Eating right at Conferences/Traveling?

FriedPicklePrincess

I will be traveling out of state for a 5 day conference in a few weeks, and was just wondering if anyone had any good tips? I plan on finding a little grocery store as soon as I get there to save some money, but I won't have access to a stove or fridge during that time.

sonjalucia

Hi!

I'm actually on the road right now, and I'm literally in the middle of nowhere - Salads here are scarce!

(although high in Sodium) I have been eating canned Tuna, Black Forest Ham (gluten free and low fat) and Beef Jerky. I've found cups of carrots and celery, and try to buy yogurt and fruit as snack food.

I also packed dry roasted salt free almonds and pistacchios!

mattyb1971

I travel extensively for my job. One suggestion would be to pack meal replacement bars (as in "a whole meal", so 350-400 calories) - I prefer not to rely on these, but it is better than skipping a meal if you are pressed for time on a given day. I also like to pack 100 cal packs of almonds and 150 cal packs of beef jerky. Check out the area restaurants ahead of time and plan your meals before you arrive. Buy lots of bottled water for your room. If you are traveling with coworkers, don't let yourself get talked into bad choices.

On other notes, get plenty of sleep and build in time every day for a quick workout!

purplekitty13

Now this is a first.... the technical conference I'm attending next week actually has a "healthy track" which includes some free exercise classes, jogging paths, and a healthy dining finder.

Although, out of all the people on my team going to the conference, I'm the only one interested in this track.

~pk

KANGOOJUMPS

LUCKY YOU!
fully indulge yourself with strangers and BOOZE!
FUN!

dwest1976

Organic Beef Jerky, Unsalted Almonds and no sugar added dried fruit help me on trips. I find breakfast and dinner are easier to do than lunch, where you often get stuck with only sandwich options.

Airports are the worst. Don't force yourself to eat in an airport.....have your healthy snacks ready to make it to your final desination.

Good luck!

HealthyBodySickMind

I just did this. The traveling part, anyway, not the eating right part. I was out of town for two days for training for work. My meals consisted of McD's, Golden Corral, and a $12 burger from a fancy bar and grill. Oh and the free breakfast at the hotel. The hotel gym had nothing but treadmills, so I just did some body weight stuff in my room.

If it's only a few days that you're gone, it's not going to put you off very much. If you travel regularly, you may need to worry about it more.

sophcath123

I travel extensively for work and it is definitely a challenge. I eat in airports, hotels, hospitals and some very nice restaraunts. My main rule is to avoid eating wheat products on the road like bread, pasta etc. and fill up on lean meats, soups and veggies which can be tough sometimes. I also bring good quality protein bars and fruit in my carry on like tangerines, bananas (for domestic travel only)
The kicker is not to drink too much Only one glass of wine with dinner which can be tough when entertaining colleagues or clients.
I also take advantage of the hotel gyms, time permitting, and bring a portable door mounted resistance training set that fits snuggly in my carry on so I can do a quick work-out before bed or early in the morning.
I'm not always successful following all these rules but try my hardest!

3dogsrunning

I often bring a cooler and pack food. Cooked chicken, protein muffins, protein powder, single packs of milk or almond milk, tuna (with the pull tab cans unless you bring a can opener), instant oatmeal and fruit and veggies.
I usually eat out for supper.

spfldpam

I pack things with me to eat like protein shake powder for my breakfast and bring my shaker bottle with me. If I have to eat out I will focus on protein first and eat that and then a small amount of other things. I don't eat desserts. I try to pick up Chobani Greek yogurt 0% to have on hand as a snack if I don't bring it with me in a small cooler. I also have protein bars in my purse for a snack or meal if need be. Edamane is another thing I keep in my purse in 1/4 cup servings in the snack size baggies. I try to do the best I can. I have to hit the road next week for a work trip but am staying at a friends house so that will be easier since I can bring stuff with me and put it in her fridge.
Good luck!

daphne_m

I've never had any success. Conferences are good because you're (usually) in the same location and can request that corporate sort out a serviced apartment rather than a hotel room which means with a little planning you can cook simple meals. I'm going to be flitting through a few different continents over six weeks later in the year and am already terrified. In the past I've come back from holidays weighing slightly less than a baby elephant. One tip I do have is to avoid buffet breakfasts. I know you can get eggs and fruit but when faced with mountains of bacon, pastries, etc, etc, you will sometimes weaken. Buffets generally are hell. Thank heavens they only enter my life in the form of hotel breakfasts.

