Tips for Staying on Track on the Go

Dieting isn’t especially easy, and dieting while traveling or dealing with a hectic schedule can be even more difficult. Whether you’re trying to shed a few pounds, strictly counting calories, or just simply trying to maintain; these tips can help you reach your goals.

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Skip the snacking

If snacking is something you easily fall victim to, don’t worry, you’re not alone. This is something I easily fall victim to, also. More often than not, it’s faster and easier to grab a snack instead of a real meal or good, quality foods. I’m not saying that snacking is the worst thing for you because it’s not. What I am saying, though, is that grabbing a snack when you’re busy is not going to benefit you at all. The truth is, snacks simply don’t fill you up and they don’t hold you over. You’ll usually find yourself hungry again within an hour, which in turn makes you more liable to overeat for the day. By cutting out the snacking, you’re cutting out unwanted, excess calories. This is especially helpful for people who are counting calories—by not snacking, you’re not filling up your calories, and you’ll be able to eat a decent meal later on.

Pick meals that are light but high in volume

This is especially important if you’re traveling, and also something you should implement if you’re maneuvering through a chaotic schedule. Meals that are filling, satisfying, yet still low in calories–like a salad with protein and dressing (yes, any kind of dressing)–are your BFF. Salads are great because they’re filled with fats and protein—the two macronutrients that hold you over the longest—but won’t eat up your allotted calories for the day. Chicken Caesar salads (without the croutons, everything else is fine), and Cobb salads with any kind of protein (ex: chicken, steak, salmon, etc) are perfect.

Even if you’re not strictly counting calories this is still a good method to implement. I personally love a good lunch meat sandwich with mustard. My carbs come from my two slices of bread, and protein from the slices of lunch meat. I like to swap out mayo for mustard because mayonnaise is a source of fat, and together, carbs and fats will pile on extra calories in no time. Mustard also has zero calories, so you can squeeze on as much as you want! All in all, much like I mentioned above, you want something that won’t be calorie dense, but that’s going to hold you over so you’re not tempted to reach for that bag of chips or cookies when 3:00 rolls around.

Eat foods you know you respond well to

I’m a firm believer in taking the time to figure out your own body and what you as an individual respond best to. I’ve always been a big proponent of this because every single one of us is different, no two bodies are the same, and we all respond differently to different foods. Dieting is all subjective. I struggled for the longest time trying to figure out what would work for my body. It was so frustrating trying to eat healthy, workout like crazy, count out my calories, and still see no results. It wasn’t until I took a step back and learned what my body needed that I finally felt good. Today, I write this confident in the foods that I eat.

With that being said, once you know what foods you respond well to, it’s important to try to eat those select things consistently. Ever heard of the saying: “consistency is key”? It’s a tired, old saying (and one that actually makes me cringe even writing it, never mind saying it out loud), but there is some truth in it. Eating all over the place can send your body into overdrive. It can cause water retention, breakouts, and sluggishness. I’m personally prone to bloating easily, so it’s important for me whenever I’m traveling for work that I find food that I eat regularly whenever I’m at home.

If you’re traveling, try to find a grocery store so you can select the food YOU want. If a grocery store isn’t the best option for you, try to find a restaurant that can cater to what you need. The same goes for juggling a chaotic schedule at home. Try planning out and making food for yourself for the following day the night before or at the beginning of the week. Not only will it save you time, but money as well. Takeout every once in awhile may not seem like a lot, but the dollar signs add up faster than most of us realize. If you’re absolutely stuck and have no other option but takeout, try sticking to similar things you’d be eating if they came from home.

try to stay active

When I was younger, whenever I traveled I would usually take the time off from the gym. Of course I let myself indulge a little, too. But as I’m getting older, I’m realizing that being away doesn’t necessarily mean I should go totally off the rails. The last few times I’ve traveled (once for leisure last summer, two other times more recently for work), I made a point of getting up early and getting a workout in at the hotel gym on the days I’d normally be working out back home. The workouts weren’t anything crazy–just simple cardio, really–but it made me feel good, and not so guilty if my eating schedule was sporadic.

It’s important to try to stay active in our daily lives, not just for vanity’s sake, but for overall health. A balanced diet should be accompanied by some activity. Trust me, I understand that sleeping in an extra hour always seems like the better option (and you should take care of yourself!), but, I can guarantee you that you’ll feel a million times better if you get up and get a little workout in before starting your day. You’ll dive into everything else feeling accomplished. If you’re absolutely stuck and completely crammed for time, try to stand up while you get some work done. Our resting metabolic rate burns 100 calories per hour by simply standing.