A reader wants to know how to eat healthfully while traveling. I have answers.
In the 15 years since my 55-pound loss, I've learned so much about how to be out in the world and have fun without going off the rails.
Hey Amanda, great question.
First, it might surprise you to know that I'm not a big meal prepper.
COOK! was born from my system of making real food on the fly. That means I keep a stable of low-processing ingredients that I mix and match at every meal.
I've seen people with all their meals laid out for the week and the shopping lists to go with it. I am not that.
That being said, I do plan. Going with the flow = Eating a lot of junk.
I employ multiple strategies to stay in my low-processing lane (whole, heritage, and some moderately processed foods).
Being able to quickly spot, categorize, and move on is the crucial skill. It means that even at a Sheetz, I know what to avoid (almost everything) and what to buy (hummus/pretzel cups, fruit, whole milk, cheddar popcorn).
The biggest? I decide before I'm hungry. A traveler with no plan and an empty stomach eats whatever's nearest, and that's seldom real food.
Here are some of my go-tos.
- I actively decouple eating with abandon from having a good time. This is an important mindset because there's no shortage of marketing to convince people that having a good time means eating non-stop, usually highly or ultra-processed.
- Weight Loss for Life Module: Vacations Can Support Your Healthy Weight, Or...
- The day of travel. Have a larger-than-usual breakfast that's savory and fat or fiber-heavy. An omelette with coffee or leftovers from dinner are great options. Protein is the name of the game, and not the powdered kind. I don't recommend a smoothie unless you are certain yours can hold you until lunch or you use tofu for protein. You do not want to show up at the airport hungry. No good can come from this.
- COOK! Module: Eggs Are Meal Perfection 🍳
- COOK! Module: Tofu Would Like The Freedom To Be Itself
- Head to the grocery store right when you land/arrive. I do this even with a city vacation. Again, this isn't stock up on chips and 'vacation' food, it's Wasa crackers, peanut butter, hummus, canned bean salads, grocery store sushi, canned tuna, and lots of fruit. Visit a local farm stand if you can.
- COOK! Module: Build a Pantry + Shop In Ingredient Groups
- Limit added sugars (no matter how small), but have a splurge outside the hotel/vacation rental. I love trying a new bakery or getting ice cream, but continuous sugar is inflammatory, resulting in outsized hunger and sugar cravings. Food should create calm.
- Hey Sugar: How To Have A Treat (Guilt and Stress Free)
Having a healthy weight is closer to an apprenticeship than a plan
–and it's definitely not another diet.
If you don't own these courses and want them, here are the links to buy.
Yours in joyful living,
Rebecca
PS. 5 foods that have protein and fiber. I endorse them all.
