12: Travel
I have to travel a lot for work, and it is tough for me to eat healthy or lose weight while on the road or at a job site.
Constantly traveling and being without a kitchen means you will be eating out frequently. Use these tips to 1) reduce the number of times you have to eat out and 2) make healthier choices when you have no other choice.
TO AVOID EATING OUT:
- Book hotels with free breakfast.
- Bring a reusable water bottle.
- Pack non-perishable snacks in your suitcase or carry on (nuts, beef jerky, dried fruit, rice cakes, meal replacements, etc.)
- Eat before going to the airport.
- Grocery shop. Most big cities have grocery stores right in the middle of downtown.
- Get healthy frozen meals that you can heat up in the hotel microwave. If you do not have one in your room, ask the front desk.
- Utilize the hotel mini fridge.
- Have 1-2 meals with healthy snacks instead of 3 meals a day to save on calories.
- Leave meals in the freezer to eat when you get home.
WHEN YOU DO EAT OUT:
- Use restaurant apps and websites to check the menu before. All chains are required to have nutrition information listed.
- Look for cue words in the menu to find healthier options. For example, choose baked or grilled over fried or sauteed.
- Have healthy go-to options at restaurants you visit frequently.
- Drink water before and during the meal.
- Use the kid’s menu for smaller portions.
- Start with soup or salad.
- Choose fruits and vegetables for sides.
- Request whole grain pasta or bread.
- Eat part of the meal and save some for later.
- Order butter, dressing, and sauce on the side.
- Easy on the breadbasket and skip dessert.
Decide whether lunch or dinner is going to be your higher calorie meal for the day. Of course, you can also spread your calories between both of the meals, but it is probably more realistic to eat light for one meal and to semi-splurge (but not get out of control) at the other meal.