Anyone else struggle with business trips?

IllustratedxGirl

Hi everyone,

Wanted to reach out and see if anyone else has trouble staying on track when traveling for business. I travel a couple times a month for 2-3 days each. I'm pretty good about still exercising because I'm a Classpass member, and they are in all major cities. What I have a hard time with is watching what I eat/drink and continuing to log my food. I'm in sales so after pitches, we are always taking potential clients out for dinner and drinks afterwards. As a salesperson, I'm pretty much expected to drink with them lol. My boss will order all kinds of food and I'm not the best at restraining myself in those situations.

I'm pretty good about getting salads or whatever for lunch if I'm on my own.

When we do conferences they serve free food and alcohol all day so those are the worst.

I know the simple answer is to just not do it.. but I wanted to see if anyone else struggles with this and if you have any tips for making it easier to manage.

Thanks!

75poundgoal

I can totally relate, I am in a very similar position. The hardest thing for me is getting back on track after returning from a trip where I haven't eaten great. It seems to take me a few days to recover. Some trips are better than others but it is a constant struggle to stay focused and not let the trips get out of control.

ElizabethOakes2

I work for myself, so I don't often take business trips, but I do a lot of conventions, and yes, it's hard! Most of the time, the hotels I stay in have great fitness centers and pools, so exercise isn't a problem, but food? Eating out is hard for me- usually there's a healthy choice on the menu, but it's nothing that i want to eat, especially after a day on my feet doing the meet-and-greet thing! I always end up working hard to 'make up for it' when I get back.

CarlydogsMom

Yup, it's definitely a challenge. I don't have a lot of answers, especially easy answers. Much comes down to how much you're willing to allow for a few lapses and work harder when you're home; or steel yourself mentally away from some temptations; or build in those temptations into an overall plan.

I tend to allow myself "two" (example) "freebie" fun things per day, i.e. one cookie from the afternoon break snack-fest and two glasses instead of one glass of wine. I try to eat smaller meals when I do that. Or, I try to focus on eating lower-carb meals and go more low-carb over those days. So, an egg and some sort of meat for breakfast, which fills me up; salad for lunch (often from a sandwich bar, I'll take the meat, cheese, lettuce, onion, and tomato and make a salad and skip the bread); and grilled meat and veggies for dinner.

So I make it more of a trade-off than a restriction that has to depend on motivation and willpower.

I'm also terrible at doing ANY workouts while at a hotel. Even when I have the time, I tend to veg in front of the TV. I hate it, but that's what I do. What you COULD do is load up an app like Sworkit or JeFit, or You Are Your Own Gym, or find something online (search for "hotel workout" or something) that you can do in your room or with the often-limited machines/equipment in hotel gyms. Make a deal with yourself to go at least once while you're gone, and then take walks when you can.

Find a travel buddy that will work out with you or eat with you and keep you accountable.

Pack travel snacks--baggies of nuts, dried fruit, veggies, etc. that you can toss into your briefcase and have on hand.

Other ideas welcome....traveling in all forms is tough for me.

haviegirl

As far as drinking goes, is it expected that you drink alcohol or that you have a glass in your hand with everyone else? I'm not much of a drinker of alcohol, so I order club soda with lemon or lime (no calories) most of the time. I don't stand out whatsoever.

IllustratedxGirl

ElizabethOakes2 wrote: »

I work for myself, so I don't often take business trips, but I do a lot of conventions, and yes, it's hard! Most of the time, the hotels I stay in have great fitness centers and pools, so exercise isn't a problem, but food? Eating out is hard for me- usually there's a healthy choice on the menu, but it's nothing that i want to eat, especially after a day on my feet doing the meet-and-greet thing! I always end up working hard to 'make up for it' when I get back.

I know! I always want to go crazy on the sweets while traveling.. or the over indulgent dinner foods

IllustratedxGirl

CarlydogsMom wrote: »

Yup, it's definitely a challenge. I don't have a lot of answers, especially easy answers. Much comes down to how much you're willing to allow for a few lapses and work harder when you're home; or steel yourself mentally away from some temptations; or build in those temptations into an overall plan.

I tend to allow myself "two" (example) "freebie" fun things per day, i.e. one cookie from the afternoon break snack-fest and two glasses instead of one glass of wine. I try to eat smaller meals when I do that. Or, I try to focus on eating lower-carb meals and go more low-carb over those days. So, an egg and some sort of meat for breakfast, which fills me up; salad for lunch (often from a sandwich bar, I'll take the meat, cheese, lettuce, onion, and tomato and make a salad and skip the bread); and grilled meat and veggies for dinner.

So I make it more of a trade-off than a restriction that has to depend on motivation and willpower.

