As most of you know, a significant portion of my job requires travel. I love that my job allows me to see new places and visit new people, but let me tell you; business travel can wreak havoc on your system. From gym accessibility, late night dinners, and poor sleep, many travelers find it difficult to “find their groove,” when they are on the road.  When I first started traveling, I felt the challenges hard. I’d go to a hotel to find they had no gym or drive into a town with literally no restaurant. When we’d go to dinner, I’d scramble to figure out what I would eat or order to drink. I meet so many folks who just want some dang balance.  What I realize is that most of my followers are not competitors. You may count macros, or may not, but that shouldn’t stop you from making healthy choices. Here are a few of my go-to travel favorites:

Breakfast in a hotel: 

Concierge Lounge: If you’re fancy and have status, they usually have free breakfast in the “lounge” area. Step away from the pastry table. Opt for a cup of oatmeal and some eggs or an english muffin and eggs.

Room Service: If you are in a hotel and need to order room service, feel free to order off the menu (they love this), but I always go for an English muffin, two cups of egg whites, and a side of fruit. The max cost will be about 13.00, but be careful for gratuity and delivery “surcharge.”

For a Quick Bite: 

If you can, please try not to default to fast food like Taco Bell and McDonalds. If you have to, try to get a grilled chicken sandwich, but ew.

Jimmy Johns Unwich: Beach Club, light avocado, no mayo, light cheese. BUT THE BREAD IS DELICIOUS! Did you know that they also have a thing where they scoop the bread out? You get the taste of bread without the guts. You usually have to call and ask them to “Scoop the bread.” It will add some more carbs but if it’s worth it splurge. They also have one of the fanciest nutrition calcs I’ve seen.

Panera: Greek Chicken Salad with Double Chicken. Dressing on the side. Watch the fat in this bad boy. Also the “modern” greek has nearly 32 grams of fat. That’s my daily intake yo. Kill the Quinoa and extra nuts.

Most chains are pretty easy to navigate. Just google the menu online and make an easy choice.

Dinners Out:  

Remember what I say: Lean protein+clean carb=Winning

Sushi: Spicy Tuna or Salmon Roll. Always. As described by Livestrong.com,” The tuna, rice and vegetables contribute to the carb and protein content of the spicy tuna hand roll. One hand roll contains 9 to 18 grams of carbs, 1 to 2 grams of fiber and 6 to 15 grams of protein. The carbs provide your body with energy, while the protein helps repair body tissue and preserve lean body mass. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate your body cannot digest, and getting more in your diet alleviates constipation and may reduce your risk of heart disease. Up the fiber in your hand roll by replacing the white rice with brown rice.” Stay away from anything that has cream cheese or says things like “crunchy,” or “tempura.”

Seafood: Stick with lean fish like tilapia and veggies. This is an easy one.

Steakhouse: Opt for a small filet and baked potato. Opt for the smallest filet possible (no bigger than 8oz) and swap out potatoes for veggies if you are watching carbs. If you’re post leg day, splurge for the potato with minimal topping. If you’re going to “go hard” on this meal, be sure to scale back earlier meals because this is high in fat.

Mexican: To be honest, usually I mexi-can’t because I freaking love chips so much and I don’t know. how.to.stop. But if you are so inclined, opt for a corn tortilla and chicken tacos. Fairly lean, but watch the toppings like cheese and beans.

Italian: Again. With the bread. Why. Italian is a tough one because it is so so carby. If you can, go for a salad, but if you must with the pasta, stay away from heavy alfredo or fried items like Chicken Parmesan. If they have butternut squash ravioli, Instagram that sh*t and tell me where to get it.

Drinking:

If you are a competitor, you know what I will say. Fun is not allowed. But most of you aren’t and are going to drink anyway. I’m going to switch to business mode for a minute to let you know that in any professional setting, you need to be careful with alcohol. Work drinking has caused many a job loss, and I don’t advise doing it to excess.  I know that peer pressure plays a role in this, but people will talk for a few minutes if you don’t drink with them, but if you are the drunk jerk at the Christmas Party, you will be the stuff of legends. Be careful. Especially if you are a manager of people. Ok, off the soapbox. If you are going to drink, stick to a clear alcohol with water or soda or red wine. No more than two-three over a few hour span.

 

So there you have it, some quick and easy, no-fail tricks for your business travel needs! What are your best strategies? Drop em below!