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Eating healthy can be challenging in normal circumstances, but add in travelling and the challenge becomes even greater.
If you travel regularly, what you eat and drink when you’re travelling can make a big contribution to your health and weight. Being on the go, frequent aeroplane meals, restaurant dining and going out with colleagues add extra challenges to healthy eating.
Here are some helpful tips for when you’re travelling...
On the road
Whether you’re a sales rep, auditor, or any other type of travelling businesswoman you’ll all have one thing in common - spending a large proportion of your day on the road and away from the office. A tip to keep you hydrated: put a bottle of water in the freezer the night before and have in the car throughout the day. Take another bottle of water from the fridge to drink before the frozen water is defrosted. This will ensure you have cold water throughout the day.
In your work car keep a supply of:
Packets of nuts/fruit and nut mix
Box of muesli bars (less than 10% fat)
Mini packets of rice snacks
A couple of apples (easy to eat and not messy)
Pot of baby wipes for wiping your hands
This will ensure you have a healthy snack to munch on while you are on the road rather than stopping at a service station for a packet of chips or a pie. Keep service station stops for petrol only! If you need to buy food stop at a bakery or sandwich shop where you can get a healthy sandwich.
Frequent dining with colleagues
If wining and dining with prospective/current business colleagues is part of your job, then no doubt you’ll be presented with challenges to eating well. Fat tastes delicious, so most restaurants add a good measure of it to many of their dishes. A bit of clever ordering will make sure you don’t OD on fat and calories.Avoid big pasta dishes, these are normally way too large with creamy sauces. If you go pasta, choose entrée size, as this is normally sufficient. If you’re dining out often chose a salad with dressing on the side.
Avoid ordering garlic bread. It fills you up with refined carbohydrates and fat before you’ve even reached the main course. Things to avoid on the menu include anything containing the words battered, fried, creamy, cheesy. These are likely to be high in fat. If you’re staying overnight on your travels, be sure to get out after work for a brisk walk or a gym session. This will help keep you feeling revitalised, fit and help counteract some of the extra calories you may consume as a result of eating out.
Frequent Flyers
Airlines normally offer two options for a meal and one of them tends to be healthier, however sometimes you can have bad luck.
If you’re trying to keep your weight in check or just want to make sure you do get a healthy meal, when you book your flight request a low fat meal. This will ensure you don’t get stuck with options like a pastry quiche or a beef pie.
These tips should help keep your healthy eating in check when you’re out and about.
Nicola Graham
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Eating healthy can be challenging in normal circumstances, but add in travelling and the challenge becomes even greater. 
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