Next week is going to be hard... HELP!

pentafive

I have been using MFP and my new gym membership for a little over a week now. Diligently logging everything eaten and every trip to the gym. I have even improved (greatly) what type of food is eaten. My sodium intake is lower and potassium is higher. Over all I am starting to feel better.

... but ....

Next week will present a very hard challenge! I will be traveling for work and have to entertain customers during and after meetings. That means lots of eating out and a few drinks of alcohol every day.

I am greatly concerned about accurately tracking my food intake and eating healthy. I still plan to go to the gym everyday while out of town.

This will truly be a big test of my will power and determination!! I know I can do, just still have the little voice in my mind causing doubt.

If you travel please give me some tips!

Thanks!

KarenBorter

Eating out, look for grilled items and sauces on the side. If you are self conscious about asking for this at the table, excuse yourself and pretend you are going to the bathroom, find your server and tell them you are watching calories and if they could accommodate you by doing this (without you having to do this at the table).

As far as alcohol goes ... might I suggest you look up different drinks you LIKE to drink before you go and pre enter them in the food diary. Limit yourself to those drinks and those drinks alone. Drink water between drinks.

Also, if you have a smart phone, write everything down on a memo pad OR if you have an iPhone download the application for this site. It doesn't' have to be THAT scary to eat out

You'll do fine!

LainMac

Instead of a meal, order an appetizer or a salad with grilled meat (dressing to the side).

Have one drink and then order water or diet soda for the rest. For example, have a vodka and diet coke and then switch to a diet coke.

andreahanlon

You can still eat healthy when traveling. I had to go away for a week for work a few months ago... ate out for lunch and dinner every day... and still managed to do pretty well! I did have a few comments from people observing my eating, but by that point, I was secure in making good choices for myself and not feeling bullied into overindulging just because it was the thing to do. I had to learn a little assertive communication over time but now I feel totally comfortable choosing healthy foods, regardless of other people's comments. Being healthy is a lifestyle, so view this as an opportunity to expand your efforts... it's not necessarily a bad thing.

Certainly you can enjoy yourself, but you can also try to be concientious about portion control and making healthy choices from what is available on the menu. If you know what restaurants you are going to beforehand, you can look up calories online and make a decision about what to eat before arriving.

I can't really help you with the drinking part (I'm not much of a drinker), except to say... can you order something light? Stick with the lower cal stuff if possible. Also, if you're entertaining people, maybe you can be the one who does much of the talking... because if you're talking, you're not eating or drinking! Maybe also you can "make excuses" like telling people you were already drinking earlier so you're going to skip, or something like that. I've done that before (making an excuse to skip cake) when I've had two birthday parties in a row.

Hope some of this helps.

sziemba1

Don't be afraid to tell the server exaclty what you would like to eat. I have found that if I stick to lean red meats, grilled chicken, and broiled or steamed seafood with no potato or rice, then I can enjoy a few glasses of wine or beer with a problem. Also, let's say you do fall off the wagon. Don't get discouraged. Get back on the horse and continue on. In the 19 weeks I have been on my diet I have blown it 7 or 8 times and I still lost close to 60 pounds. When I traveled I would write down everything I ate on a piece of paper. The fact that I did not enter into the computer was not important. I could tell just by looking at the list at the end of the day what I needed to do the next day. Be disciplined but allow yourself to have fun too.

hartsmart

I think we're in a similar boat...my in-laws are in town for the next two weeks and that means a lot of dinners and some lunches out and pre-dinner cocktails!! I'm going to stick to the healthy stuff on menus or apps and a salad. Although this is usually the way my tiny MIL eats, it's going to elicit a lot of 'that's all you're eating...you should have something else!' I'm going to be strong and make the right choices. Luckily, these days you can find something healthy and delicious in most restaurants!
As for drinks, gin and tonic is a light choice...I go with a manhattan because it takes a long time to finish, so I usually only end up drinking one. And TONS of water!!
good luck and i'll be thinking of you when i'm 'doing the right thing'!!!
:drinker:

4lafz

You CAN do it! Restaurants are used to special requests. No starch - extra veggies (steamed), broiled or grilled fish and chicken, no sauce, sauce on the side, etc. If you MUST drink - take a look at the chart below that I copied off an MFP'ers post months ago. You could also order a club soda with lime and still sit and entertain people. Not everyone drinks, ya know. I also usually pack my own "plane" food and snacks.