I'm also terrible at doing ANY workouts while at a hotel. Even when I have the time, I tend to veg in front of the TV. I hate it, but that's what I do. What you COULD do is load up an app like Sworkit or JeFit, or You Are Your Own Gym, or find something online (search for "hotel workout" or something) that you can do in your room or with the often-limited machines/equipment in hotel gyms. Make a deal with yourself to go at least once while you're gone, and then take walks when you can.

Find a travel buddy that will work out with you or eat with you and keep you accountable.

Pack travel snacks--baggies of nuts, dried fruit, veggies, etc. that you can toss into your briefcase and have on hand.

Other ideas welcome....traveling in all forms is tough for me.

I try to make it a point to eat salads while on business trips because I know I'm going to be eating a lot of things I would not normally eat. I eat chocolate every day so maybe when I'm traveling I can skip the chocolate to make room for the wine I'll inevitably be drinking. But I love to experience different food while traveling, and it's hard for me to turn down deserts lol which is why I typically save room for them at home..

The one thing I am good at is making myself up up at 6 am to do a class while traveling! Classpass is in all major cities so I find it pretty easy to find something to attend. I'd probably never use a hotel gym, even if I told myself I was going to lol

Travel buddy probably not going to happen because I go for business, and my boss who I travel with has other things to worry about than what I'm eating (heck, we all do).

Have you looked into Classpass in your area? It's so great in LA, and it makes working out while on the road a breeze. I love it because I travel so much

20yearsyounger

IllustratedxGirl wrote: »

Hi everyone,

Wanted to reach out and see if anyone else has trouble staying on track when traveling for business. I travel a couple times a month for 2-3 days each. I'm pretty good about still exercising because I'm a Classpass member, and they are in all major cities. What I have a hard time with is watching what I eat/drink and continuing to log my food. I'm in sales so after pitches, we are always taking potential clients out for dinner and drinks afterwards. As a salesperson, I'm pretty much expected to drink with them lol. My boss will order all kinds of food and I'm not the best at restraining myself in those situations.

I'm pretty good about getting salads or whatever for lunch if I'm on my own.

When we do conferences they serve free food and alcohol all day so those are the worst.

I know the simple answer is to just not do it.. but I wanted to see if anyone else struggles with this and if you have any tips for making it easier to manage.

Thanks!

The answer is not so simple. I am on a business trip right now typing this trying to decide what I am going to eat with my team tonight. I dont drink as much as I used to. 1 or 2 drinks and I nurse them. I get a good workout in the morning that cancels out breakfast. I have a sensible lunch (as there is not much alcohol during lunch time) and I have the bulk of my calories for dinner since it would be rude not to entertain clients/my team at night. I think I have the calories down pack. Now I am working on the sodium.

IllustratedxGirl

haviegirl wrote: »

As far as drinking goes, is it expected that you drink alcohol or that you have a glass in your hand with everyone else? I'm not much of a drinker of alcohol, so I order club soda with lemon or lime (no calories) most of the time. I don't stand out whatsoever.

It's definitely more of a cultural bonding-over-drinking type of thing. I am going to try drinking one glass over the course of 3 hours next time lol but I am not very good at that.

We also all order together so club soda wouldn't work

tiny_clanger

I have IBS and food intolerances, as well as travelling a lot with work, which can be a bit of a struggle. I've bought Huel (http://huel.com/) and eat this for breakfast and sometimes lunch when I'm away. It means I can precisely control my calories and nutrition, rather than eating horrible hotel breakfasts and lunch food that makes me sick. I eat a proper dinner if I can, but it's nice knowing I can resort to the huel if I can't find anything healthy I want to eat.

IllustratedxGirl

20yearsyounger wrote: »

The answer is not so simple. I am on a business trip right now typing this trying to decide what I am going to eat with my team tonight. I dont drink as much as I used to. 1 or 2 drinks and I nurse them. I get a good workout in the morning that cancels out breakfast. I have a sensible lunch (as there is not much alcohol during lunch time) and I have the bulk of my calories for dinner since it would be rude not to entertain clients/my team at night. I think I have the calories down pack. Now I am working on the sodium.

Sounds just like my situation and what I am working towards.

I also suck at logging food while traveling, so I'm going to commit to myself now that I will improve there

20yearsyounger

IllustratedxGirl wrote: »

20yearsyounger wrote: »

The answer is not so simple. I am on a business trip right now typing this trying to decide what I am going to eat with my team tonight. I dont drink as much as I used to. 1 or 2 drinks and I nurse them. I get a good workout in the morning that cancels out breakfast. I have a sensible lunch (as there is not much alcohol during lunch time) and I have the bulk of my calories for dinner since it would be rude not to entertain clients/my team at night. I think I have the calories down pack. Now I am working on the sodium.

