Traveling and eating out can be tricky when trying to maintain a consistently healthy lifestyle. Always remember to H.A.L.T. when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Ask yourself: Am I hungry? Am I angry? Am I lonely? Am I tired? The following tips and tricks won’t make traveling and eating out perfect, but in my experience, they do make it easier to make healthier choices along the way.
- Bring your own food. Bring your own healthy food options from home or pre-order groceries from a local store with a service like Instacart. Stock up on low-fat string cheese, hard-boiled eggs, beef jerky, dried fruit & nuts, protein bars, whole-wheat or rice crackers, pre-cut & washed veggies, tuna, yogurt, and lean protein.
- If you’re staying in a hotel book a room with a refrigerator. Ask the hotel to empty the mini-bar fridge and use it to store healthy food options.
- Avoid buffet-binging if you dine at all-you-can-eat buffets. Refrain from eating larger portions than you normally do, fill your plate with lean protein, veggies, one starch, or fruit, and don’t go back for seconds.
- Research healthy restaurants in the area where you will be staying. Browse nearby restaurant menus in advance to plan your meals.
- When dining out skip the bread basket, avoid deep-fried, fatty foods, and ask for light vinaigrette dressing options.
- Try ordering two appetizers instead of the main meal. Studies show people are more likely to overeat when they’re served big portions. Ordering two smaller appetizers can help you feel satisfied without overindulging.
- Don’t skip meals. Eat breakfast, lunch, dinner, and one to two protein-rich snacks each day.
- Try frozen grapes for a healthy pool-side snack.
- Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and should include a healthy serving of protein. Eat breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up.
- Stay hydrated by drinking 80 ounces of water a day. Drink one 8 ounce glass of water before meals- this helps to avoid overeating!
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