Two kinds of events seem to derail most people trying to drop fat or just be healthier, and that is the holidays and TRAVELING.
Being a creature of habit you like to have your routine, it’s easy and predictable but when the routine gets thrown off all of a sudden opting for quick is less stressful than opting for healthier.
Now… it’s not that you don’t want to eat healthy while traveling it’s most likely because you don’t know HOW to make healthier decisions while traveling.
That I get.
So let me fix this for you and get you some guidelines on what we do to help people make better decisions while traveling that doesn’t sabotage their diets.
Restaurants
Majority of the time when you travel you ARE going to eat out whether it’s a pit stop OR for a social gathering. This is where some will power DOES need to happen, BUT with a few menus, substitutions from below you can make a better decision.
ProTip: This may not always be the case, especially if you’re in the middle of nowhere, but look ahead on Yelp or Google Reviews for “lean” “grass-fed” “gluten-free” with your restaurant search. This will narrow it down the restaurant choices quickly for you.
– Tell the waiter your allergic, to what ever your trying to avoid, (bread, sugar, oil, etc…) IF YOU KNOW YOU HAVE AN ADDICTION to that food, or if you’re of course allergic. Now, it’s not lying because you ARE allergic, it just makes you gain weight 😛
– Ask for recommendations. If you can’t have fries ask for what else they would recommend taking into consideration your allergy or health goals.
– If you get a salad, dressing on the side
– Ask for double the veggies and ask for roasted or grilled not sauteed (less oil)
– Have appetizers only. Most restaurants appetizers have the same calorie content as a full meal at home.
– Feel free to get a burger just ask for no bun
– Fruit is a great side
On the Road
If this is a road trip, then your planning will make a WORLD of difference. Pretty much you can plan a day’s worth of food just like you were heading into the office. Yes I know it’s easier said than down but many time I had prepared my food that morning, just like any other day, and pulled over to eat when I needed a food break.
BUT what about if you don’t have time to prepare, it’s a last min trip or the thought of eating cold veggies just sounds ‘yuk’ to you?
Everything listed below can be found at most corner stores or major gas stations/trucking stops.
– Jerky is your friend
– Stay away from nuts if you’re on a diet. I know that sounds like blasphemy BUT most people hold a ton of water after eating nuts, AND it’s pretty hard to control the portion sizes if you tend to have a habit of over eating, BUT if you can find individual packets, you’ll be ok.
– Protein bars such as Cliff, Quest, RXBar, Larabar are all ok
– Individual packets of almond butter or peanut butter (Think of Justin’s brand)
– Fruit
Hotel
This video below was an educational piece I did for the members here at RTC when I was traveling; you’ll see some travel hacks I use when I have to stay on strict plan while traveling.
Some Accessories
Here are things that most NEVER even think about when traveling that can make your ability to stay on your routine WAY easier.
– Plastic or reusable articles. I can’t tell you how many times I forgot a damn spoon while eating oatmeal; it got messy.
– Reusable water bottle. You will get tired of throwing away so many plastic bottles so sometimes it’s best just to have your go-to and use that
– Water flavoring. Get a few of those sugar-free flavored water packets; you’ll know why about 5 hours in.
– Probiotics or magnesium. This will help you don’t feel so bloated or heavy if you go out or eat some things that your body is just not used to digesting; also, if you’re traveling with anyone they will appreciate this too 😉
– Gum. You will want something to get the flavor of nuts, seeds, jerky out of your mouth.
Overall…
Preparation is going to be your friend when you do this, but again, life does happen. In the end, the goal of this is to make sure that why ever your traveling you can keep some sense of routine. Now, don’t expect it to go 100% perfect, and you know what? That’s ok. Just enjoy the trip (hopefully a good one) and at with the tips above you’ll make better decisions to stay on track and not come back feeling guilty or a mess.
In Health and Awesomeness,
Travis Merritt, BS, CPT, (and other cool letters behind the name) is the Owner of Rowlett Transformation Center in Rowlett, TX.
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