I travel almost weekly, for work. Years prior, my travel was sporadic, which allowed me to be disciplined about the food I was eating and I could fit in two workouts a day. Yup, I said two. These two worksouts aren't about being in the gym for 2 hours, but instead knocking out an interval cardio session and pumping some iron. I was fit and liked my physique!
Those days are of the past, or are they? Business travel can take a toll on you. It's not as glamorous as those who don't travel, might think. You are either getting up at 2:30am, to catch at 5am flight, to fly across the US, or you're taking a red eye to limit the travel time, so you can get back home. Sleep is disrupted, dehydration is a major factor when traveling. You can bounce from meeting to meeting and if you don't carry water with you, you are hosed! Or perhaps you wish you had a hose to drink from. Trying to stick to an eating plan or a diet is challenging. Fitting in workouts is yet another issue. You eat less, but consume more calories when you travel because you're skipping meals for meetings. By the time you eat, you're famished and you're eating like you are on vacation...there are no limits to what you eat. Entertaining customers or having dinner with colleagues, reeks havoc on your weight because it turns into a booze fest. You're now piling on even more calories. Your metabolism is getting jerked around and you're not burning calories. This does not do a body good!
It's no wonder those who are on the road 50%+ of the time, can't keep a trim physique. We are sleep deprived and there is no ceiling to the amount of calories we consume...after all it feels like vacation right? We are staying in hotels, eating out at restaurants and being catered too. That's identical to what we experience on vacation...minus the customer meetings and sleep deprivation.
Last week, all of this became a reality for me. I did ALL these things. I felt horrible by the time I got home. I was retaining water from not only being dehydrated, but from eating rich foods, drinking fabulous and very expensive wines and not getting much sleep. This can put you into depression, making it hard to get back on track. I am very aware of what I was eating and drinking..and the fact that I had no time to sneak in a run. My mind on the other hand was telling me I was on vacation and to enjoy myself..and that I did!!!
Guess what, I'm traveling again this week and can you imagine what I would look like if I allowed my mind to continue to control my eating decisions when I travel. Good grief, I would have to buy a whole new wardrobe. It is all about mind over matter.
I had to put a stop to this. This time I packed a small brown bag of fruit: grapes and an apple, a small portion of sliced almonds and oatmeal on the go. This would be my go to bag if I got hungry. Once at the airport, the smells of sweets, grilled burgers and more, came pouring out of the mini restaurants. You many not even be hungry but the smell is so overwhelming you fall into the trap. Next thing you know, you're at a table ordering something off your plan with a alcoholic beverage to wash it down.
I've reached a point where all of this is now almost disgusting. I gained 5 pounds as a result of eating like I was on vacation. If you aren't used to traveling for business and you have a jam packed schedule and are a foodie like me...pay close attention to your eating patterns, cuz you too could come home with some extra weight..and it's not luggage.
Last nite I walked through the airport, with a full belly from eating a home cooked meal prior to heading to the airport. I smell cinnabon, grilled burgers, fries, beer and wine. My mind is going crazy, almost like it's panting for some of this junk! I remind myself I've already eaten and I'm not hungry. It's nite time and it's time to sleep, not eat. Whew, I board my flight and survive falling prey to the luring smells.
6 hours later, I'm at my destination. I'm hungry but not starving. I make it to my hotel an hour after landing. I sit in the restaurant and order an egg-white omelet with veggies for breakfast. I make sure I drink two full cups of water with my meal. Surprisingly, I can't finish my meal because the water has filled me up.
I'm ready for the day. I will resist the temptations of a basket of bread and a dish of butter on the table. I will resist the savory NY steak with burgundy gravy on it, served with rosemary mashed potatoes. I will resist the wine. Instead, I'll order a grilled chicken breast or fish with veggies. I eat whole foods normally, so I should eat this way on the road too. Will I have a drink? I might, but it won't be wine. I notice I pack the pounds on when I drink too much wine. It will be a citron club soda with a lemon twist. It's hard to sit at a table where others are drinking and eating any and everything. So I'm not going to deprive myself completely, otherwise bad things can happen.
No matter where you are, who you are with, or the purpose of your travel. Don't jump off the ledge. Maintain a healthy eating lifestyle. Your body will show it!
Until next time...
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