fitbie December 26, 2012 | By The Nutrition Twins
Every time we return from traveling our clients ask us what we do to prevent weight gain on the road. First, let us tell you, it doesn’t’ come easy for us either. We have to plan, and it takes work! After all, if get stuck at the airport without backup food not, your best option is often burger and fries.
As registered dietitians and personal trainers, we do have a little extra motivation to keep the weight off (if we come back 10 pounds heavier after every trip, it wouldn’t be good for our practice), but these strategies can work for anybody. Here’s what we do when we travel.
1. We cut red peppers into strips and put them into Ziploc bags and pack pistachios to take with us for our travel day
Red peppers are sweet, crunchy and satisfying. They’re loaded with fiber and water, so they fill your stomach. Pistachios are another ideal snack. Not only are they easy to transport, but they also have got both fiber and protein, which will squash your cravings for something savory and crunchy without compromising your healthy eating goals. You can eat 30 of them for 100 calories.
Eating a snack is necessary because, without it, we are hungry when we reach our destination. A snack takes the edge off hunger so we don’t eat a bag of chips or a candy bar (or whatever tempts us) while we’re waiting for dinner. In fact, just this past weekend on her way to South Beach Tammy was able to pass up candy her husband picked up at the airport for later for the trip, because she knew she was prepared with her peppers and pistachios.
2. If we’re traveling for more than 3 hours, we pack a meal
We make sure to include a high-fiber carbohydrate, like fruit and veggies or beans, for energy, and then a lean protein to keep us feeling satisfied and to extend the energy boost of the carbohydrate. Often we bring big salads with veggies, poultry, and a piece of fruit. We have packed tuna or salmon (in the seal-pack pouch before), but of course this is a meal we have when we don’t plan to eat it on the plane next to other passengers. After all, we’re not in the business of creating enemies.
3. We pack apples for breakfast
Even if we have a hard time finding healthy food, we have something. Plus, it’s usually easy to find a string cheese, yogurt, or hardboiled egg to accompany the fruit. Just bring one or two so that you have them for the first day, and get more while you are at your destination.
4. We bring sneakers
Although we make it our priority to exercise (again, it’s our job!), even if you don’t exercise, you can at least burn some extra calories walking around your vacation spot. We try to do pushups and sit-ups in our hotel room if there is no fitness center.
What do you do to keep the extra pounds from following you back from the airport?
For more like this you may like:
Nutrition Twins Fitbie: 3 Breakfasts to Get you Back on Track After a Big Splurge
For a ‘Get Healthy’ Guide Check out The Nutrition Twins Veggie Cure