Maintaining Healthy Diet While Traveling
One of the corner stones of a successful training program is a consistent nutritional routine. A consistent diet is initially the product of hard work and discipline but after time becomes ingrained as a habit, and easier to follow through.
What happens however when you are taken out of your regular environment and displaced from your routine. Traveling can make it hard to stick to the plan and get enough of and the right nutrients. I found that when I was away on business or on extended trips in the past my usually great diet went out the window. The turning point came with a scheduled trip to India that would last 3 months. I was fearful that with the random daily schedule, lack of kitchen facilities and with completely new foods to deal with I was going to loose all the muscle weight I had worked so hard to gain over the last season. With a little planning and preparation however I stayed committed to my diet and am hear to pass on a few tips I’ve picked up which you can adapt to any situation. Whether you are traveling for a week or weekend within your own country or spending a couple of months backpacking around Asia.
Establishing Routine
First I’m taking for granted you already have an established daily nutritional routine. Well I’m sure when you started this routine it wasn’t at first what you were used to and took some planning and will power on your part to get going. Well that doesn’t change much for your travel diet you still rely on the same principles. Depending on the period you are traveling, you need to set out a daily plan based around your new schedule (or lack of). When you are on the road, everyday can be quite different. Whether you are in and out of meetings or wandering around the sights on an excursion. The problem with this is the lack of associated habit triggers that remind us about meal times. You can substitute your usual habit triggers by setting reminders on your watch, phone or pda. I know this might sound a little over the top at first but it’s important. In new surroundings you can be easily swept along in the excitement and forget about meal times. This can lead to a drop in blood sugar which can lead to rash and bad food decisions later on. The key is to try and evenly space your meals 3 hours apart during the day to keep your insulin levels balanced. You are going to need to get up a little earlier to get yourself organized but its worth it. Early in the morning is the time to make up some sandwich or wraps to have ready to snack on during the day. Getting up early also gives you time to have a good breakfast which will set the precedent for the day.
Dining Out
If you can manage it I would always go for dining in a restaurant over a fast-food joint. You have a better choice in a restaurant menu and can be more specific about how you would like your food prepared. When choosing your food, grilled, baked, poached, and broiled are the ways to go and try and be wary of certain dressings.
I’m not a big fan of fast food but in some instances you may have no choice, but don’t fret. Some of the bigger chains are now producing some great healthy options in there meal menus. Just make sure to either have a look in advance at the nutritional content of there food online or ask for a copy of it in the restaurant. It’s best not to go by looks some of there salads can be quite deceiving.
It’s important to stay away from value meals these may fill you initially but are full of empty carbohydrates and sugar which can lead to a high closely followed by a sugar crash which leaves you hungry an hour later.
Upset Stomach
One of the greatest joys of traveling can be the cuisine. While it is great to expand your pallet be wary not to upset the delicate balance with too much of something you may not be used to. An upset stomach or food poisoning can completely throw you off and can in some cases lead to dangerous levels of dehydration and weight loss.
I suggest topping up on the good bacteria in your stomach before you go by drinking plenty of probiotic yogurt or a supplement. While you are there make sure to be very careful about hygiene. Use a hand cleanser before every meal. Pay attention to how food is prepared if you can and it’s always best to pay attention to where the locals are eating and what they are eating. Make sure your food is well cooked but remember that overcooking food can kill of alot of the nutritional content so it may be advisable to take a multivitamin if you think you need it.
It’s also a good idea to keep a good first aid kit with some anti dehydration sachets and stomach settlers. If symptoms persist make sure you see a medical professional and try and keep as hydrated as you can.
0 comments:
Post a Comment