Eating Well and Losing Weight While on the Road

Main points:

• You can eat well when you’re traveling or are frequently on the road.
• Bring your own healthy items or choose fruit, whole-grain toast or cereal, egg whites, or yogurt at hotel breakfasts.  
• Pack healthy lunches with foods that you brought from home or that you buy at a local supermarket.
• Fast food and casual restaurants usually have healthier choices. No matter what you choose, portion sizes are important. 
• Lark weight loss coach is available 24/7 on your smartphone with more tips for healthy weight loss.

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Do you travel often for work or leisure? Are you able to eat healthy and stick to your weight loss plan? The good news is that no matter the situation, you can always make a healthier choice. All of those good choices can add up so that you can lose weight and be healthy while away from home. Here are some tips for eating at hotels, restaurants, conferences, and anywhere in between.

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Healthy Breakfasts on the Road

Energize for the day ahead, preferably before or after a workout or walk if you can squeeze one in. These are some foods to look for at a hotel breakfast buffet. 

• Fresh fruit
• Plain oatmeal or whole-grain toast
• Peanut butter
• Plain or light yogurt, or cottage cheese
• Hard-boiled eggs

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Aim to stay away from doughnuts, pastries, sugar-sweetened cereal, and breakfast meats such as bacon and sausage if possible. 

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If the hotel breakfast does not have healthy items, a supermarket may have what you need. For example, you can make plain oatmeal in your room using hot water and packets of oatmeal, and have it with fruit and peanut butter.  If you have a fridge in your hotel room, you can store yogurt, cottage cheese, and cheese sticks.

Healthy Meals on the Road

There are a few basic guidelines that can apply no matter where you eat lunch or dinner. Aim to have your meals include vegetables, lean protein, and a high-fiber starch. Try to limit fatty, sugary, or low-nutrient starchy foods.

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Anywhere in the world, you might look for these types of items at restaurants.

• Greens or vegetable-based salads with vinaigrette, or oil and vinegar on the side
• Steamed, roasted, or other cooked plain vegetables
• Fish, shellfish, skinless chicken, beans, or soy-based items cooked without heavy sauces
• Plain (not fried) potatoes or sweet potatoes, brown rice, or whole-grain pasta
• Fresh fruit

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Click here to explore more tips for eating well at restaurants. 

You can likely find restaurant  menus with nutrition information online. Look at the menu beforehand so you can order a meal that fits within your dietary goals. 

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Fun fact, chain restaurants in the U.S must have nutritional information available. 

Healthy Snacks on the Road

If you don’t normally snack, there’s no need to start snacking while on the road unless you’re eating smaller meals. If you normally depend on snacks, it’s best to plan ahead. That way, you can always eat something healthy when you’re hungry.

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There are plenty of nutritious, portable snack options that don’t require refrigeration or much preparation. Here are some ideas.

• Fresh fruit
• Fresh vegetables, such as baby carrots and bell peppers
• Single-serve packs of hummus or guacamole
• Jerky
• Peanuts and nuts
• Brown rice crisps
• Whole-grain, unsweetened cereal, such as Cheerios or shredded wheat
• Roasted edamame or chickpeas

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You can also look for healthy local specialties, such as smoked herring in a Baltic country or roasted corn on the cob in Latin America.

More Tips for Losing Weight on the Road

Despite nerves and common perceptions, it is possible to keep losing weight on the road. There may be a few things that can make it easier, such as the following.  

• Staying in a hotel, and not spending time at home near a kitchen where snacks may be abundant
• Having lots of chances to walk in interesting and new places
• Exploring delicious and exciting healthy dishes

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These are some more tips for losing weight and eating healthy while traveling.

• Drink plenty of water. If you don’t trust the tap water, bottled water is a good option.
• Try to stick to regular meal times, but only eat when you are hungry.
• Keep an eye out for boredom eating, such as passing time while driving in the car, sitting on a train, or waiting at an airport.
• Watch portion sizes. Just like when you are at home, portion sizes on the road are key to managing weight. No matter which foods are available, you can control how much of them you eat.
• Log your food with Lark.

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Even if you’re sure you won’t lose weight on the road, you can plan to make healthier choices than you may have in the past. Changing your goal from weight loss to weight maintenance can help make expectations more realistic. Then, take it one choice at a time, and see how well you can do.

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Eating well on the road is possible, and you can do it if you commit to it! Just keep in mind the same principles that you use at home to stay healthy on the road. Lark can be with you at home and on the road 24/7 to help you manage your weight and health. 

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Click here to see if you may be eligible to join Lark today!

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