Ann Prokenpek - NASM Fitness Expert

Do you have to travel for work frequently? Do you travel with co-workers and feel like you have to eat your meals together? Do you find it difficult to stick with your healthy eating when traveling with co-workers? If you answered, "yes" to any or all of these questions, you are not alone.



Its amazing how often I'm told, "I have to travel a lot for work, and I have no choice when it comes to where we go eat." I too had to travel from time to time for business, and understand the limitations. However, even the worst of restaurants have "some" good choices.



One of the first things I recommend is to always have convenient, healthy snacks with you. Snack prior to going out with the group in order to control your appetite. If the group orders appetizers, you don't have to skip them, but you also don't want to follow it with a large meal. Order a side of vegetables and maybe a baked potato or sweet potato as your main meal. Don't fall into the salad trap. Salads can end up being just as many calories as a steak dinner.



Whenever possible, review the menu ahead of time so you know what you are going to order once you get to the restaurant. This makes it much easier to make a good choice instead of trying to decide when you are already hungry and have the group peer pressure going against you. Scan the menu for choices that are similar to what you would eat at home. If you don't eat a basket of bread at home, skip it at the restaurant too.



Drink lots of water, and when you place your order, ask for a box so that you can pack away half of what is on your plate before you even start eating. If you don't have a refrigerator in your room, one of your travel mates might. And of course, you want to avoid alcohol. Not only does it pack a lot of calories, but it also numbs the inhibitors that will aid in not overeating.



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