Traveling for work...how to eat clean?!

wteachwo

Hey guys,

I am new here - hello! I decided to get back on the myfitnesspal train yesterday (ahem) after being so disgusted with myself in pictures this Thanksgiving. I am standing in a wedding in a few months and would like to start my journey back to myself and a body I admire. So, here I am.

I lost a lot of weight before (but, have seemed to have yo-yo'd back) using the "eat clean" method. In general, I find my body feels better and reacts better to this way of eating, which just seems to be a common sense manner of eating healthily.

My main issue is that in the past year, I took a job that requires about 80% travel. This means I fly out on a Sunday night usually, and am living in a hotel until Thursday morning. I live and die by what I can pack in a suitcase, what travels well (without spoiling or becoming uncomfortably warm) and can be made in a hotel. I've tried looking at various websites about "eating clean on the road" but they seem to assume I'll be traveling in a car, and I'm not. Getting liquids through TSA in a carry on ain't gonna happen, and I'm already pressed for bin space and can't fit a huge cooler.

On the weekends (meaning Thursday night-Sunday morning) I am home and have my regular kitchen, but making clean food (which seems to require weekly prep) for only a few days when I will be leaving has been hard. In addition, I've fallen victim to just rolling up to the Whole Foods hot bar every night (including nights I am at home) and piling a container with all sorts of food and not noticing portion sizes, etc. I especially have gotten to love their mac and cheese (which I take a very large helping of) and then the Whole Foods cookie bar that stares at me as I walk out...what's a few chocolate covered jumbo pretzels...and before I know it I've binged on mac and cheese and chocolate. Ouch!

My question is: What are clean foods that travel well, can be prepared in advance (which I am willing to do if they can last on a trip) and things that are good in single servings? I am really struggling with maintaining a healthy lifestyle on the road and am feeling helpless.

Thanks!

concordancia

1) buy yourself a cooler and some ice packs. Then you can take pre made meals
2) Do you get a car? Make grocery shopping a priority
3) As for actual foods, nuts and nut butters travel very well, as do most fruits (and they make a great combination). Oatmeal can be made with hot water from the coffee pot in your hotel room (for 5 minute steel cut oats, you will want to use a thermos). Consider taking canned beans and some spices. Some wouldn't consider it "clean," but V8 doesn't need to be refrigerated until after it is opened. Would you consider frozen foods from Amy's or Kashi?

ana3067

It might be easier if you just figure out your maintenance calorie needs and subtract 20% from that, and then when you are traveling just eat what is available. Mostly because you don't need to eat clean to lose weight, and you should be eating in a way that is sustainable not just long-term but also sustainable based on your lifestyle. Doesn't sound like being restrictive is conducive to your current lifestyle.

wteachwo

concordancia wrote: »

1) buy yourself a cooler and some ice packs. Then you can take pre made meals
2) Do you get a car? Make grocery shopping a priority
3) As for actual foods, nuts and nut butters travel very well, as do most fruits (and they make a great combination). Oatmeal can be made with hot water from the coffee pot in your hotel room (for 5 minute steel cut oats, you will want to use a thermos). Consider taking canned beans and some spices. Some wouldn't consider it "clean," but V8 doesn't need to be refrigerated until after it is opened. Would you consider frozen foods from Amy's or Kashi?

I hadn't thought about the canned beans. I can easily heat those in my microwave in the hotel.

Also I've discovered Trader Joes (we don't have those where I'm from). Seems legit this week when I am challenging myself to "make" every meal in my hotel room as opposed to going out to eat.

wteachwo

ana3067 wrote: »

It might be easier if you just figure out your maintenance calorie needs and subtract 20% from that, and then when you are traveling just eat what is available. Mostly because you don't need to eat clean to lose weight, and you should be eating in a way that is sustainable not just long-term but also sustainable based on your lifestyle. Doesn't sound like being restrictive is conducive to your current lifestyle.

