Mastering Healthy Eating on the Road: Tips for Weight Loss and Well-Being While Traveling for Work
ABSTRACT
The article addresses the everyday challenges of maintaining a healthy diet and losing weight while traveling for work, emphasizing the need to overcome negative assumptions and adopt a proactive mindset. The author recounts a personal experience navigating limited and unhealthy food options during a road trip and proposes practical solutions for various obstacles professionals may face. The suggested strategies include establishing personal nutrition guidelines, packing non-perishable snacks, researching healthy options at airports and along travel routes, scheduling flights to allow for preparation time, cooking in accommodations without kitchen access, and using grocery stores to stock up on healthy food. The article also addresses concerns about time constraints, potential judgment from colleagues when ordering special meals, and the importance of assertiveness in prioritizing health. Each proposed solution is accompanied by its implications and potential drawbacks, emphasizing the importance of planning and proactive decision-making in maintaining a healthy lifestyle on the road.
Keywords:
Healthy eating tips for professionals on the road
Weight loss strategies during business travel
Proactive mindset for maintaining a healthy diet while traveling
Road trip nutrition guide for busy professionals
Overcoming challenges of eating well on business trips
Healthy snacks for professionals during travel
Airport food options for a nutritious diet
Time-efficient strategies for healthy eating on the road
Cooking without a kitchen while traveling for work
Finding healthy options near hotels and workplaces
Balancing work meetings with healthy meal choices
Assertiveness and healthy eating in a professional setting
Planning for a healthy lifestyle during business travel
INTRODUCTION
Eating healthy and losing weight while traveling professionally each week is difficult. The typical reactive assumption, without breaking down the problem, is that it’s IMPOSSIBLE to eat healthily and lose weight on the road. As a former Midwestern native, I understand entirely. When it comes to a challenge like this, I often have to consider my mindset. It's incredible how often I have jumped to wrongful, emotionally driven assumptions when I first noticed a problem-especially when it came to my health at an earlier age; what a state of stress trying to take care of my health, which is ironic! I quickly blamed a lack of resources, work, and everyone else. In 2017, my wife, son, and mother-in-law drove 13 hours over two days from Chicago to Washington, D.C.. The food options were sparse and, regarding health, absolutely awful. Meat, cheese, bun, cola....meat, cheese, bun, cola....a consistent offering down Highway 94 throughout Indiana, Ohio, and more. I feel you!!!! I can't imagine traveling to rural and small towns across America with the limited offerings of McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Applebees, and Chilis.
Maybe you are guilty of these same tendencies or dealt with similar challenges. If you recognize this, it's probably time to change it. If you feel a lack of control, then it's time to take control of the situation. Instead of saying, "There are no options in the middle of nowhere Ohio, Michael," try to say, "I will find viable options within a 5-10 radius of my hotel and workplace. Instead of saying, "Work is so demanding on the road that I don't have the time to travel somewhere for healthy food options," try to say, "I will travel to the nearest grocery store and stockpile my refrigerator-equipped room with healthy lunch options." The theme: Changing the defeatist self-talk to "I will" statements. What I suggest moving forward will be fruitful unless you are willing to find a solution and want to make a change. I've listed the usual excuses/reasons why eating healthy is tough on the road and the solutions with their implications. Use each of the strategies when deemed most appropriate for your current situation and carefully consider the drawbacks of each as well. Ultimately, you can make at least one of the options work daily with a change of mindset, a reflection on priorities, and a willingness to dedicate an additional 0-30 minutes to your diet. Regardless of your choice, don't forget that PLANNING MATTERS.
PROBLEMS, SOLUTIONS, AND IMPLICATIONS
1. Problem: I don't know what to eat.
Solution:
Determine the best nutrition combination for you.
