Next week, I'll be at a client site in MN from Sun-Fri. I was just contemplating all of the many ways my preparations have changed since my lifestyle did.
Before:
Panic about finding suits to fit, find one ill-fitting one, desperately try to find enough pieces to accessorize and distract from my poorly fitted clothes, probably cry in dressing room while hunting down Spanx. Dig for the largest size pantyhose, which only come in horrible colors, and struggle to find 11W shoes that don't squeeze my puffy feet into blistering.
Cram way-large clothing pieces into suitcase. I'd actually probably have had to check a bag, given the whole week of clothes, or smash everything trying to squish it in.
Get hot and sweaty going through the airport just trying to get to my gate. Have a drink or two.
Sit in tiny seat, pray I can close the seatbelt, and barely squeeze it closed. Worry about the inevitable chafing having it so tight will be, but refuse in mortification to ask flight attendant for an extender. Be unable to lower my tray table to put my laptop on it to work, since my stomach was in the way. Hold my drink in hand, since I can't set it down. Be very hot on the plane, despite the typically low temperature, since I'm all crammed in with my laptop on my lap.
Consume every snack offered to me, and some I purchased, on the plane.
Arrive at destination, eat something heavy, sleep fitfully until I get up the next morning, at the last possible moment to get myself together before running out the door.
Subsist on sugar, coffee, and fat (doughnuts, pastry, etc) to stay awake. Slog through meetings, get a heavy/fast food dinner, drink some soda or alcohol, crash into bed. If I get invited out to dinner with the client, panic about them criticizing what I'm eating because I'm the fat girl, drink to compensate, and end up ordering something heavy anyway once my inhibitions are down.
Repeat.
Return feeling vaguely ill and somehow fitting less well in my airplane seat than even on the way there.
Now:
Easily find clothes and shoes that fit in department stores. Find enough that I can choose clothes that look good, not just those that will cover me. Also, have a "stable" wardrobe since I'm not growing in size, so I can reuse a lot.
Pack my suitcase with room to spare for a few gym outfits, and a bunch of protein bars for quick breakfasts, since I know I'll be busy and want to have decent options available.
Scope out the hotel gym and pool before I go so I can plan my workouts. Score! Ellipticals, treadmills, and a big rack of free weights. Plan to take advantage of the equipment I don't have while I'm there, especially to lift extra heavy. And scope out room amenities, so I know if I have a microwave and refrigerator to work with.
Comfortably navigate the airport and fit nicely into my seat. Marvel (as I have on every flight since goal) at the tremendous amount of seatbelt left over. Eat a planned snack (Double score! Airline offers fresh fruit as a snack alternative).
Arrive, find a salad for dinner, drive directly to pre-determined grocery store to stock hotel room with bottled water, fruit, and salad-fixings.
Wake up early on the first morning, down a piece of fruit, and hit the gym for a shortened, but intense cardio session. Shower, dress in my small, cute clothes, eat a protein bar, and go.
Refresh during the day with a quick walk around the halls, a cup of tea, or some cold water. Either pack a lunch, or select from healthy options in company cafeteria (They have some! I know because I checked beforehand). Eat some packed veggies for a snack.
Finish work, go to one of several pre-planned dinner options to get dinner (either something purchased at the grocery store, or a 400-cal meal option from a local restaurant - one of my favorites I can't get here is a small Whole Grain Tuscan Linguine from Noodles and Company - 450 calories!). If I am invited out, order a lighter option with confidence, drink sparkling water with lime.
If it's a lifting day, lift some weights. Lift heavy because the equipment is there! Maybe soak a bit in the hot tub to wind down.
Head to bed early so I can get up to exercise the next day.
Repeat!
Fly home feeling good and light and on-track, and usually a bit lighter than when I left.
Heh, I used to just binge on room service. I would always order an appetizer, dinner, glass of wine, dessert. I deserved it! Traveling for work was HARD.
Wow, Amanda, this should be required reading for anyone trying to understand how this whole thing is a lifestyle change. It's like you described two completely different people!
As usual, Amanda, your post serves to bring clarity to what can be a confusing event, especially if you're not used to travelling for business. Thanks for laying it all out so clearly! I'm printing this out for when I go back to work in January - I'm going to be travelling giving training sessions.
Thanks, guys. It was just so...crazy to me to really think about how different it is.
Actually, I wrote this because, in my head, I was mentally whining a bit about the fact that I would have to be up REALLY early for exercise. And then I remembered just how much awesome I got in return, so I got over it
It was during a business trip in Vegas that I had my come-to-Jesus moment, waking up ill in a strange hotel room, nauseated, shivering, flushing, not sure if I was having a blood sugar episode or a panic attack. This was after overindulging in the company's buffet spread on the first, meet-and-greet night. I wondered if many people died in hotel rooms in Vegas, and what would happen if I did, and realized that I'd damn well better change my ways if I wanted to live another decade.
Until recently, our all-company meetings were one big binge trigger for me. Something about seeing other people eat large quantities during expense account dinners loosens up my inhibitions. Also, the ubiquitous breakfasts, with their unfrosted-cupcakes-disguised-as-muffins, the baskets full of candy bars passed out as snacks, the little glass dishes of hard candies distributed all over the tables, the buffet tables, particularly the dessert tables.
The European & Australian employees of my company would attend these American blowouts & be somewhat disgusted by some of this food. When I attended a later company offsite meeting, after instating healthier habits, these were the people I found myself emulating & inadvertently hanging out with. We wanted herbal tea, not gallons of coffee; fresh fruit at breakfast, and yogurt; fruit at breaks, not American brand candy bars; and lighter options at dinner. We wanted just one glass of wine, if that, or sparkling mineral water. We wanted vegetarian options. And we were the ones who lined up just before the hotel fitness center opened in the early morning in, a line stretching down the hallway, and ran for the cardio machines. There was this whole healthy subculture at my office, along with the gourmands & the heavy drinkers, only I never noticed it until I started looking for it. And when we banded together & made our requests, we really could change things.
Amanda, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and could relate to so much of it.
It shows once again, how every area of life is affected by our eating habits and the ensuing results from those habits. It also highlights that being slim is a life filled with waaay less worries and anxieties and more joy.
And wait, airlines offer fresh fruit as an alternative??? I've NEVER seen that. But I would be thrilled! I don't see it on the cart...do you have to ask for it specifically?
Well, I was in first class (sort of by happenstance, as much as I would like to pretend I am a REALLY BIG DEAL). So they had fruit.
Got up this morning at half past o'dark thirty, did cardio, ate my banana, and had a nice turkey sandwich for lunch. On track and feeling good. And SO much better than before.
You are so on target and I have discovered much of these strategies as well. I am copying and pasting for future reference. We have 3 weekends of back to back traveling. This is news I can use.
It is possible to maintain (or lose) while traveling. Not so much if one doesn't plan. When I was crafting my plan, traveling could not equal eating trash or I would gain.
Amen to that, Amanda!! I can absolutely relate - and yes, it is just sooooo much better, isn't it?? I totally look forward to having that personal time to workout guilt-free with no other obligations. It is awesome!
Welcome to MN! Sorry the weather is going to be crummy this week...but then again, it IS Minnesota in October .
Business Trip Prep - Before and After
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