5 Tips: How to Lose Weight While Traveling
December 10, 2021
When on a journey to health, things can start to become routine with following a menu plan.
When you wake up- you habitually make your coffee- prepare your breakfast,- & maybe grab your lunch you packed on the way out the door. And because you have created these habits, it makes it easier to stay on track.
But when we throw in vacations, staying with family, and the traveling it takes to get there into the mix, it can throw us off our routine.
And we know for a lot of you, the thought of trying to stick to a plan while on the road can be a little nerve-wracking.
You may ask yourself things like:
- What will I pack for the car trip?
- What fast-food restaurants can we swing through?
- Will it be too hard to bring my MRC products along in my carry-on?
We understand how it may at first seem difficult, but with the right preparation staying on program while traveling can be easier than you think! That’s why we’re giving you five of our favorite and easy-to-follow tips for staying on track throughout your trip!
5 Tips For Staying On Track While Traveling
1. Pack your own healthy snacks and meals
It starts with preparation. Make sure you have “program-friendly” items on hand to help keep you satisfied and limit other temptations.
Going on a long car trip? Pack a cooler with things like:
- Hard cheese slices
- Fruit
- Grilled chicken slices
- Marinated cucumbers in dressing
- Buffalo chicken dip out of the MRC Cookbook that you can enjoy with raw veggies
When it comes to getting in your MRC Protein Drinks, some of our clients like to get a shaker bottle so that they can go ahead and mix up anywhere from 2-4 packets so that they can sip their protein drinks throughout the trip! Protein Drinks are an amazing way to stay on track as they keep you full all day!
Catching a flight? You can absolutely pack any of our drinks in your checked bag, but you will want to stick to the powder MRC Protein Drink packets for a carry-on. You can buy a bottle of water once you get through security to mix up one as a snack for your flight.
2. Look up the menu
If you’re not sure what your best option for a meal out would be, look up the menu ahead of time and the nutrition so that you can make the best choice!
Hidden calories with meals out are one of the main saboteurs when it comes to both losing and maintaining weight. Uncover those sneaky calories by using sites like Calorie King or MyFitnessPal, and even some restaurants will include the nutrition on their online menus on their website. Don’t let calories you are consuming unconsciously can be what throws you off track while traveling!
Fast food: Some of your best options for Fast-food stops include Chick-Fil-A, Subway, Wendy’s, and even McDonalds if you’re in a real bind. You can find a grilled chicken sandwich or salad at most of these locations.
For a sandwich, you would want to eliminate the bread & maybe order a side salad for some extra greens. With Salads, you will want to make sure to use a low calorie vinaigrette based dressing. At Subway, order a chopped salad with turkey and lots of veggies, and their red wine vinegar dressing.
Sit down restaurants: You will want to pick a restaurant that has a good protein and vegetable option that you enjoy, like steak & broccoli, or fish & a veggie medley.
As hard as it may be, try to pass on the dinner rolls and bread basket. Instead, start with a side salad with a low calorie dressing to start your meal off right. To be extra thorough, ask your server how the food is prepared, and make requests for dressings and sauces on the side and to have items grilled, instead of fried.
For more casual restaurants you can order things like a basic burger with no bun and substitute a side salad for the fries. While sitting, do your best to drink plenty of water, and any zero calorie beverage like unsweetened tea, or diet soda to help boost the feeling of fullness. And when the meal is done, box up the rest to take with you. Most entrees in restaurants are a large enough portion to equal two meals instead of one!
3. Have a Plan For Where You’re Staying
Where you’re staying will play a major factor in how accessible food is. A few questions to ask before you travel are:
- Where are you staying on your trip?
- Are you staying in a hotel, and if so do you have access to a mini fridge, microwave, or possibly a kitchenette?
- Are you staying with family or friends?
- Will you be having most of your meals out or doing a lot of cooking at their home?
By thinking through what your eating arrangements will look like, it will help guide you in making your plan for your meals. Depending on how you answer these questions, here are a few quick tips.
Staying in a hotel: Try and steer clear of a lot of the typical continental breakfast options. Safe choices would be hard boiled eggs, yogurt, and fruit. Most everything else on the buffet will be too high in calories and carbohydrates.
Or instead, you can bring MRC meal replacement bars or shakes for a quick and easy meal on the go. If you can, go to a local grocery store and purchase a few items you can have on hand in your hotel fridge, like hard cheese, raw veggies, etc. Of course when you eat out in restaurants during your stay, remember to utilize our previous tip!
Staying with family or friends: Will you be eating out mostly, or preparing meals in the home? How would your family member or friend feel about you grabbing a few things from the grocery store that you know you can have so that you always have some good options in the house? Hard cheese, tuna packs, low calorie salad dressing, raw veggies, etc, are all great choices to stock up on! Do you have a favorite zero-calorie beverage? Grab a case so you have something tasty to sip on.
4. Stay Hydrated
A very important factor with staying on program while traveling is staying hydrated.
When we are dehydrated, our brain can actually misinterpret this feeling for hunger, elevating our appetite and cravings. Have you ever thought you were hungry, then drank a tall glass of water and magically the feeling of hunger somewhat subsided? That was your body telling you to DRINK not eat, but the message got all jumbled up like our body is playing a game of telephone.
Additionally, dehydration can drain us of energy making us feel less active. And with how draining travel can already be, we certainly don’t want to have less energy than we have to! Focus on carrying water with you at all times, otherwise it can become very “out of sight- out of mind” when busy and out of our routine.
With car rides, you will want to be mindful of your consumption so you aren’t making frequent stops. But just plan it out, drink some water during your travels, and really try and push for more once you arrive at your destination!
5. Don’t Forget Your Supplements
Give yourself all the support possible by utilizing your MRC protein drinks and your herbs & vitamins while you are away.
Remember the protein drinks contain 15 grams of hunger-fighting protein, helping keep you satisfied and focused on good choices. On top of that, they help burn fat! So even if you do indulge in any treats on your trip, these drinks will help limit any gain on the scale. Not to mention they taste great!
As far as herb & vitamin supplements go, one of the most popular bottles to have on hand is the Fat & Carb Blocker. This powerful herbal supplement will help block the absorption of excess fats and carbohydrates from your meals. So whether you are having a bite of something that’s not on your menu, or even just eating a meal a family member prepared and you know a good amount of butter or oil went into the preparation, take two Fat & Carb Blocker beforehand to help stay on track!
Stick with your other supplements you are currently taking, it is their job to support you! MRC Virtual Health Coaches actually recommends to our clients to pack their supplements in ziploc bags all portioned out making it easy, on the go, and space-saving while traveling!
We hope that you find these tips helpful for any vacations coming up! Like we said before, with the right preparation, and plan, you can stay on your program while traveling. But the most important thing to remember is to not stress if you go off track- just forgive yourself and back on track tomorrow!
Our program is about progress not perfection, don’t let the guilt of falling off keep you from getting back up again! And if you are feeling like you are in need of a little extra encouragement, remember that is why we are here! Reach out to us on our private Facebook support group, or set up a virtual appointment with one of our Virtual Health Coaches. We want to make sure we can give you all of the tools you need to succeed!