Staying on track & focused when travelling

LazyButHealthy

I travel frequently for work and often find it really challenging to understand the calorific value of what i might be eating. This is particularly difficult in African countries where there are high levels of oil-fried foods.

I try to focus on grilled chicken as a safe bet, but the dressings are usually so DELICIOUS and I usually forget to ask them to keep the dressings separate.
Also, salads are a no-go unless from certain places I know to be ok so it's often with rice, chips or potatoes.

Tomorrow I travel to Nairobi again for a week, and though lunch is a little easier (there is an amazing salad place near the office) most dinners will be at the hotel or out in a restaurant 6 nights in a row.
I then get 2 nights at home in London, and then 3 nights in another hotel for a conference...

So, first ask for advice is for all the hotel and restaurant breakfasts and dinners...


This is the first time I've been this committed to losing weight & getting healthy, so won't be as relax as before. I also intend to spend time in the hotel gym which i used to never, ever consider. Previosuly, travelling meant faling off the wagon, and then taking a very long time at home to get back on. No more.

But, no kitchen scales, no barcodes, no branded items.. Second ask for advise is how should I approach logging?

SezxyStef

When I am travelling and can log but can't really weigh my food etc...I eat until I am satisfied and call it good and look for something in the database that could be correct.

If I can't log I eat until satisfied not stuffed...not full...satisfied.

I drink my water, go for walks and workout when I can.

The hotel should have some sort of nutritional value if it's a "chain".

cbelc2

I try to find vegetables and lean protein on the menu. I double the vegetables. If there is a whole grain option, I'll get a serving. I've never been to Africa or to England. Can you drink water instead of sweet drinks? You couldn't pay me to eat a chip or anything fried. Portion size your rice. Beans are a great carb/protein option. If you have the choice for breakfast, look for water cooked eggs (poached, boiled) and oats and plain fruits. Don't order bread anywhere as it's a huge calorie trap. You may have to rearrange the menu and pay a larger tip. I'm traveling this weekend also, but it's to the beach.

LazyButHealthy

SezxyStef wrote: »

When I am travelling and can log but can't really weigh my food etc...I eat until I am satisfied and call it good and look for something in the database that could be correct.

If I can't log I eat until satisfied not stuffed...not full...satisfied.

I drink my water, go for walks and workout when I can.

The hotel should have some sort of nutritional value if it's a "chain".

It's a Kenyan hotel, not an international chain, so no published nutritional reports.

I'll just try to choose wisely. thanks.

LazyButHealthy

cbelc2 wrote: »

I try to find vegetables and lean protein on the menu. I double the vegetables. If there is a whole grain option, I'll get a serving. I've never been to Africa or to England. Can you drink water instead of sweet drinks? You couldn't pay me to eat a chip or anything fried. Portion size your rice. Beans are a great carb/protein option. If you have the choice for breakfast, look for water cooked eggs (poached, boiled) and oats and plain fruits. Don't order bread anywhere as it's a huge calorie trap. You may have to rearrange the menu and pay a larger tip. I'm traveling this weekend also, but it's to the beach.

I drink loads of water (in UK from the tap, in Kenya from a bottle).

Good point on the breads - i LOVE bread but now careful logging it, so I might just avoid totally.

Eggs and fruit shouldn't be a problem. Not sure I'll have access to oats. I'll try to keep it simple, and focus on grilled chicken and veg for dinner.
Thanks.

CattOfTheGarage

cbelc2 wrote: »

You couldn't pay me to eat a chip or anything fried.

You couldn't pay me not to.

I say log. The database is pretty comprehensive, the African dish you're eating may be there, and if it's not, find something similar. I know people get all upset at the idea of eyeballing, but an eyeballed estimate is better than not logging at all, or restricting yourself to sad plates of plain potatoes because you know how many calories are in them! Seriously, that kind of stuff smacks of orthorexia to me!

I am an engineer. I have often had to calculate the weight of a new ship by adding up the weights of every tiny thing on it. You do it as accurately as you can, but you don't always know exactly what kinds of pillows they're going to fit, or how many ovens there will be, or precisely how heavy the cutlery is. So where you can be accurate (engines, steelwork, machinery) you are, and where you can't, you estimate. Our guesstimate. The vast majority of the items in the calculation will be educated guesses. And you know what? It works out. A lot of small guesses can add up to a surprisingly accurate number, as long as you're not completely gung ho.

Calorie counting is like that. You do what you can, but you can't always know the precise count. And that's OK, because over the piece, it's going to add up pretty close. The crucial thing is to keep logging,and keep enjoying your food!

LazyButHealthy

Thanks!

So, an update. I got here at 4am Sunday morning pretty groggy, and though I was lazy for all of yesterday, I didn't hang out by the pool bar with a big cold bottle of tusker and a burger! Already a win.

I slept through breakfast so apart from water it was mid afternoon before eating. For lunch I had a pretty clean chicken, apple and lettuce salad with sauce ON THE SIDE so I could try to just take a dash of balsamic.
For dinner I had penne pasta neapolitan. As I cook loads of pasta usually, I've learned to more accurately assess the volume/weight (what i thought was 100gm is actually 200-250 )

Today I've tried to go through the various constituent parts of meals, with all the bits I can think off (except for the lettuce I ate because = lettuce).

This is a very different me to the dozens of times I've been in this city!

Not only that, but after 7 years of travelling frequently for work, this is the first time I've actually behaved myself, and *drum roll please* the FIRST time I've used a hotel gym. This is extraordinary for me.

It might also mean that though being away, I might finally get over the bloody 20lb line that's been dodging me!

lorrpb

Portion control can be practiced anytime, anywhere.

Kait_Dee

Congratulations OP! It sounds like you've met great success with a few adjustments. Keep it up, it's not easy, but its always so worth it. I'm a traveling consultant and deal with the same types of concerns.. So I get it..!

LazyButHealthy

Peeps.

I'm in Italy for 5 days for work. Meetings in conference room in hotel, dinners are pre-booked and chosen by organisers.

The food, the wine... mamma mia! Guidance??

I'm trying to stay focused and logging (guessing, mostly). The 'gym' in this hotel is 1 treadmill, 1 bike - I arrived yesterday and did a treadmill session yesterday and today, but today other guests arrived and I felt that I shouldn't hog so I ended early.

Heading out for group dinner shortly, and I know the menu will be amazing.

How can I minimise the damage!?