That's a good point, but my problem is when I am stuck on a layover that gets delayed and then it's 2.5 hours stuck at the gate with just Biscoff cookies and Chex Mix as the option, I'll binge and eat that until I am "full". I think that planning ahead and having some options in my bag may work.

I tried Think Thin protein bars last week and my stomach revolted, so that's a no-go.

BarbieAS

Are you looking for foods that you can bring with you to eat during the Sunday-Thursday that you're staying at the hotel, or are you looking for foods just to have with you during flights/periods of travel? Do you have access to a car and/or a grocery store while you're away from home? What sort of stipend or reimbursement do you receive from your company for meals while travelling for work? What sort of kitchen appliances/equipment do you typically have access to? I know some of these answers can vary depending on where you're travelling to, but just in general.

SingRunTing

wteachwo wrote: »

ana3067 wrote: »

It might be easier if you just figure out your maintenance calorie needs and subtract 20% from that, and then when you are traveling just eat what is available. Mostly because you don't need to eat clean to lose weight, and you should be eating in a way that is sustainable not just long-term but also sustainable based on your lifestyle. Doesn't sound like being restrictive is conducive to your current lifestyle.

That's a good point, but my problem is when I am stuck on a layover that gets delayed and then it's 2.5 hours stuck at the gate with just Biscoff cookies and Chex Mix as the option, I'll binge and eat that until I am "full". I think that planning ahead and having some options in my bag may work.

I tried Think Thin protein bars last week and my stomach revolted, so that's a no-go.

But don't most gates have places to buy food?

I get packing snacks to save money, but you certainly wouldn't be stuck for hours with zero food options besides what you brought with you. Learning how to eat non-home prepped food while staying within your calories/macros is an important skill since everyone eats out sometimes.

However, like I said, I get wanting to pack to save money. What I tend to pack for plane trips are anything I would normal eat that doesn't need refrigeration. Like peanut butter sandwiches, chips, carrot sticks, apples, etc. They all travel pretty well.

wteachwo

BarbieAS wrote: »

Are you looking for foods that you can bring with you to eat during the Sunday-Thursday that you're staying at the hotel, or are you looking for foods just to have with you during flights/periods of travel? Do you have access to a car and/or a grocery store while you're away from home? What sort of stipend or reimbursement do you receive from your company for meals while travelling for work? What sort of kitchen appliances/equipment do you typically have access to? I know some of these answers can vary depending on where you're travelling to, but just in general.

1. Both. Looking for foods I can bring with me during the travel days (no fridge and usually stuck in an airport or plane with very limited options) and during the week (in hotel with fridge and microwave, but no kitchen to "cook" anything).
2. I have a rental car and the city I am currently in has both Whole Foods and Trader Joes. When I am home, I have access to a Whole Foods but no TJ.
3. $50/day for food stipend. I can stretch that to "groceries" generically all week if I want.
4. I have access to a microwave and fridge, and hot water. Nothing else.

bellaa_x0

i traveled similarly last year for work and still continued to lose weight. i brought protein powder, protein bars and oatmeal with me. i also packed snacks (pretzels, banana chips, nuts) that i could portion out since i brought baggies and my food scale. if it was available, i picked up items once arriving (i.e. fruit) at my destination. for lunch and dinner, we ate typically at places where i could look up the nutrition info online so i could choose a dish that would be in line with my daily goal.

maxit

For travel days where there is no access to a restaurant where you might be able to get something reasonable, fruit and nuts & peanut butter sandwiches are my go-to options. Once in a hotel with a fridge/microwave, my go-to breakfast (greek yogurt, fruit, whole grain cereal) would be feasible, as would be something like an egg/avocado sandwich - that's easy (pack a glass bowl & plate to use as a lid). I would eat out for at least one meal a day - salads with added protein and oil/vinegar or lemon dressing you can find almost anywhere. For dinners out, a lean protein and steamed veggies are something you can get almost everywhere, too (in my experience restaurants have agreed to steam fresh veggies rather than serve them other ways), and even Chinese restaurants have agreed to steam a main dish for me (shrimp with veggies, for example) and serve a sauce on the side. If you decide to cook in, you can nuke seafood and veggies, or do a nuked omelet, or do some beans and rice; you can get a plug-in hotpot into your suitcase which you can use to heat stuff up too - It doesn't have to be complicated.

