Travelling for work - What do I eat?

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alisha17m
alisha17m Posts: 73 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Next week is going to be challenging for me. I travel for work quite often, spending up to 2 weeks away from home at a time. In the past, I've eaten greasy bacon and eggs for breakfast, hot chips for lunch and huge restaurant meals for dinner. I'd snack on chocolate in the car and drink coke. Not anymore.

On Sunday I need to drive 6 hours away from home and spend a week away for the first time since starting MFP. (To make it tougher - Sunday is my birthday and I will be miserable for spending it away :( )

I'd love to hear from anyone who has been in a similar situation. What do you eat when you have no cooking facilities and living out of a suitcase? How do you keep boredom at bay on long drives? How has MFP changed (and challenged) your habits when you've been on the road?

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  • annrum
    annrum Posts: 144
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    I live in a hotel Monday to Thursday usually because of my work. What I've done since the start of this year (my start of healthy kick) is make sure I have breakfast in the hotel - most hotels will do poached or scrambled eggs with tomatoes or beans - avoid the sausages because you don't know how good they are. Mushrooms would be ok too. Or they usually have cereals/fruit.
    I have lunch at my client site & try to pick the best cooked options I can, so veggies etc. Then, in the evening, if I can, I pick up fruit/mini-cheeses/ryvitas/raw veggies. I try to drink loads of water as well. I usually also have seed mixes in my laptop bag as they're easy to pack & good for nibbling in the evening. So I'll have had two cooked meals & one lighter meal, plus fruit to nibble on during the day.

    For keeping boredom at bay in the evenings, I have two work-out DVDs now (working through 30DS & turbo jam if I'm feeling really virtuous as well). I also tend to have a book with me & some crafting to do - I'm into jewellery making & crochet as well.
    I travel by train at the moment, so I'm very limited on what I can do in the evenings, however, if you're going by car, do a google of the vicinity - are there any swimming pools nearby (or is there one in the hotel?), or a shopping centre/mall/somewhere to wander round?
    For the car journey, I'd pack loads of water, some healthy nibbles - granola bars maybe - avoid the diet coke & chocolate! :)

    Hope that helps a little - feel free to add me if you want support from someone in a similar boat! :)
  • sarahlasvegas
    sarahlasvegas Posts: 73 Member
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    Great tips in the post above. I go through phases where i have 3 days/2nights away for work.

    Personally - i try and always book a hotel with a gym, if this isnt possible (i was in Salford 2days ago, and had to stay where i was running the training course), I go for a really long walk, at least an hour minimum, the DVD idea is a great idea too. So at least you are excercising/burning in the evenings if you have ate a bit more.

    I also take face mask/scrub, nail varnish, tweasers and do my eyebrows, nails and have a bit of a pamper - helps relieve boredom! I also take sleep in hair conditioner too - John Freda do a nice one.

    Food wise - breakfast, as above, i have 2 slices of toast , places usually have portions of flora so you know you are having just 10g, beans and scrambled eggs, i do have a largish breky as im on my feet all day - but if doing a decent walk etc at night, its not so bad. As you have the car, for food id suggest getting to a tesco/boots etc for lunch and get a low fat meal deal sandwich/salad, fruit and low cal snacks. I always take with me the small dairy milks (110cals), weetabix bars (80cals) and buy things like babybel lights. This last trip for evening meal i had a subway both nights (6inch 340 cal one), oh i also took 3 bags of weighed up cranberries as a snack.

    Its hard work!! The last 2 days was the 1st time ive ever managed to stay within cals - but 1st time ive actually tried too. Think it helped that i was on my own, as often im in a group who want to go for a curry and drinks.

    Being prepared is key - good luck, x
  • alisha17m
    alisha17m Posts: 73 Member
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    Thanks Ladies - some great advice there!

    I've stocked up on nuts and dried fruit to nibble on when I feel like chocolate and I've made sure to pack my runners as I'm visiting somewhere with mountains and lots of nice scenery. bring on next Saturday's weigh in!

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