Any tips for people who travel?

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ckneph
ckneph Posts: 4 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I'm new to MFP, but I've been on WW before. One of my big areas of struggling is menu planning. I end up sabotaging myself and then grab whatever is convenient. I'm working on fixing this at home (going to try menu planning), but I also have to travel about 1 week a month for work. I have the hardest time figuring out lunches and dinners during these trips. I can't exactly pack my own lunch and I end up falling back on room service for dinner far too often.

Any tips for making better choices with this?

Replies

  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
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    For lunches I tend to go to Iceland and grab a pack of cooked chicken breast for under 200 calories, find a green grocer and eat a few apples, plums, apricots etc.

    Room service or pub meals are not a problem, just ask for the calorie break down and choose what ever you like within your calorie goal.
  • successgal1
    successgal1 Posts: 996 Member
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    Most places that serve grilled chicken or steak or muscle of your choice will serve it to you without any sauces or cheeses if you ask. You can also usually get a baked potato that you can season yourself. I order salad with dressing on the side and dip my salad into it, instead of pouring it all over. Load up on veggies, see if they have steamed or grilled. Most places probably also have a fitness center with a treadmill.
  • annaskiski
    annaskiski Posts: 1,212 Member
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    I don't eat low carb at home, but I find when I travel that this is the easiest way to control calories when you don't have any ideas about the calorie counts of available foods.

    Always remember, the lowest calorie items on a restaurant menu are almost always the salmon and the 6oz sirloin steak. (stay away from restaurant salads!)
  • richardgavel
    richardgavel Posts: 1,001 Member
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    Any chance you can use an extended stay hotel so you have access to a kitchenette?
  • successgal1
    successgal1 Posts: 996 Member
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    annaskiski wrote: »
    I don't eat low carb at home, but I find when I travel that this is the easiest way to control calories when you don't have any ideas about the calorie counts of available foods.

    Always remember, the lowest calorie items on a restaurant menu are almost always the salmon and the 6oz sirloin steak. (stay away from restaurant salads!)

    Why stay away from salads?

  • Wiseandcurious
    Wiseandcurious Posts: 730 Member
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    annaskiski wrote: »
    I don't eat low carb at home, but I find when I travel that this is the easiest way to control calories when you don't have any ideas about the calorie counts of available foods.

    Always remember, the lowest calorie items on a restaurant menu are almost always the salmon and the 6oz sirloin steak. (stay away from restaurant salads!)

    Really, the salmon? I find it tends to be a high-calorie food (delicious and healthy, but def. high calorie)?
  • plyadnov
    plyadnov Posts: 16 Member
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    You have some options...what is your daily calorie intake goal? What's your relationship with food? Is it simply fuel for your body or do you enjoy flavor and need something different every day?

    Meals at home: try buying yogurts, tuna, fruit for snacks. Watch calorie intake on yogurts. I love Danon 80 calorie cups...eat 2 different flavors a day for snacks. For lunches I do some type of a vegetable and chicken (last week or so it's been turkey). I utilize healthy leftovers like salmon from dinner. Vegetables are frozen, super cheap from the store, and you can keep a variety in your freezer. Broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini tend to have very few calories. I do 1-2 cups of those and about 5oz of meat. Oh and for breakfast I usually do eggs and sometimes whole wheat toast. With these foods, I am satisfied through the day and come home with about 1K calories consumed. This leaves me with 700-800 calories for dinner...which could easily include fast food if I'm too tired to cook.

    Meals while traveling: plan ahead. I used to bring individually packaged protein powder for my lunches. You can also purchase powdered fiber...tastes weird, but keeps you full for a while. I do casein/whey mixture...one is slow to metabolize, other is quick. If you know you will have a large dinner, perhaps try to skip a meal. Also utilize those hotel gyms. Spend some time on the treadmill just walking for an hour...that will burn off some of those calories. Otherwise what people have already mentioned...like getting salads, grilled chicken, etc.
  • tiny_clanger
    tiny_clanger Posts: 301 Member
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    I travel a lot with work, and have started taking a plate and plastic cutlery with me. I buy myself a hotel picnic for evening meal and eat leftovers for lunch. I usually buy vegan as don't have a fridge or cooking utensils, so I get a big salad, pitta bread and hummous and some fruit for pudding. Maybe some nuts for protein.

    I can't be bothered sitting on my own in a restaurant in my work clothes of an evening. Much rather be in pj's watching dvds!

    Also saves lots of calories :)
  • ckneph
    ckneph Posts: 4 Member
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    Thanks everyone. I appreciate all the tips and advice. I'll definitely have to try the hotel picnic. :smile: The hotel I stay at has a fridge in the room.
  • Gisel2015
    Gisel2015 Posts: 4,150 Member
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    What kind of travel do you do, local, across country or international? If you travel by car, and not too far from home, then the suggestions that you already got are very good. Things do change a lot if you are air-flying to other states or to other parts of the world. Jet lag and the fact that on arrival, you may be ready for dinner when your stomach and brain are thinking in lunch, are really a challenge. I traveled on business, domestic and international for almost 20 years so I understand the situation. There is a limit in how many bars or nuts you can eat, and many things can not be passed thru security any more.
  • ckneph
    ckneph Posts: 4 Member
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    I travel mostly from WA state to California (LA or Sacramento). I usually do crack of dawn flights out but I at least get to stay in the same time zone. Though on travel days my meal schedule gets all out of whack.
  • Gisel2015
    Gisel2015 Posts: 4,150 Member
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    I don't know the travel policy of your company or clients, but if you can stay in hotel with a microwave and a small refrigerator, you may be able to save some calories for dinner. I always took advantage of the all you can eat breakfast because I was able to eat what I wanted and save calories for lunch, and also bring to the room hard boiled eggs, yogurt, fruit, etc. to keep in the refrigerator for later. I used to travel with canned tuna or canned chicken (I looked for easy open cans so I didn't need have to take a can opener) and I would ask room service to bring me soup and a green salad; and I would add the tuna, or chicken the hb egg and have fruit or yogurt for desert.
    If you are in the same time zone, then you can go to the gym before dinner and burn some calories in the treadmill or elliptical; some gyms also have some free weights and a bench or two so you can do some strength training.
    Traveling only for few days a month is not too bad and being careful is doable. I used to travel several times a month making my choices more limited. Good luck!

    Note: If you choose to travel with canned food, make sure that you keep it in your checked luggage because it could be removed from your carry one, depending on how strict security is at the different airports.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
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    Pre-log your days.
  • toe1226
    toe1226 Posts: 249 Member
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    Sacramento has lots of fresh fruit stands, I don't know if you have access to transportation while you're there (the bus system is ok, not great - I went to school nearby) but I like to keep a package of cold cuts around, apples and turkey, salad with turkey, sometimes for me it is worth it to sacrifice a hot meal while traveling in order to have healthful intake.
  • ZeroDelta
    ZeroDelta Posts: 242 Member
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    ckneph wrote: »
    So I'm new to MFP, but I've been on WW before. One of my big areas of struggling is menu planning. I end up sabotaging myself and then grab whatever is convenient. I'm working on fixing this at home (going to try menu planning), but I also have to travel about 1 week a month for work. I have the hardest time figuring out lunches and dinners during these trips. I can't exactly pack my own lunch and I end up falling back on room service for dinner far too often.

    Any tips for making better choices with this?

    I usually stay at a Residence Inn. This way I have a kitchen and can cook my own meals. Usually you can provide the hotel with a shopping list and they will go shopping for you.

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