If you stay away from bread, butter, cream, beef, potatoes and too much alcohol - and do your workouts in hotel gyms - you will still be OK! Good luck!

Pina Colada (6 oz): 378 calories
• Mojito (8 oz): 214 calories
• Cosmopolitan (4 oz): 200 calories
• Chocolate martini: (2 oz each vodka, chocolate liqueur, cream, 1/2 oz creme de cacao, chocolate syrup): 438
• Margarita (8 oz): 280
• Green apple martini (1 oz each vodka, sour apple, apple juice): 148
• Martini (2.5 oz): 160
• Port wine (3 oz):128
• Bloody Mary (5 oz): 118
• Red wine (5 oz):120
• White wine (5 oz): 120
• Alcohol-free wine (5 oz): 20-30
• Beer (12 oz): 150-198
• Light beer (12 oz): 95-136
• Ultra-light beer (12 oz): 64-95
• Champagne (5oz): 106-120
• Coffee liqueur (3 ounces): 348
• Godiva chocolate liqueur (3 oz): 310
• Wine spritzer (5 oz): 100
• Eggnog with rum (8 ounces): 370
• Hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps (8 oz): 380
• Hot buttered rum (8 oz): 292
• Spiced cider with rum ( 8 oz):150
• Mulled wine (5 oz): 200
• Vodka and tonic (8 oz): 200
• Screwdriver (8 oz): 190
• Mimosa (4 oz): 75
• Gin and tonic (7 oz): 200
• Long Island iced tea (8 oz): 780
• White Russian (2 oz vodka, 1.5 oz coffee liqueur, 1.5 oz cream): 425
• Mai Tai (6 oz) (1.5 oz rum, 1/2 oz cream de along, 1/2 oz triple sec, sour mix, pineapple juice): 350
• Rum and Coke (8 oz): 185
• Rum and Diet Coke (8 oz): 100
• Mike's Hard Lemonade (11 oz): 98

Amarillo_NDN

a lot of hotels have gyms and if you can get online with your phone, you can still track it all.

coroner66

You can do this!!!!! This will be challenging, but you can still maintain your eating habits. Be aware of the portions. Strive towards the fruits, vegetables, and protein. Stay away from the high caloric temptations which are a waste of your daily calories. You can do this. It is not as hard as you think. Just stay focus!!! Have a great trip and be safe!!!:smooched:

SJSchwartz

You can do this! We just went out to eat last night, and I even stayed under my calorie goal for the day. The key is planning ahead which restaurant you're going to go to and looking at their nutrition menu online before you go to figure out exactly what will fit in your calorie allowance and what sounds good. It's actually pretty easy, plus you don't have to browse the menu at the restaurant for a half hour before you order.

vickiele1

Get up early and do a really good routine - burning a lot of calories. Then after the day is finished do the same. Remember to eat the foods that typically are lower in calories and sugar i.e. salads and fresh vegetables (without croutons etc and using low fat dressings). Try to avoid foods that come with sauces - and when you order a regular portion, remember that's probably two times the amount a normal person should eat, so only eat 1/2. You can share with someone if you are traveling with a co-worker that you feel comfortable with, or you can ask for a to go box and then just throw it away when you get back to the room or just eat half and leave the other half on the plate. when ordering drinks - try to order something that is lower in calories i.e. wine is loaded in calories - and while that is my drink of choice - it is not the thing to order while you are dieting - unless you don't enjoy dry wines and so you order something you will drink less of like a dry wine. If you order a mixed drink - ask for it to be mixed with diet soda - that will help to reduce the caloric intake as well. Avoid drinks that have ice cream, etc. those are soooo... high in calories.

That coupled with the comments and suggestions of others - should help get you through. And remember - this is just one week out of the rest of your life - you can get back on track as soon as you get back home.

Good luck.

Vickie

pentafive

Thanks for the great advice everyone! While there was some I knew, there was a bunch I didn't!