Travel lite

Traveling, whether you choose a plane, train or automobile traveling can be hard when you’re trying to make changes and healthy choices.

The average airport is full of temptations from the McDonald’s french fries to the news stand candy section and don’t forget about the Starbucks drinks. So how do you successfully navigate a trip without adding 10 pounds?

I’ll tell you one thing – it’s not easy and requires a significant amount of self control.

I’m the type of person that likes to plan ahead, whether that means packing a lunch in the morning, packing my gym bag or scheduling time with friends – I’m a planner. This extends to any time I’m traveling no matter the transportation method.

I plan out what to pack, make sure I know when I need to leave and the best way to get where I’m going and because I never want to be caught hungry I usually plan a snack….or two. And while this plan starts with the best of intentions it doesn’t always end up that way.

Think about it, what are the most convenient and easily packable snacks? They tend to be pre-packaged cookies, chips or crackers and unless you tightly monitor your intact can go from a good idea to a bad one very quickly.

Take for example the humble goldfish cracker. Compact, tastes and easy to travel with – but do you know what the suggested serving size is? I can tell you it’s not a whole page which is very easy to consume in one sitting. So if you love the “snack that smiles back” and want to take them as your travel companion I’d suggest consulting the trusty ziploc bag.

Maybe you’re the type that doesn’t plan ahead and will grab something at the airport or rest stop or if you’re riding the train in the diner car. There are several flaws to this logic the least of which is the fact that you’re going to pay out the nose for your snacks.

So now that I’ve identified that problem, you’re probably wondering what the solution is. Simple – pack your snacks and pack things that are healthy or healthy adjacent. Might I suggest any of the flowing:

• Bananas: compact, self contained and full of healthy nutrients. No only that but for most a banana can be pretty filling.
• Popcorn: Bare in mind that when I say popcorn I’m not referring to the “movie theatre butter” or “butter lovers” varieties. But if you make your own popcorn and lightly season it you’ll have a healthy and filling snack that can travel.
• Oranges: Personally this little ball of citrus is not my favorite but like its friend the banana it is self contained and compact enough to easily travel
• String cheese: This snack lends itself more to a car trip because you could pack a cooler but if eaten within a reasonable amount of time it could travel on a plan as well. String cheese offers not only the cheese we all love but a low fat source of protein.
• Nuts: Word to the wise the serving size of nuts is smaller than you think, but some almonds, peanuts or pistachios are always a good in flight snack.

Another important tip would be to pack a drink, now if you’re flying I would suggest bringing a water bottle and using one of the nifty filling stations most airports now offer. No matter where you are, if you find yourself hungry a good gulp of water can help fill you up.

In a bind you can stop at a gas station or one of the stores in the airport but try to stay away from overly sugar options and go for water or flavored water.

There is no big secret as to how to travel without busting your gut by indulging in the foods you normally wouldn’t eat but buy because you’re  “on vacation” – it takes planning and like all things self control.

If you’re wondering what you do when you reach your destination, well that’s another story for another time.

Corporate snack time

I’ve written before about how healthy snacks can help to keep you on track. Well get ready for another flavor on the snacking post.

Recently I was invited to attend a conference for work, it was a two 1/2 day meeting. These meetings always mean interesting content and a guaranteed meal. The problem is that the food they lay out is not meant to be healthy for you, instead it’s meant to satisfy the cravings that you get when sitting in a room with your mind wandering.

At this particular conference the first day offered a “light lunch” and snacks during the breaks. The “light lunch” was the first hurdle to my diet which I jumped this by eating before I left for the meeting. Grabbing a salad in the cafeteria was healthier then heading to the meeting with an empty stomach and a full buffet waiting for me.

While I didn’t eat there several of my colleagues did and the “light lunch” turned out to me soups, sandwiches, brownies and cookies. Not sure who dubbed it light but looking at the full plates of those around me there wasn’t anything too light about it. Seeing this I was pretty proud of myself for thinking ahead and not eating there.

Things didn’t go as well during the first break when they put out cookies and chex mix. On a quick side note, you may not all know that Chex mix is one of my big food weaknesses. It should come as no surprise that I was powerless to resist taking a cup of the chex mix, and to my disappointment I also grabbed a cookie.

Back in my seat enjoying my snacks is when I started to think about this post, thinking about the fact that if I had been smart I would have brought a snack with me. If I think about it I take a snack to work with me every day because I know that I usually get hungry mid-morning or mid-afternoon. While I enjoyed the cookie, and did an extra 20 minutes on the spinning bike to make up for it, it also made me feel a little guilty.

So when I woke up the next morning preparing for the second day, I threw both a banana and a granola bar in my bag. Not only that but I filled my nalgene water bottle up and took that with me.

This meeting taught me that there should be no exception to my healthy behavior and routine. Just because I’m out of the office and at a meeting doesn’t mean that I should let myself snack more then I normally would.