Being on the road that much is exhausting - don't make it harder than it needs to be

xmichaelyx

Doesn't really answer your question, but ...

When I have to stay in a hotel with no fridge, I buy a crappy $3 styrofoam cooler and a bag of ice from 7/11. Just about anything that doesn't have to be frozen will keep fine for about a week.

Cortneyrenee04

I always bring granola bars with me on flights in case I get hungry. At the airport, I usually can find a banana or apple somewhere to go with it. Peanuts travel well and help keep you full.

When I get into town, I go to the nearest grocery store (that I looked up before I left and planned the route) and get snacks, salads, and any drinks I might want. You can also find the nearest convenience store in case you run out of something.

I would definitely just watch your portions while you're traveling and not worry so much about perfectly clean eating. And when you're home, you can buy things in small amounts and/or make some big meals, divide them into single servings and fill up the freezer!

Serah87

wteachwo wrote: »

I lost a lot of weight before (but, have seemed to have yo-yo'd back) using the "eat clean" method. In general, I find my body feels better and reacts better to this way of eating, which just seems to be a common sense manner of eating healthily.

Maybe the reason you gained your weight back is that you overly restrict yourself.

You can still gain weight eating "clean" (whatever that means) foods. All you need to do is be in deficit to lose weight.

I had to stay in a motel for 2 weeks that only had a refrigerator w/a small freezer and a microwave. For breakfasts: I had instant oatmeal or hard boiled eggs and microwave bacon. Lunches: sandwich made stuff like peanut butter or ham & cheese sandwiches and chips/crackers.
Dinners: Got a rotisserie chicken (this lasted a few days), minute made rice cups, frozen dinners and meat loaf from deli and instant mash potatoes, salads, etc.
Snacks: fresh fruit, nuts, protein bars, granola bars, chocolate, ice cream, etc.

ETA: I kept up with my workout and lost 3 pounds.

Liftng4Lis

Nuts, protein bars, pre-packaged trail mixes, popcorn. Pre-log, preplan and prepackage. You've done it before, so you already have the recipe.

mezyk

I live off of the gas station/ airport shops that sell protein shakes. They aren't the best but certainly a world of difference from fast food!

wteachwo

Serah87 wrote: »

wteachwo wrote: »

I lost a lot of weight before (but, have seemed to have yo-yo'd back) using the "eat clean" method. In general, I find my body feels better and reacts better to this way of eating, which just seems to be a common sense manner of eating healthily.

Maybe the reason you gained your weight back is that you overly restrict yourself.

This is a good point. Even though it's only day 2 of me taking a hard look at my habits (eating and otherwise), I am realizing that when I go on one of these "I'm gonna lose weight" tears I restrict so much I feel deprived, hungry, and honestly, kind of depressed. I used to think that eating a banana at breakfast was too "sugary" when dieting but the past three mornings I've done instant oatmeal, a banana and hardboiled eggs and I feel satisfied, alert, and most of all, without chocolate or sugar cravings. I feel a marked improvement as opposed to my old restrictive habits.

Penny5518

You can cook most veggies in a microwave, and jacket potatoes too, so that could be an easy quick meal in a hotel. Pasta and soup also work surprisingly well with just a microwave.

jenilla1

When eating out, try salads, dressing on the side, add grilled chicken or fish.

HaggisWhisperer

Penny5518 wrote: »

You can cook most veggies in a microwave, and jacket potatoes too, so that could be an easy quick meal in a hotel. Pasta and soup also work surprisingly well with just a microwave.

I was thinking this - I've taken to cooking my "zoodles" in the microwave. I just add a splash of water to them, cover (with a steam hole) and nuke for ~4.5 mins. You could toss those in some pesto. You can also microwave eggs if you are careful - I crack one or two into a teacup, prod the yolk with a fork a few times then microwave in 10 second bursts until it is ready. Once it is cool you could have that with a bagged salad.

