairs for five minutes a day five days a week, the typical person can expect to lose about 2.5 pounds in a year.”

How does that equate to a typical day on a cruise ship?
By taking the stairs, you’ll burn approximately 2 to 4 calories per flight. On today’s modern cruise ships, assume you’ll take the stairs to and from all your meals and some activities. You can burn an extra 200-250 calories per day just for switching to the stairs!

Want to burn even more calories while taking the stairs?   
Try these tips! 

• Skip some 

As you are walking up the stairs, skip every other step.  This will further engage your legs and core more. Increase the difficultly by not holding onto the railing as you won’t be tempted to use your arms to help pull you up.  

• Run – Walk

Run up a flight of stairs and get your heart rate pumping and then walk up the next flight to recover, and repeat to you get to your destination. 

• Calf Raises

If you’re the only one on the stairs, take a few seconds to do some calf raises. Stop at the top and have your heels hang off the stairs to allow for a good stretch.  Then raise your heel up as far as possible, then lower and do it 10 – 15 times. Hold on to the railing to help you keep your balance.

Freshcruiser Tip: Next time you’re waiting for an elevator on a cruise ship, consider going up a flight or two of stairs and see how far you can go!