I was once at the gym when I overheard a conversation between a fellow gym-goer and his personal trainer, which went something like this:
Trainer: “How was your business trip?”
Businessman: “It was great but I really feel like my whole diet fell off the wagon! You know, we went out for steak dinners every single night…”
Trainer: “Well, there are actually a lot of things you can do to make your meal a bit healthier when you’re eating out!”
Businessman: “I’m sure there are, but when you’re at a steak house it’s hard to say resist the temptation. And then we were having bacon-and-egg breakfasts every morning too, which didn’t help.”
Trainer: “Well, you could always pack some healthy snacks!”
Businessman: “I’m sure I could have but when it’s all on the company’s dime, it’s a nice treat for me…”
This type of back-and-forth banter went on for a good 5 - 10 minutes, and I’m sure you notice a theme here: trainer makes a suggestion, businessman makes an excuse. Trainer offers a solution, businessman finds another problem.
Nonetheless, I certainly can sympathize with frequent travellers since it really does throw you out of your normal everyday routine! However, “travel” certainly doesn't have to mean “goodbye-diet-hello-every-fried-food-ever-invented.” If you put your mind to it, there are a number of strategies you can implement to ensure that you don’t come back with 10 extra lbs. to claim—and not from your luggage.
Tips for Healthy Traveling
Eat before you go to the airport.
Make yourself a well-balanced meal before heading to the airport that’s filled with fibre, protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates. A great option would be a homemade wrap using 100% whole grains, chicken slices, avocado, and shredded vegetables like carrots and cabbage.
2. Pick healthy snacks once you get there.
Pick up some portable, healthy snacks at the airport while you’re waiting for your flight. Some airports offer better selections than others, but you should be able to find some raw fruit, nuts and seeds, and even hardboiled eggs. Hummus and plain yogurt are also great options if you can find them! From there, you can make a lovely snack of plain yogurt + banana slices + raw nuts and seeds for your own little parfait. (You can grab an individual packet of honey from Starbucks if need be, too!)
3. Pack some health-helpers.
Pack non-perishable items in your suitcase so you’re well prepared. Some great options are:
Nuts and seeds
Healthy crackers (Mary’s Gone Crackers are a personal fave!)
Rice cakes
Nut butters (you can buy single-serve packets by Justin’s Nut Butter)
Beef or turkey jerky
Kale chips
Granola
Healthy popcorn (Buddha Bowl Popcorn is the BEST!)
Instant oatmeal
Canned tuna