Ten Tips: Eating Healthy on the Road

We humans are creatures of habit.  We all have our routines and rituals that keep us sane and anchor our habits (good and bad).  For people who are concerned about maintaining a healthy lifestyle, a major (or even minor) disruption in this routine can wreak havok on our goals.  Or - so our over-active worrisome imaginations tell us.

What do you do to maintain some semblance of normalcy when your routine is broken?  Or do you just throw up your hands?  My brother-in-law travels for work all around the state all week long, and food choices are a real challenge. 

Taking in the sights in San Antonio on business.

In the course of three months, Michelle and I will spend a total of four weeks traveling out of state, under a wide variety of conditions.  Some celebratory, like our wedding and honeymoon.  Some business travel.  And even one of the touchiest ones of all - visiting family.  I won't say we got it perfect.  I don't think there's any such thing.  But I do think we managed to recognize and tackle many of the issues that threaten to derail the conscientious eater.  

Depending on the nature of your travel, you can "mix and match" these helpful hints as they work for you.

1.  Bring a bit of home with you.  

Everyone has their "go-to" snacks.  We generally make a practice of loading up snack baggies when we are traveling.  Trail mix, roasted garbanzo beans, and usually a couple of Atkins protein meal bars are loaded in the backpack.  On long flights and layovers, these have been a godsend.  

2.  Strategically plan your hotel location.

The folks at GNC were great! 40g of protein.

This one is obviously dependent on how flexible your travel plans are.  Most people, given a choice, will compare prices and in-hotel amenities.  But what about facilities outside the hotel?  On a business trip, we chose a hotel that was 1/2 mile from a GNC, a mile or so from a good grocery store, and across the street from a Golds Gym.  Not to mention an assortment of restaurants that fit our nutrition needs, all within a five-minute drive.

3.  Choose a hotel with a kitchen.  

Extended stay type hotels, like those that Marriott offers, have kitchenettes and full-sized refrigerators.  This allows you to stock up on good veggies, cheeses, meats, and other perishables that make up the center of a clean eater's diet.  You'll also save a ton on eating out costs.

4.  Eat local.  

The local regional flavors of your travel destination are much more likely to be made from fresh ingredients.  "Mom and Pop" places with made-from-scratch menu choices are going to be a superior nutritional (and taste) choice. 

5.  Eat Breakfast (anytime).

If you're traveling in the US, you can find "all-day breakfast" restaurants pretty much anywhere.  Eggs and bacon or sausage ALWAYS fit my macros!  Plus - it's pretty hard to screw up eggs.

6.  Offer to cook.

Peach cobbler at County Line Barbecue, San Antonio.

When you're visiting family, often times they're not on the same page when it comes to meal planning. Rather than declining what they offer, try creating some excitement by sharing some of your own recipes.  Shop together; cook together.  Use it as an opportunity to talk about how important nutrition is to you and for anyone who wants to lead a healthy life.

7.  Accept less than perfection.

I'm not saying throw it all out the window here.  But the very nature of traveling means you're giving up some control over your environment.  Make the best choices you can, but don't beat yourself up for compromising either.  You are not going to erase all your hard work with a few less-than-perfect meals.

Food and friends.  Isn't that what life's about?

8.  Have fun with it.  

If you're traveling for vacation or some other celebration, don't forget to smell the culinary roses.  Eating just for the sake of enjoyment is perfectly fine, even on a fairly strict nutrition plan.  Enjoy the company, enjoy the food, and step out of your comfort zone if the opportunity presents itself.  

9.  Remember your macros.

When it comes down to it, you've got a pretty simple guide to follow: protein first, veggies always, other complex carbs and fats in moderation.  When you're reading the menu or hitting the local supermarket, pick the selection that matches your macros.

10.  And finally: you don't HAVE to make a "happy plate".  

Lots of restaurants over-portion.  And they love to throw on the breads, pasta, and rice side dishes (these are cheap on restaurant food cost).  Don't feel remotely guilty about "wasting" food you don't need.  Don't forget to ask if they will make a substitution.  Extra meat or extra vegetables instead of the white stuff will always work better to fill you up without the accompanying "food coma".

These tips may not seem all that revolutionary, and, honestly, they're probably not.  But if your nutrition is a priority, plan ahead a little and apply them to your next trip. Hopefully you'll find eating a little less stressful.  Which means the rest of the trip should be that much more enjoyable.