Anyone travel for business? How do you stay on track?

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Hi Everyone,
First, a little about me. My name is Chris and I'm a 6'1 male, 29 years old and living in Halifax, Canada. I weigh 263 pounds, most I've ever weighed. My partner Mathew is also joining me on this weight loss journey.

However, one challenge I'm up against that might be unique, is I travel for business. I take one trip a year to The Philippines for business and I stay there for 2-3 months. On my last trip I gained over 10 pounds.

Does anyone else travel for business to foreign countries? Any tips on how to follow MFP and stay on track?
The hotel the company puts me up in is a 5 star hotel, but no kitchen or cooking area. I eat most my meals from the hotel, and also meals at local restaurants. It's 3 months of eating out for every single meal.

I go back in a couple months and I'm afraid it will totally derail me.

Thanks!

Replies

  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
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    Can you request a room with a kitchenette? If not, i'd buy a mini-fridge, hot plate, and a small microwave, then sell them on Craigslist when you're done.

    Eating out can certainly work if you limit your portion sizes. Or burn off the extra calories in the hotel's gym - your choice.
  • rendress269
    rendress269 Posts: 90 Member
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    Hi Chris, my hubby, who's dieting with me, faces travel issues, too.. He travels for shorter spurts, usually away from home for 3-4 nights during the week. We've talked about investing in a small nutri bullet (or similar) so he can make smoothies in the am. Lunch and dinner are a struggle for him as well. Perhaps if you contacted the hotel restaurant manager, they could make some menu adjustments for you. Concierge may be able to direct yoy to a local market thast can deliver fresh items for breakfast and snacks. Never hurts to ask. Good luck!
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    Contact the hotel. The kitchen can accommodate your need to have low calorie meals -- limited fried or breaded food, no high calorie sauces, lots of veggies, . . .
  • funchords
    funchords Posts: 413 Member
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    When I travel, I set MFP to "Maintain my current weight" which gives me a bunch of extra calories. This allows me to protect my weight loss and have the flexibility I need to find menu items that I can have. I still can come in under my (temporarily raised) calorie limit and lose a little weight on the trip, but as long as I stay under the maintenance limit, I'm protected against gaining.

    I also walk everywhere. I walk to the restaurant, from the restaurant. Walk when I get up in the morning. Walk if I get bored in the room. I look for places to walk -- I'll drive 5 miles to walk 2 miles in a nice park.

    Since you're there for three months, try to get into a safe eating routine. When you get through the first couple weeks under your weekly limit, you've got a template from which you can improve in future weeks.
  • starfishsailor
    starfishsailor Posts: 2 Member
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    I travel a lot for work and make several international trips all over. I try to go to a market and buy my breakfast for the week. For lunches I am usually with a group so just try to be careful. For dinner, if I can I will find a few low cal options in the hotel restaurant and try to stick to those options. Also, eat spicy food, you don't eat as much.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,028 Member
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    koelek wrote: »
    Hi, just contact the hotel where you are going to stay and ask them for the details about the food. kitchen shops near and so on.

    It's been five years since the OP. They've probably resolved this by now, and in any case are unlikely to be traveling internationally just now.