So where is my advice to all of you out there in the corporate world who may attend a seminar at some point. Pack a snack or two. Doing this will allow you to participate in the snack break like everyone else, but in a healthy way. Don’t even go near the snack table, and if you can swing it don’t get out of your seat. This way you won’t even see what the snacks available are. Sometimes the reason that we slip up is because when foods you wouldn’t normally eat are in front of you – you can sometimes get tempted.

Also bring water with you. The more water you drink the less likely you are to feel hungry and get tempted by the snacks.

If you can’t bring a snack with you then head for the fruit. It is pretty much a certainty that there will be fruit out somewhere. Force yourself to go for that over the sweet or salty option.

All in all you really just need to remind yourself that as much as you want that cookie, you don’t want it more than a healthy life. It’s okay to step out on your diet from time to time but you also need to be aware of the slippery slope.

And as I’m sure you all predicted I’d say – make sure that if you do fall off the wagon make sure that you workout and try to compensate for the extra calories. Don’t punish yourself, but do hold yourself accountable for the food choices you make.

Okay that’s it. Hopefully you all got something out of this post. Happy eating!

For when you get the munchies

Close your eyes (well not really because you’re reading…but you know what I mean) and imagine this. You’re sitting on the couch watching whatever reality show is of the moment and your stomach starts gurgling  At first you try to ignore it but the stomach will not stop, so you know what that means: you need a snack.

The only problem is that you’re trying to stay healthy and on track – so what are your options? It’s not always easy because you can’t just grab a bag of chips or the box of cookies. Instead you should take a moment and think of all the options available to you and what the right choice is.

Have you already maxed out your calorie budget for the day? Did you get in an extra long workout in? Get up and go to the pantry and explore the options.

For me I usually go right for popcorn if I want something crunchy and salty. Any of the 94% fat free popcorn options are usually a good fit for me. But even with the less fat and lower calories, that doesn’t mean that you can eat the whole bag. The rule of thumb I stand by is to grab a bowl (cereal bowl or even small mixing bowl) and dump the popcorn into it. If you feel like eating half the bag then do that or if you just want a cup or two then pour that. Once you have your desired amount in your bowl make sure that you put the extra into a ziplock bag and put it away.

Doing this will help you to avoid going back to the bag and putting more and more into your bowl. That usually is where I run into trouble – it’s not that I don’t eat a small serving it’s that if I’m still hungry I’ll go back for more since it’s just sitting there.

Not a fan of popcorn or looking for a sweet snack? My quick fix is a spoonful of peanut butter. Again when I have this fill the spoon and immediately cap the peanut butter and put it away. Adding an extra step between you and getting more of the snack affords you a moment to really think about the decision.

Looking for some other suggestions? Try these snack friendly foods:

1. saltine crackers and a small wedge of cheese

2. dry cereal (some of my favorites and rice chex or cherrios)

3. handful of chocolate chips

4. instant chocolate pudding

5. banana

6. granola bar

7. pop chips

8. veggie straws

9. whole wheat pretezels

Put down the chips when watching TV

Even the best laid plans can be broken in a split second. When I say “plan” I of course mean diet.

Picture this…

You wake up in the morning and make yourself a nice healthy breakfast, in my case it’d most likely be oatmeal. It fits nicely within any diet and it fills you up from the time your alarm clock goes off until you’re ready to break open your lunch.

After your belly is warmed with your oatmeal you might decide to put together a healthy lunch to bring to work…

To go on a quick tangent (and I’ll post all about this another time) if you want to be healthy you should always pack your lunch.

…Most days I pull out the spinach, some chicken breast I’ve cooked up and maybe a little shredded cheese. Mix al that together and throw it into a tumperware, now you have a great lunch option that saves you calories and money. To keep life sweet I like to add in a granola bar or make things salty with chips.

All in all looking at your breakfast and lunch you’re on track for a day filled with on point eating that will keep you moving towards your goal.

If you’re like me, maybe you end up snacking on a mini sized candy at work or pick up something from the vending machine. Even once you add this in, usually you’re still on the right track. After work you come home and put together a nice dinner. Once you finish you sit there satisfied that not only are you full but you were able to stick to your eating plan all day.

And then it happens…

You sit down to watch your favorite show(s) and a decide to have a snack [insert dramatic music here]

It happens to me all the time, instead of being smart and putting some popcorn in a bowl, I just bring the bag to the couch. Before I know it I’ve consumed several hundred extra calories that I most likely did not budget for. Damn you snacks!!!

In reality it’s not the food’s fault, and you’re not going to want to hear this but it’s actually your own fault. Will power is something that everyone wishes they have more of and the lack of it is what lands us all in this predicament.

So what is a girl (or guy) to do? My suggestions, and something that I practice on occasion, is to pre-bag snacks. This way when you go to grab your salty friend you only have a serving size to bring to the couch.

If you’re more interested in getting yourself away from snacking all together I would suggest drinking lots of water or Crystal Light. This will help keep you feeling full without the additional calories.

The most realistic suggestion I can offer is to pre-bag your snacks and also try your hardest not to even buy those really bag snacks.

Happy snacking!!