Healthy Business Trip Tip #1: Eat breakfast at home before you go.
Healthy Business Trip Tip #2: Pack as many meals & snacks as you can.
Having healthy snacks on hand is also important, I snacked on some of my Planter's Nutrition Nut Mix when my stomach started growling in the car later in the afternoon. It was so much better to have a healthy option available instead of relying on the vending machine or gas station.
I also make sure to pack a big bottle of water, staying hydrated is really important- especially if you are flying. I can usually find a drinking fountain somewhere to refill my water bottle when I'm out, so it saves money too!
Healthy Business Trip Tip #3: Pick an old reliable dinner spot.
The thing I love about Panera is that they print the calories right on the menu- there is no guesswork. I always get the Thai Chopped Chicken Salad- it's amazing. I also skip the bread and order an apple as my side dish. After eating the salad and drinking a hot tea I was too full for the apple, which worked out well because then I had another portable snack for later= score!
Healthy Business Trip Tip #4: You are NOT on vacation.
This tip is probably the one I struggle with the most when I'm traveling, it's easy to get sucked into the vacation vibe when you are at a hotel or a conference for work. There are temptations everywhere- candy, big conference breakfast or lunch buffets, sodas, the list goes on & on. I just try to remember that I am working, and I would rather save my treats for when I'm really having fun with my friends or family on an actual vacation.
I forgot to photograph my day #2 breakfast, which was eaten at one of those temptation-filled buffets. I had a vegetable omelet with feta cheese, and an english muffin with peanut butter. It's SO easy to just grab a chocolate muffin or donut- but resist! You wouldn't eat a chocolate muffin for breakfast at home during the workweek, would you?
Healthy Business Trip Tip #5: Find a make-your-own option.
For my day #2 lunch, I chose a wrap from Sheetz with lettuce, tomato, black olive, green pepper, and provolone cheese. This ended up being a partial failure because I forgot to look at the calories for the sauce options, so when I was typing my order in I froze and picked mayo. Not the best choice. On the other hand, I did get to order exactly what I wanted on my wrap so I had better control over what I was eating. To round out my meal, I also ate the leftover apple from my dinner the night before.
Make-your-own also applies to drinks. I love iced coffee, but I don't love all the calories that automatically get poured into the iced coffee at most places. When I stop at McDonalds, I order my iced coffee black (0 calories) and ask for 2 creamers I can add myself (40 calories total). If I were to order the iced coffee with the standard sweetener, a medium would have 190 calories! Yikes. I save 150 calories by mixing the coffee myself.