I'll be away from home for 5 days next week on a business trip, and would love to get some suggestions for staying on plan while staying at a hotel! This is the first time I'm travelling since beginning my weight loss, and I'm really nervous about this... I think mostly I'm afraid that I won't find much that's ok to eat, and so will end up eating lots of unhealthy meals out at restaurants. The things I know I can control - my alcohol intake (I'll be at a conference with lots of colleagues I don't see very often; there will definitely be drinking) and exercise - I know I can stay on plan with (I've already looked up the hours for the gym at the hotel). It's meals that I'm worried about.
Here's what I've come up with so far in terms of a plan:
-I'm taking fiber one bars, oatmeal, crystal light and my water bottle with me in my suitcase, so I'll be ok with breakfast and getting my water in every day.
-I found a gourmet foods market about 2 blocks from the hotel, and they sell all kinds of fresh produce. I'll go there on the first morning and get fruit (and anything else healthy I can find) for my room that doesn't need to be refrigerated.
-I'm going out to dinner with a friend (who lives in the city I'm visiting) one night, and I found a restaurant near my hotel that has a few relatively reasonable menu items with nutritional info available online. Too bad the entrees are about $40 each or I'd eat there more often during my trip.
Any other thoughts? Thank you very much for any suggestions you're able to offer!
You might check to see what chain restaurants are around the hotel. Then visit their websites to get the nutritional information. Keep a cheat sheet of each restaurant on your phone (or whatever is convenient for you) listing the menu items with calories that you feel comfortable eating. Then when you go to eat, use your created menu instead of the full menu. I do this for several restaurants and it helps tremendously.
You might check to see what chain restaurants are around the hotel. Then visit their websites to get the nutritional information. Keep a cheat sheet of each restaurant on your phone (or whatever is convenient for you) listing the menu items with calories that you feel comfortable eating. Then when you go to eat, use your created menu instead of the full menu. I do this for several restaurants and it helps tremendously.
manders, that's a great idea!! That should really help me get through dinners especially. I will definitely do this; thanks so much.
Just say no to the bread basket - don't even let them bring it. If they do, push it waaaay away from you. I stick to simple dishes - fish, veggies and rice or filet and veggies. Most restaurants will cook these things "without added butter or oil." If it looks shiny, it was probably cooked with oil or butter.
Before I lost weight, I always looked at vacations as a time to loosen up with food. The problem was that I would gain a couple of pounds and then have a really hard time getting back to plan when I got home. The final time that I lost weight, I stayed on plan during every vacation and looked for other ways to entertain myself. It was so much easier when I got home and I felt really proud of myself for being one of the few people who has ever lost weight on a trip. Good luck! You'll do great!
If you find you have to eat fast food, you can save yourself a ton by just skipping the fries. A grilled chicken sandwich will usually run you somewhere around 400 cals. Even a burger (without fries) isn't the worst choice in the world on occassion, as long as you don't get some crazy triple patty "monster" burger or something, lol. Many fast food places offer healthier side dishes if you need a bit more (side salad, apple slices, etc.) I like that you can pick chili or salad at Wendy's instead of fries if you want.
Once in a while I treat myself to fast food Mexican. A chicken soft taco and a regular crispy beef taco at Taco John's are 190 and 180 calories each, respectively. So even if I have three, it's around 550-570 cals for a fast food dinner. Not too bad, considering. (Of course there are days I would KILL for an order of potato oles with cheese...but it's just not worth the fat and calories!)
Good luck to you...I know how hard traveling and staying OP can be!!
bring some resistance bands and maybe a yoga mat, or i use a towel. you could also possibly use ankle or wrist weights. rent or buy a dvd to do in your hotel, or just do body weight exercises. about dot com has a ton of different ones to try for different body parts. they even have a chart for the whole lower half of easy, med, and advanced exercises. all free and many use no equipment. also, imaginary jump rope is fun and burns a ton of calories. try intervals of jumping and squats or other exercises. speed skaters, walking lunges, side lunges.
my focus is always on the lower half. there's tons of info about the upper and lower body too, on about dot com or other fitness websites. or in the exercise section of these forums.
Thank you very much for all the suggestions and advice!! Lean meat and fish with veggies is what I was thinking if I have to eat out at a restaurant where I don't know the nutritional info - but it is definitely that butter and oil that I'm worried about!! I think I can resist the bread, and if I'm eating alone I'll request that they not leave any on the table. I think I've got the exercise under control - I'm looking forward to using the gym at the hotel, and if it doesn't suit my needs there's a nearby gym I can use on a daily basis for a small fee.
Thank you again for the advice! I'll be spending the weekend looking up restaurants near the hotel.
(P.S. I'm really going to miss my scale while I'm away from home. Maybe even more than my husband. Just kidding, I'll miss him too )
Last edited by chickadee32; 02-18-2011 at 02:09 AM.
I travel frequently for work, and your list looks a lot like mine.
My only addition is to try to get your workout in early (even if you have to get up wicked early to do it). At work events, I always get caught up in the work stuff, and if I don't work out before those obligations start, I simply don't do it.
Also, I try to carry something "special" (usually a candy-bar like protein bar that I don't include in my everyday diet and can pack easily...I try to keep them around 150-180 cals, but still something I enjoy) in my laptop bag at all times. Very helpful when you're tired and they break out the 3pm cookie tray/candy bowls are being passed around to have something that feels like a "treat" but is still on plan. Herbal teas are great for this, too. I usually carry a few bags (and some sleepytime or relaxing-type teas for bedtime) with me in my bag.
just wondering- most hotel rooms do have a small fridge/mini bar. will yours include one? if so, you can buy some things to store in the fridge, like low fat/skim milk for cereal, yogurt and such. also, the market might also have single serve peanut butter packets (the brand is Justin's Nut Butter 100cal squeeze packs), and you can get some crackers or fruit for it. i also like turkey jerky as a snack (i try to find a brand with least amount of sodium) also, if there are some chains like Subway around, you could get a decent breakfast/lunch there.
also, when you go to restaurants, some places, like Outback, will make your entree without butter or oil if you specify
hope your trip doesn't involve too much hard work
I found when traveling...that I could do a healthy breakfast at the continental breakfast (oatmeal and fruit) and I would bring a protein meal bar for lunch. Then, I only had to worry about healthy choices at one meal out. And if I didn't do 100% awesome with my choices, it was still ok.
Drink lots of water to make up for the extra sodium from eating out!
mandalinn, I am sooooo not good at getting up early!! I am used to doing my workouts at 10pm, lol. But, I will try.
I like the idea of a protein bar as a snack or lunch substitute. I've not yet ventured into those though (I'm not sure I've ever had one at all). Can either of you recommend some that you like?
fillupthesky - I've stayed at this hotel once before (just overnight), and sadly there's no fridge in the room. Who knows though, I'll ask at check-in and maybe they'll have one available. I LOVE the turkey jerkey from Trader Joe's - good idea! I'll pick some of that up to take with me.
Razorbackbritt - I am going to be totally on top of the water!
Tips for staying on plan while travelling?
or I'd eat there more often during my trip.