Maybe you should get yourself a book on microwave cookery? Just pack the food you need for travelling and then get your week day supplies when you arrive.

nikjackson18

I used to travel a lot for work and would be in a hotel from Sunday night to Friday morning. I used to drive to the supermarket and get salad stuff. I could have it for my evening meal. Maybe something like instant porridge for breakfast, that could be made with a kettle of hot water. Lunch could be more salad, lots of supermarkets have salad bars so I could make up salads for lunch and/or evening meal and still eat healthily. I would take a small cookbag with me to keep things cool throughout the day.

I only worked and travelled a lot for a couple of years but the weight stayed off, in fact I lost over 2 stone.
I only had a kettle and a fridge, no access to a microwave.

willrun4bagels

wteachwo wrote: »

concordancia wrote: »

1) buy yourself a cooler and some ice packs. Then you can take pre made meals
2) Do you get a car? Make grocery shopping a priority
3) As for actual foods, nuts and nut butters travel very well, as do most fruits (and they make a great combination). Oatmeal can be made with hot water from the coffee pot in your hotel room (for 5 minute steel cut oats, you will want to use a thermos). Consider taking canned beans and some spices. Some wouldn't consider it "clean," but V8 doesn't need to be refrigerated until after it is opened. Would you consider frozen foods from Amy's or Kashi?

I hadn't thought about the canned beans. I can easily heat those in my microwave in the hotel.

Also I've discovered Trader Joes (we don't have those where I'm from). Seems legit this week when I am challenging myself to "make" every meal in my hotel room as opposed to going out to eat.

Trader Joe's has a microwavable vegetarian organic chili in a can that is to die for (there's also chicken and turkey chili that my husband likes). I drive almost an hour to the closest TJ's near me once a month to buy it. I regularly have a whole can as a meal, and I add in plain greek yogurt and cheese to add some substance to it.

cub1771

Do you get to choose what kind of hotel you stay at? I traveled a lot and still managed to lose a lot of weight. I started staying at Extended Stays or Candlewood Suites that had kitchens.

If your company doesn't offer that, ask them if instead of booking your room if they will just give you the money for the room and the $50/day for food and book your own room with a kitchenette. You should be able to grocery shop for $15-25/day and cook meals on a stove top.

Also, try hitting the treadmill or elliptical in the hotel gym if they have one or see if the hotel has an agreement with a local gym for free passes or discounted weekly cards. I used to love hitting the gym while on the road as a stress release and to keep my mind occupied from missing my wife and kids at home.

spoiledpuppies

When I travel for work, I joke that half of my suitcase is full of food. Planning ahead is essential for me--or at least having a lot of healthier options that won't trigger bad eating. Sometimes I come home with a lot of it (and sometimes even more if I found some great healthy options that I haven't seen at home). But knowing it's available is a huge help to me.

Jennifer_Lynn_1982

Like many have said, pre-planning is the way to go!

I used to travel from Sunday night - Friday night with a few layovers that always got delayed in the winter months.

For me, I eat oatmeal in the morning, a salad from Subway with oil/vinegar dressing for lunch, a healthy meal from a restaurant for dinner (steamed fish/baked chicken with steamed veggies, no dressing) and I even had room in my calories to have a glass of wine with dinner! I would always bring workout gear and workout 3 times per week and on my travel days. I'd also bring protein powder (easily mix in my to-go water bottle in the airport) or protein bars so it was always easy for me to stay on track while traveling and to have snacks available between meals during the week.

On my last business trip, I had a kitchen so I hit up the grocery store nearby and I bought yogurt and fruit for breakfast and pre-made salads with hard-boiled eggs for lunch. With my daily allowance, I was able to still eat out for dinner.

Good luck to you!

jgnatca

I learned while I was diabetic to always have a stash of protein-rich snacks handy. My blood sugars were much more stable if I ate every two hours. There's peanuts (any nuts really). Two bars I like are Simply bars and Taste of Nature bars. I have Premier Protein drinks on hand, too. There's hiker's mix but you really have to watch the portions. Unless you plan on climbing a mountain that day. These are the sorts of snacks you can carry with you if you get stuck at a layover for instance.

