Health and Wellness: Food choices when traveling - help is on the way!

Traveling can ruin a good, healthy eating plan. A traveler can be successful, but it takes thought. It also requires turning off our sense of smell and learning to look away from some foods, If we smell it and see it - we will want it.

For example, hotels that offer a free breakfast. Some offer full meals with eggs, a meat, hash browns, sometimes waffles, bagels, pastries, oatmeal, yogurt, etc. Making good choices can be really hard, but it can be done. Am I always perfect? No.

Sometimes (although rarely) I choose the waffle or biscuits and gravy, and sometimes both (lol). I always regret it, but it still happens now and then. Just the other morning, we were traveling to see family in another state and stopped at little family owned diner.

On the menu was 'Cornbread Waffles' for breakfast...I couldn't leave without trying a local cornbread waffle. (LOL) Turns out I like cornbread waffles better than the regular waffle. Especially good with warm maple syrup.

So, no I am not perfect. But I don't let it become a habit or the norm. I stick to my healthy choices 90 percent of the time.

However, when offered a full breakfast bar, there are good choices. For example:

• Eggs with or without one serving of meat, add a piece of fruit and it's good.
• Waffles? Yes, but go for fruit toppings instead of syrup, no butter, no whipped cream, and no powdered sugar. (Unless it's cornbread waffles, then a little maple syrup is in order.)
• Oatmeal with fruit (add yogurt, if you must)
• If you must then go for the bagel, but no cream cheese or butter. Perhaps a tablespoon of yogurt on it, and then eat the rest of the yogurt, too.
• The best breakfast choices if you are strong enough is: an egg, 1 serving of bacon or other meat, and a small fruit.

If offered a continental breakfast, choose:

• Oatmeal and fruit
• Yogurt and fruit
• 1/2 bagel with half a pat of real butter (no margarine) or a teaspoon of cream cheese, if no other choice, and fruit
• Drink water and/or coffee/tea

It's the same for lunch and dinner, you may have to eat out, but you can do so without giving up your health or diet:

• Make good choices, choose green over white,
• choose high protein and no sugar,
• eat vegetables,
• leave breads alone,
• go easy on sauces and dressings,
• say no to gravies,
• and choose fresh whenever possible.

Yes, it is possible to travel and still eat healthy and stay on your diet. Just think before it goes into your mouth.

Plan as much as possible. Pull the menu up for the restaurant you are going to ahead of time and choose your meal. Then don't look at the menu again. If you look at it at the restaurant, you may end up choosing something you will regret later. Preplan your meals when possible.


Do you have any tips for eating while traveling to stay on track with your diet and health? If you travel a lot, are you successful at staying true to your eating plan? Share, we need all the help we can get!


XOXO