Lovlilyn

I'm actually traveling right now. The worst is the free food - if your conference is having it - breakfast, lunch, etc. that is already brought in. I have the hardest time resisting the free food.

First, don't just try to fit in the work out - plan it. Are you staying at a place that has a gym? If so, this is the easiest - plan to get up early enough to work out before you have to be at work in the morning.

Breakfast - if provided, there usually is fruit offered, try to stick with that. Avoid the baked goods. If breakfast isn't provided, then some of the suggestions about bringing your own (or buying when you get there), are great.

Lunch - again, if lunch is provided, fill up on salad, avoid cold cuts, make sure you get lean protein. If lunch isn't provided, try to find a Subway near by and choose one of their healthy selections. If there is a cafe, again - go for the salad bar.

Dessert/afternoon break - so, yesterday a plate of bars, brownies, and cookies sat on the conference room table ALL AFTERNOON. It's one thing to resist on the buffet, another to ignore hour after hour. You need to make sure you have 1) enough food/lunch so that you are not starving; 2) your own healthy snacks so that you can avoid eating these high-calorie treats.

Dinner - If you have to go to dinner with co-workers, you don't always have control of where you go, but you have control of what you choose. Even the most unhealthy restaurant seem to offer soup or a salad. You may want to splurge on one of these dinners, you'll have to choose.

Knowledge is key - the more you learn about the plans and the environment you will be in, the better prepared you'll be able to be.

sandradev1

Pop tarts are always a good standby to take with you

ThickMcRunFast

Pop tarts are always a good standby to take with you

Love it.


I have to go to conferences all the time, and it kills my nutrition. I usually find a starbucks, I like their oatmeal for breakfast, plus sometimes they have protein powder you can mix in.The spinach, egg, and feta cheese wrap is not bad either. I will pack some of my own snacks, and usually find a hotel that has a fitness room, but its the free food and booze that is a killer. Don't get me wrong, I love that free beer hour starts at 330, but I also hate that free beer hour starts at 330. I try to drink lots of water and remember not to be too hard on myself.

3dogsrunning

Yes, I also plan my workouts. I know that after the day everyone is going to be social. I don't want to be heading for the gym while others are going shopping or getting together to hang out so I do all my workouts in the morning.

alpine1994

This is my biggest battle right now! I travel on business one week per month and I travel with my very unhealthy boss (who rents the car that we share) so we only eat where he wants to go, and he doesn't go to the grocery store. I bring what I can on the plane (protein bars, nuts, beef jerky, etc.) but I just make sure to make the best decisions I can at whatever restaurants we go to and work out in the hotel gym every day, even if it's just a short workout because we worked late or whatever. It's REALLY difficult but I do alright.

allie_girl

One of the best tips when it comes to eating out is SKIP THE CARBS! They always over portion things like rice, potatoes, couscous, bread, etc. Just try to order a meat with veggies. Steak with a side of extra veggies and try saving half portions for lunch. This was what my nutritionist told me when faced with eating out. Someone suggested quick items from the grocery store which is great - greek yogurt, nuts, fat free cheese, almonds/nuts, protein bars, pre-hardboiled eggs, etc.! You can do this girl

NicoleisQuantized

I would take a look at the online nutritional menus of some of the local restaurants before you go out for a meal.

I always have a few go-to meals if I do not have access to this information. For example:

Starbuck's egg-white, spinach, and feta wrap (290 cal)
Subway 6" Whole wheat/ 9-Grain chicken breast/chicken strip, no cheese, mustard, veggies (~320- 330 cal)

Also, eating protein bars, fruit, yogurt, and nuts are fantastic choices during those coffee breaks.