Implication:
We should always eat and move with intent. If you don't know what to eat, you must establish your nutrition guidelines and principles beforehand (with a personal trainer, Google machine, or other trusted professionals). This foundation will be your starting point for any eating decision and measure how far you have pushed beyond the perfect combination. Use the plate image in the article How to Lose Weight Without Exercise to steer your choices on the road. On the other hand, this process takes time, and you don't have it. Unfortunately, this is a non-negotiable solution. It would help if you completed this action before attempting anything else (especially since it guides all approaches). You don't have to do this alone. Be patient and learn what you must do while sitting on a plane.
2. Problem: I find myself constantly snacking on unhealthy options when I fly.
Solution:
Pack non-perishables for the trip.
Implication:
You can easily pack dried, unsweetened, and unsulfered fruit, nuts, and more for your travels. Although they will not meet your nutritional needs, they will hinder some indulgences. On the other hand, space could be a factor with your checked and/or carry-on luggage and may limit your available space.
3. Problem: There aren't any healthy options at the airport.
Solution:
Review your guidelines on nutrition and determine if you’re overlooking something or have something delivered before you depart to the airport.
Implication:
Now airports are offering more and more options that fall in the range of the dietary suggestions you’ll find in the article How to Lose Weight Without Exercise. You will also find specific healthy fast food menu items in the article 37 Snack Ideas for Weight Loss (And You Won’t Be Bored)…..which gives small meal ideas at home and on the road. On the other hand, smaller airports truly may have limited options. In that case, you could pick something up on the way to the airport or deliver it wherever you are before your departure.
4. Problem: I rarely have time to fit anything else into my schedule when I arrive.
Solution:
Schedule your flight to arrive an hour earlier than normal.
Implication:
Since lack of time typically impedes the healthy eating process, you can give yourself more time to prepare and research healthy food options by scheduling your flight an hour earlier than normal. On the other hand, the hour must be taken from somewhere (hopefully not sleep), and you may not have any time to spare.
5. Problem: I don't know where to eat healthy food.
Solution:
Find viable options in a 5-10 radius of my hotel and workplace.
Implication:
With technology and the endless phone apps, you can easily find restaurants, diners, and more along the route from your hotel to the workplace. Go to Google Maps and type in "Restaurants (Town or City)" and find the options on your path. Visit the website and review their menus. Although diners or family restaurants typically offer many unhealthy options, you might be surprised by 3-4 alternatives on a usual expansive menu (think stir fry or skillet). You will also find specific healthy fast food menu items in the article 37 Snack Ideas for Weight Loss (And You Won’t Be Bored)…..which gives small meal ideas at home and on the road. On the other hand, do you have time to wait for a restaurant to prepare your food? You may need to order ahead and quickly pick it up at the door.
6. Problem: There aren't any healthy options or restaurants near my hotel or workplace.
Solution:
Cook your meals.
Implication:
We've taken many conveniences in society for granted, including access to meals. Although people say, "I don't cook," meaning "I refuse to cook." You don't need to be a chef to create quick and simple meals daily. I make three meals each morning within 13 minutes. It is possible....as long as you're willing to do the initial experimentation phase to determine what you like best (and it's quick to prepare). On the other hand, cooking (and grocery shopping) still requires time and could be tough during a tight schedule. You may need to creatively carve out a little time from different areas (e.g., cutting a meeting short by 5 minutes, having groceries delivered to your room or apartment, etc.).
7. Problem: I'm surrounded by unhealthy options at the hotel and workplace.
Solution:
I will travel to the nearest grocery store and stockpile my refrigerator-equipped room with healthy lunch options.
Implication:
Book a hotel or an apartment with a fridge. If the hotel doesn't have a fridge, book an Airbnb. If you can't book an Airbnb, stockpile your room with non-perishables and fruits/vegetables that won't perish within a few days. On the other hand, time could be a huge factor, and you won't have the wiggle room to sneak away to a grocery store. You may need to visit a nearby convenience store (Google "convenience store" or ask your hotel).
