staying healthy when travelling for work

shoshanashoes

Hi all,

I recently started taking care of myself again and am feeling great. However for the next 2 months I'll be away for work and it's a hectic pattern - I'll be in hotels 3 nights a week (and different ones each night sometimes). My normal pattern is to be healthy during the week and then enjoy myself a bit more at weekends because friends often want to eat out etc. Now though, I'll be eating in restaurants Mon, Tues and Wed, and having to buy lunch rather than take my own. The hotels I stay in don't have mini fridges or cooking facilities. So does anyone have any tips about the best kind of food to eat if I am being forced to eat out? I find that a lot of restaurants outside of major cities don't always have healthy options available. I'm a pescatarian so often try to order white fish when possible, but need other ideas too

Many thanks!

kitkatkarr

dont eat fried and oily food. Eat lots of veges and less saucy stuff. But I would allow some room for a bite of dessert or a bite of this. I wouldnt want to deprive myself entirely from the wonderful foods around me ;P.

Just wondering, where are you traveling to? It might help us to know about the cultural food they have there.

SamLD88

So I would bring a collapsible cooler and maybe a hot plate. You can also bring coffee and/or hot cocoa, trail mix, peanut butter, bread, and other things that store well at room temperature. You can use camping/hiking foods and some pasta kits that are "just add hot water" -- you can do all sorts of things to make your own food.

As for dealing with going out all the time, I would check calories before going if possible (or in the bathroom, on your phone, when you get there), eat only half if necessary, and focus on lighter dishes when you get there.

When I travel for work, I try my best to eat small during the morning and afternoon if know I'm going out. But, it doesn't always work. Hopefully you can get your steps and exercise up to combat anything over your daily goal. At worst, maybe you should set your goal to "maintain" instead of lose, and that might give you enough leeway to avoid guilt from overeating.

aymenz

Travelling is tough, but I find it is still about pre-planning. On your travel day, definitely pack a lunch for the plane/car/train ride – freeze a plastic water bottle the night before and use as the “coolant” for your insulated lunch bag (you can take FROZEN water past security at the airport – and by the time you get to your destination, you will have refreshing ice cold water to drink!)

Carry 100 cal packs of almonds or nuts/dried fruit for quick snacks. Stores near me also sell individual peanut butter or almond butter pouches that make a great snack when paired with an apple picked up from the hotel lobby or breakfast bar.

For "emergency lunch" when there is nothing healthy offered, a high protein bar is a good "on the go" solutions to get you by. If you don't think the restaurant will have healthy options for dinner or lunch you could pack single serving tuna packages (the ones in the foil pouches, not the cans with juice as you might not get past TSA!) an pour over a garden salad or have with wild rice and steamed veggies for an instant protein-packed meal (but in one small town I travelled to thought “steamed veggies” meant canned peas & carrots …serious that was all they had!)

And if you know the restaurants where you will be eating….always looked up the menu before you go so you have a game plan. Most places are more than willing to do steamed, sauce "on the side", grilled and etc in lieu of their regular preparation.

Good luck!

P.S. and drink LOTS OF WATER!!!

RaceB

"So I would bring a collapsible cooler and maybe a hot plate."

Yes, yes, yes. I know it's not environmentally friendly, but you can also buy a disposable styrofoam cooler in most supermarkets. Pack it with ice and you're all set.

I traveled heavily whilst in management consulting - both here and abroad. I always lost weight on the road. Seriously.

My secret was meals at the local supermarket. Hitting the salad bar, a baggette, carton of milk, etc. Basic stuff.

I stayed in hotels with fridges, but most good hotels will hold items for you over the weekend if you are a long term guest. That includes coolers, etc. Just write a name and number on it.

The best part about this routine was it was *boring* enough that after you eat a very pragmatic meal that you usually can't cook....and then you end up at the gym downstairs to burn off stress. That lead to maintaining a constant weight.

From a client perspective...my meals were always a ton cheaper than the guys hitting the restaurants or room service. I saved folks money and ate better.

I can promise you that if you follow this basic philosophy you won't get that sick feeling from the crap you have to eat on the road and you'll be healthier. win! win!

Sorry you have to travel...it gets old doesn't it!

RCfleebo

Eating healthy on the road is tough! I try to keep a bunch of healthy snacks with me at all times to fend off temptations. Nuts, hard boiled eggs, apples, string cheese, raw vegetables and protein bars are my staples. I graze on these throughout the days, then try to find a healthy option for dinner. Someone already suggested going to a grocery store instead of a restaurant - I love this! Most grocery stores have some type of salad you can buy, or you can get a rotisserie chicken and eat half for dinner and the other half for breakfast the next day. I've make a meal out of a vegetable tray and hummus. You can use the coffee pot in your hotel room to heat up a can of soup (it takes about half an hour, and you should stir it every few minutes.) For restaurants, I try to find a place that serves breakfast all day. I get a cheese omelet and ask for vegetables instead of the hash browns and toast. Applebee's has a great low calorie menu which includes a delicious cedar salmon. Wendy's salads are delicious, even without meat. Panera has a ton of great options. Many Chinese food places have a healthy section on their menu that offers dishes without sauces; I don't eat the rice, but still feel pretty full on shrimp and steamed vegetables. If you have good will power and won't be tempted to eat the bad stuff, you can find decent choices at Chinese buffets.

I do a bunch of internet research on the towns I'll be going to and try to plan out my meals ahead of time as best as I can.