Sounds just like my situation and what I am working towards.

I also suck at logging food while traveling, so I'm going to commit to myself now that I will improve there

My logging is good because I travel If not I will automatically gain weight. I have been doing this for 18 years now and never cared until health problems started surfacing. I thought I had to quit my job as I eat much different at home (still drink the same). However, logging makes it all work, and I am back to what I used to be when I first started.

GiddyupTim

I think you make too much of the bonding/drinking connection. I do not drink. Never have. I can sit with people who do and have a soda water or something. People really do not care. If you are not making a big deal out of it, they aren't.
Nobody has ever said, about me: "I am not hanging out with him anymore! You know, he's a teatotaller! I much prefer someone who slurs their words and stops making sense after an hour or so."
Would you chose not to do business with someone because they did not drink? Seems to me, I might prefer it. You can be sociable without being inebriated.
As for the food, I find that travel upsets all the rhythms. And, there is temptation everywhere you turn. But, you know what I realized when I really thought about it?
I don't need that Starbucks drink just because I am in the airport and my flight does not leave for 45 minutes.
The convention banquet and appetizers? They were terrible and I did not want them anyway.
I started strictly limiting myself -- no empty-calorie food or bad coffee on the airplane. No food while standing. No food from hot plates.
I purchased only good coffee, first thing in the morning and, when I needed it, in the afternoon. But, no more "oh it's the 10 AM break, must have hotel urn coffee.
I ate only mealtimes, when I was hungry.
Main thing: I started feeling much better, and sleeping much better in the unfamiliar hotel beds.
Clients will understand. They go someplace maybe one time a year. You are on the road all the time. you have to operate differently.
I seriously doubt that your boss is going to object if you don't want the hors d'oeuvres. He's going to be impressed by restraint, unless he is an *kitten*. He's not going to look at you and say: "Hey, I can tell from the width of your hips that you not been eating my potato skins! I'm taking it out of your paycheck!"

Annieway987

I've been traveling about 2 weeks out of each month to Europe, mostly Switzerland and Germany. I am something of a foodie and would not think of missing out on the delicious offerings of each country which are paid for by my employer. My concession to limiting calories is to make one meal per day a Quest bar. The lunch offered by the companies I visit is usually sandwiches, and, although the bread is really good, they tend to have minimal fillings (like 2 thin slices of salami and a pickle on a nice roll - that's just the way they make sandwiches there). So lunch is usually under control. That leaves one meal where I enjoy myself, either breakfast or dinner depending on where I am and what is offered nearby. I'm not a big drinker and I can live without desert. I try to get lower calorie options but not always. I walk for exercise and to see the sights (very safe in those countries even at night). And I'm super careful about what I eat after I get home. This travel won't last much longer and I'm OK with maintaining at this time so I can enjoy this opportunity to see Europe on someone else's dime and enjoy the culture, which includes food.

20yearsyounger

tufel wrote: »

I think you make too much of the bonding/drinking connection. I do not drink. Never have. I can sit with people who do and have a soda water or something. People really do not care. If you are not making a big deal out of it, they aren't.
Nobody has ever said, about me: "I am not hanging out with him anymore! You know, he's a teatotaller! I much prefer someone who slurs their words and stops making sense after an hour or so."
Would you chose not to do business with someone because they did not drink? Seems to me, I might prefer it. You can be sociable without being inebriated.
As for the food, I find that travel upsets all the rhythms. And, there is temptation everywhere you turn. But, you know what I realized when I really thought about it?
I don't need that Starbucks drink just because I am in the airport and my flight does not leave for 45 minutes.
The convention banquet and appetizers? They were terrible and I did not want them anyway.
I started strictly limiting myself -- no empty-calorie food or bad coffee on the airplane. No food while standing. No food from hot plates.
I purchased only good coffee, first thing in the morning and, when I needed it, in the afternoon. But, no more "oh it's the 10 AM break, must have hotel urn coffee.
I ate only mealtimes, when I was hungry.
Main thing: I started feeling much better, and sleeping much better in the unfamiliar hotel beds.
Clients will understand. They go someplace maybe one time a year. You are on the road all the time. you have to operate differently.
I seriously doubt that your boss is going to object if you don't want the hors d'oeuvres. He's going to be impressed by restraint, unless he is an *kitten*. He's not going to look at you and say: "Hey, I can tell from the width of your hips that you not been eating my potato skins! I'm taking it out of your paycheck!"

One thing that resonates from this post is that people are truly mpressed by restraint. What I notice usually happens is that the first day people eat what they want and I choose a sensible meal. The 2nd day everyone is ordering salads