8. Problem: I don't have access to a kitchen.
Solution:
Expense an Airbnb apartment instead of a hotel room.
Implication:
While a hotel room may give you luxury and ease, I'm not sure what it gives you that's better than an Airbnb apartment. The Airbnb options have grown so much that you can secure a space 3x the size of a hotel with the same level of luxury and comfort. The check-in process is comparable, and you can cook your meals. Conversely, the closest Airbnb option to your workplace could be an additional 10-30 minutes away, which is not ideal for a tight schedule.
9. Problem: There aren’t healthy options off the highway on my road trip.
Solution:
Identify small towns and cities on your route and type “(the town or city) restaurants” in Google Maps.
Implication:
To eliminate the roadside desperation, you’ll need to prepare ahead once again. Take 5 minutes to review your route on Google Maps and then type in “(the town or city) restaurants.” You might be surprised by the number of options that will pop up roadside or within a 5-minute drive of the highway. On the other hand, you are requiring an additional 3-30 minutes during this process….time you don’t have.
10. Problem: The workplace only offers unhealthy options during my meetings.
Solution:
Bring your prepared meals for lunch or have a meal delivered during the same time slot.
Implication:
Preparation is the key here. Anything you can prep or schedule in advance will give you the alternative you want. On the other hand, you may not have had the time to prepare the meal or schedule a food delivery in advance. Let's be honest, though, if you know what to order from a place you selected in advance, it won't take more than 2 minutes to order delivery.
11. Problem: My meetings run into each other, and I have no time to eat.
Solution:
Be more assertive.
Implication:
This is rarely a reasonable excuse. It would help if you were more assertive. It is fair to expect that you need a 30-minute break at some point in the day. You must prioritize it and remove some irrational time urgency you constantly place on your life. On the other hand, meetings may run late, and any free time will become obsolete. In these cases, though, you can easily have food delivered.
12. Problem: I don’t want to be judged by my colleagues while special ordering.
Solution:
Be assertive and order what you want….but find ways to still participate in the experience.
Implication:
There is an underlying and, often, overt theme here: Be assertive. While you need your job, your job requires you. It should be fair to carve time for healthy eating in an already demanding 13-hour workday (which you can argue is a generous offering to your company….no matter what they pay you). Putting aside the time challenge, many still feel awkward ordering what they want when eating with colleagues. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what your colleagues think.
Nevertheless, you understand that they want you to share the experience with them….especially if you’re the one who invited them to dinner. Then, still indulge in the experience with them! It's under your control, though. Order one drink (instead of 3) and discuss its unique taste profile. Order a plant-based dish (instead of the cheeseburger) and discuss your favorite restaurants and dishes. Essentially, contribute to the conversation of the experience but control what you eat. If anything, order 1-2 appetizers for the table and steal a small bite of each to exhibit your tasting participation. On the other hand, this strategy requires one to be more assertive and confident (both of which take time to foster).
Photo Credit:
beyondwords .life–Are there more healthy options on the road than you realize?
About the author: MICHAEL MOODY, PERSONAL TRAINER
As an author, a personal trainer in Denver, and podcast host, Michael Moody has helped personal training clients achieve new fitness heights and incredible weight loss transformations since 2005. He also produces the wellness podcast "The Elements of Being" and has been featured on NBC, WGN Radio, and PBS.
Michael offers personal training to Denver residents who want to meet at the 2460 W 26th Ave studio….or in their homes throughout LoHi (80206), LoDo (80202), RiNo (80216), Washington Park (80209), Cherry Creek (80206, 80209, 80243, 80246, 80231), and Highlands (80202, 80211, 80212). Michael also offers experiences with a personal trainer in Jefferson Park (80211) and Sloan's Lake (80204, 80212).
If you’re looking for a personal trainer who can curate a sustainable (and adaptable) routine based on your needs and wants, Michael is the experienced practitioner you’ve been looking for. Try personal training for a month…your body will thank you!