Briargrey

I travel roughly 70% of the time, and it's been a challenge. Since I've gotten on the lifestyle change track again (and I'm staying on it, thank you very much), I've had some pretty good success. Two weeks ago, I had to eat out 6 out of 7 nights and I still managed to lose a pound. Here's my strategy:

1. Pre-plan extensively. Write out how I will handle challenges, read and re-read, write and re-write that, so I really have stuck it in my brain that I am going to allow myself X but not Y, that I will do Z but not Q, etc.
2. Plan in a work out or two, depending on how long you'll be gone. If I say I will do it every day, I'll miss days and feel like crap, so I make it reasonable and say I'll do at least 1 day. Then I wind up doing 2 or 3 and feeling great because I beat my goal. Just MOVING helps, even if it's a treadmill and you don't normally do one.
3. Research restaurants. Look at what is in the hotel or nearby, if they have menus review them, and make a plan that is flexible. For my Oklahoma City visit, I stay in Bricktown and there are a couple really nice restaurants within a block of the hotel. I reviewed the menu, gave myself options, and made the plan that if the portion was huge, I'd have them cut it in half and box up half.
4. Stay away from fast food or pre-plan what you can eat that fits your goals. Know the calorie, sodium, fat, etc count. Every one of us is different so your mileage may vary. What I did though was see what I could eat at Taco Bell and allow myself to have that if I wanted. I chose not to eat fast food at all, but I knew I had a plan, so it helped.
5. See if you can get a fridge in the room if you don't already, see if a microwave is nearby -- then hit the grocery store. Get bottled water to have, get some 100 cal snack packs of your choosing, some fresh fruit/vegetables, yogurt if you dig that, etc. Then have snacks with you to help mitigate hunger and keep you from eating a ton at that splurge restaurant you allowed yourself.

Allow yourself leeway, pre-plan it in if you can, so that you don't feel badly about a splurge here and there. Just don't go overboard. Think about what YOUR goals are and find a way to make the travel work for them.

Travel days are even harder at least for me, because I'm traveling all day. I took two apples and a couple grahamfuls (fairly low in sodium and calories and I like them!) and parceled them out on layovers. I planned to have breakfast in the airport at a sitdown restaurant and just eat the eggs, but when I got upgraded to first class, I had an apple instead and ate my breakfast on the plane.

It really is all about the preparation. If you are prepared for it, you can handle it and make the right choices while still indulging in some awesome food and having a blast!

Next week I'm in Missouri with even more limited restaurant choices where I'm at, and I've been writing and rewriting my plan so I can address all contingencies. It's a challenge, but it's very doable. Willpower and planning!

WarriorCupcakeBlydnsr

Find out if your room will have a fridge/microwave so you'll know what you have to work with. When I travel, even when flying, I bring apples, gluten free protein bars and ziploc bags of my gluten free oatmeal measured in individual servings. If I have a fridge and microwave, when I get there I find the nearest grocery store and buy yogurt, milk, bananas (or other squishable fruit,) gluten free tv dinners (if they have them,) a pack of mixed plasticware and paperplates/bowls.
If I don't have the microwave/fridge, I at least make sure somewhere I pick up some plastic spoons then use the coffee maker in the room to make my oatmeal in the morning (I use the disposable cup so I can take it with me to the conference) and get my fruit from the spread at the conference. If they are providing lunches, see if they will provide you with an alternative meal (I let the organizers know for me that I have a wheat, soy, peanut, shellfish allergy and I usually get a very nice salad with chicken at the very least, if not scope out the restaurants around the hotel for food (I do this on mapquest all the time)

GiddyupTim

I traveled every other week for 15 years.
Do not drink airline coffee
Do not eat airplane food
Avoid the free food at the conference as much as possible. Most of it is junk.
Traveling throws your system off already. Do not make it worse by putting junk in your body, at the wrong times.