How to plan for meals when you're away from home?

I live and work in Chicago and can tell you that there are TONS of options for healthy eating. That being said, I also travel a lot for work, so I feel your pain. Bring fruit with you (you can get it through airport security now, just not drinks). I usually travel with apples and grapes. Bring good snacks for yourself and then just be smart with dinner. The snacks will keep you from losing your cool at dinner. I always have almonds, fiber one bars, and fruit with me when I travel. Also, search for restaurants near your hotel and look at their menus on-line. See if they have nutrition facts and pre-select a few options for yourself. And go rent a bike and ride along the lakefront to burn some calories!!!

Try to find out what restaurants are in the area and look up their menus on line. Pack non-perishable snacks like almond butter and pita chips. If they have a Continental breakfast in the morning swipe some extra fruit and keep it in your room.

I travel frequently for work. In fact, I'm heading out of town tomorrow. Here's what I do. First, I bring my favorite snacks (beef jerky, microwave popcorn, premeasured 100 calorie cookie packs) with me. That way I don't go roaming for goodies in the vending machine.

I've found that hotel breakfast can be HUGE and way too much food. So I do one of two things. Either I bring pre-measured baggies with my favorite cereal for breakfast, OR I get an omelet -- regular or egg white, with spinach, mushrooms, and I tell them to put the cheese on the side, so I can supervise how much I put on top. Tell the waitress that you're trying to watch what you're eating... they'll be surprisingly accommodating.

I have 2 favorite lunches that are available EVERYWHERE, and I stick to those. My favs are chicken caeser salad (no croutons, dressing on the side), or a cheeseburger (no bread). Substitute a green salad or fresh fruit salad for the always present french fries, and you're good to go.

For dinner, grilled, steamed or baked anything is best. No fried!! If a dish comes with rice or potatoes, I ask the restaurant to substitute some steamed veggie (whatever is available). Always get your salad dressing on the side, since you can then control how much is actually used.

Usually hotels will have a microwave, even if not in your room-as part of the lobby/breakfast area.

Look for grocery stores nearby and see if you can get lean cuisine or such. Sometimes you can even find shelf stable meals like that.

Other suggestions have been great too.

Sarah

If you're staying in a hotel, find out if there's a fridge in the room. If there is, you could always pick up some healthy snacks to keep yourself from eating huge portions when you go out. Or you could even get a few things that you could eat as meals that don't require cooking. As childish as this sounds, you can make soup in the coffee pot if there's one in the room. Or boil some veggies! You can always keep dry goods in the room too. Basically do anything you can to limit how much you eat out. And when you do, plan out where you're going, and try to have an idea of what you're going to get. Pick something off the menu that's relatively healthy. I already know what to get at some chain restaraunts because I've looked up the menus before, so I would try going to places that are familiar to me, so I know what I'm getting is relatively healthy.

I hope this helps you! I know it's hard to stay on track when you're away from home. It's so hard to stick to a healthy diet! But I wish you all the luck!

Agree with all of the above! I travel a LOT in the fall for my job. I just came back yesterday from a three day trip. It was HARD! I started off great but ended up eating way more than I wanted to, and not good stuff at that!
I recommend bringing the Fiber 1 bars, packing fruit or buying some when you get there. If you can, grab some lauhging cow and some fruit at the store, or pack it. Laughing Cow does not have to be refrigerated. Think protein, too! I bring oatmeal packets to eat because more of my events provide coffee/tea and I can stir up the oatmeal. The most important thing to me is to have "fresh" food available -salads, fruit, veggies.. eat lots of those when you can. Dress them lightly and incorporate protein.
Drink LOTS of water. Exercise when you can but commit to it. I hate lugging my giant size 11 workout shoes but it's important to be able to work out, even for 15 minutes!
This fall, I'm committing to bringing my big fat shoes on the road with me and using them! Keep tracking everything here, even when you go overboard!

A girlfriend of mine had a similar issue.

Find out where you are going to eat before hand and check the menus. Let the waitstaff know how you want food to be prepared. If they hassle you, tell them you have food allergies and your doctor wants you to follow a strict diet.

She also called the hotel where she was staying, told them what she was doing and had them put a mini fridge in her room. The hotel was super helpful.

She took a small George Foreman grill and grilled chicken in her room, a bullet blender to blend protein shakes/smoothies, and a bottle so she always had water. Given you are in Chicago, you could probably have Whole Foods deliver your food to the hotel and the staff can stock your fridge.

Oh, and use the gym at the hotel.

I second checking with the hotel and see if they can put a mini fridge in your room. They may have microwaves available too.