Living out of a suitcase

paul_smith83

So, maybe this has be discussed before, maybe not.
I travel a lot with work, and often find myself eating at a hotel or restaurant.
Does anyone have sugestions of being able to eat like this, but still keep track of intake?
Also, I do love food, so I'm not one to have a salad every night!

hollyrayburn

Does your hotel have mini fridge? If so, stock it up while you're there. Fruits, veggies, lean protein.

paul_smith83

Nope, mini-bars aren't always an option, plus the hours i work and not having my own transport can make the logistics a little tricky

hollyrayburn

I'd get a cooler then. More control over your calorie intake than eating restaurants 3-4 times a day, and cheaper.

Francl27

Lots of grilled protein and veggies.

paul_smith83

it comes down to not being able to get out to shops, i don't work in a city centre, i basically get a taxi to where i work, and then walk between the hotel and the office each day until its time to go back to the airport again. I am planning on driving out here the next time i come, purely so i have the ability to do more. But there is a serious lack of shops/anything here within 10miles.

bpetrosky

Work travel can be a challenge when trying to lose or maintain weight. I've found a few things that help. A lot of it applies to eating out in general.

Be mindful of snacks you pick up while on the run at airports, coffee shops, etc. They add up quick. When possible, get some that you can carry with you that help you keep to set portions.

When you have an option, chain restaurants can be your friend. Most post their nutrition info online, and many highlight lighter items on their menu. Usually the salads aren't even the best choice anyway for keeping calories low. A good sirloin or salmon with roasted vegetables is one of my standards.

If you're eating at a place that doesn't have nutrition info posted (usually non-chain places), you can try to log the components of the meal and overestimate the portions to allow for sauces, cooking oils, etc.

Don't drink your calories: soft drinks, alcohol, etc. If a drink is socially expected, pick something lower in calories and limit your number.

If the hotel has a breakfast buffet, pick out items you can reasonably estimate.

If the hotel has a fitness center, 20 minutes on the elliptical or treadmill can help build you a little bit of a buffer.

Know that you will be estimating and probably getting more sodium than when you're at home. You'll still likely see the scale higher when you get home and drop off after several days. Use your home time to take a break from eating out and build a good deficit for when you travel.

paul_smith83

Thanks bpetrosky, Unfortuately i spend 3 weeks out of 4 in a hotel with no gym. I'm trying to get my exercise started off by walking the 4km between work and the hotel. I'm not a big drinker of alcohol anyway, so that very much goes in my favour. I think one of the biggest problems is i can work anywhere between 10 to 14 hours a day, by which time i just want to sleep. The main thing is staying motivated and not snacking but that can be a challenge with desk work. I used to be very active with day to day tasks but moving up into management sees me sitting at a desk a lot more often now!

tryett

Protein, lots of grilled meat, ask them not to put butter on it. Veggie sides instead of baked potatoes or fries. Any salad dressing on the side. I tend to prefer chains as you can find some nutrition information online.

hollyrayburn

paul_smith83 wrote: »

Thanks bpetrosky, Unfortuately i spend 3 weeks out of 4 in a hotel with no gym. I'm trying to get my exercise started off by walking the 4km between work and the hotel. I'm not a big drinker of alcohol anyway, so that very much goes in my favour. I think one of the biggest problems is i can work anywhere between 10 to 14 hours a day, by which time i just want to sleep. The main thing is staying motivated and not snacking but that can be a challenge with desk work. I used to be very active with day to day tasks but moving up into management sees me sitting at a desk a lot more often now!

I think it's okay to snack, so long as you're hitting your macros. I work a lot of hours in a jail infirmary, so I often don't have time for a proper meal, and I will graze some days. I'm at an advantage from you though, I have fridge and microwave access. Sucks there's no fridge or gym, but kudos on the walking. It's so much harder basing meals off restaurants, especially with the sodium, which can leave you bloated a few days afterwards.

If you're desk sitting a lot, be sure to get up every couple hours at least, walk around a tad. Not only for the calorie burn, but also your eyes sake! Good luck!