I got thinking about what you can bring along in your luggage and it occurred to me that you might benefit from dried or dehydrated foods that can be reconstituted with water. Water will be available wherever you are. I bet there are interesting choices at a local camper's store.

lemurcat12

The really tough part for me would be the protein, and I know TJ's has some decent salads with protein that would work. (Also you can pick up some yogurt or cottage cheese.) As others have said, hard-boiled eggs (if you can transport them), fruits and raw veggies, and oatmeal are great for breakfast. I might bring some protein bars for snacks (maybe not "clean," but I like them). I also like the smoked salmon from WF as a protein option. Other stuff I rely on is more perishable.

I'd probably end up mostly eating out for dinner (when I travel it seems like this is part of the job anyway, sigh), and just being careful when ordering. What is actually easier is doing stuff like the TJ salad for dinner and getting lunch from a place that has calorie information and good options (I used to travel to NYC all the time and the place I was working was across the street from a Pret, which was handy).

jh48200

I traveled for 15 years and that makes it very difficult when it comes to eating. Lugging items around with me was never an option... so I always made sure I made trip to grocery stores to purchase items that I planned to cook in my room. Best of luck....

kevinuc74

What hotel do you stay at? I travel for work as well and now try to stay at a Courtyard Marriott when possible. They have a kitchen/bar that serves food and all the calories are listed. They have a lot of healthy options and the one egg white sandwich you can get in the morning is delicious.

I also generally bring nuts, single serve Quaker Oatmeal cups with me, Nature Valley granola bars as they are all easy to pack. I also bring my brita water bottle to make sure I always have water and just drink that while I'm away, besides coffee.

I also always check out where a Subway is as that's another good option for eating out and it's cheap.

I'll always find a local grocery store too so I can pick up yogurt and cottage cheese.

If I have to go out with coworkers for dinner or lunch, I just order something healthy. Most restaurants have options or will make something for you minus the add ons.

Just make sure you work out and you'll be fine.

wibutterflymagic

I haven't read all the suggestions so someone may have already said this but check out the other grocery stores. Many of ours around here have salad bars and look at the deli counters too. You could get some sliced meat, cheeses and fresh rolls to have a quick sandwich. You said you have a little fridge so you have lots of options for a little bit of fresh food....salad fixins' etc. Take a microwavable bowl with you and you can cook eggs in the microwave and whole oat oatmeal. For your travel days I'd look for nuts, beef sticks/jerky, granola, protein bars and fruit.

Renibee

Brown Rice Cakes and organic peanut butter are great quick snacks you can also keep on you in the hotel if you want to change up your snacks!

wteachwo

kevinuc74 wrote: »

What hotel do you stay at? I travel for work as well and now try to stay at a Courtyard Marriott when possible. They have a kitchen/bar that serves food and all the calories are listed. They have a lot of healthy options and the one egg white sandwich you can get in the morning is delicious.

I just switched to a Hampton Inn and this place seems to have more amenities than my last hotel. Single serving containers, silverware and microwave all available. Also fresh-baked cookies in the lobby that I have diligent tried to avoid. Can we tell cookies are my downfall....

Thanks so much for all of these suggestions. So far this week I have counted my calories every day and used my fridge and microwave as my source of food. I've felt full and not deprived, yay!

Another issue for me is when I eat out I get tempted to order dessert Every. Single. Time. With this method, so far, I am sticking to my goal. Trying to stay on track day by day and not get too ahead of myself. I travel tomorrow (and it's a long day - 8 hours) so I'm going to employ some of these ideas.

My issue the past few weeks has been getting stuck unexpectedly and then becoming ravenous. My previous commute was very short and this longer one is kicking me in the *kitten*. Once I landed I binged on a huge quesadilla and tortilla meal, in addition to a large dessert. Hopefully I avoid that fate.