eating out & fast food

I am going to be traveling at the end of the month. Literally on the road for 10 days w/o a single cooked meal.

What should or could I eat to not jeopardize my diet. I can pack some fruit, nuts and things, but how many McDonalds salads can you really eat or grilled chicken sandwhiches?

 

Also, I used to work in the rest biz and I can tell you right now even the nicest places still put like 10 lbs of butter in even the lighter options, (fish, veggies, chicken....etc.)

 

HELP!

My advice is to just choose the smartest options possible and try not to worry too much about it. If you try to micro-organize your diet when you don't have much of a choice, you're just going to take it harder if you slip up.

Well there are grocery stores in other cities too, not just fast food.  You could grab some canned tuna, some low-fat lunch meat or even some fresh meat sliced from the deli, some low-cal condiments like mustard packets, and make yourself a sandwich or a healthy wrap.  Keep the leftover items in a cooler so you can make more meals with them.  Lots of grocery stores have salad bars too, where you can load up a huge salad for a fixed price.  They also have some pretty healthy sandwiches and pre-made salads in grocery store delis.  Just stay away from the chicken salad or tuna salad, avoid cheese and mayo, use whole wheat bread when you can, and you'll be fine.

Just look it up before you go...  If you keep a mental record of what the healthiest menu items are at Wendy's, McD's, and Burger King, you should be okay.

Be careful of all that salt though.  Fast food (and restaurant food) is loaded with sodium, and will mislead you into feeling hungry when you're not. 

I looked up a few things for you.  Here are some healthy options at various restaurants:

McDonald's:

Chicken Fajita - 220 calories (but loaded with salt)

Snack wraps: even the crispy chicken versions of these only have about 330 calories.  Again, they are loaded with sodium.

Fruit n yogurt parfaits are good too, and have less sodium than the sandwiches. (160 kcal)

Wendy's:

Ultimate chicken grill: only 320!

Frosty - a jr. frosty only has 160 kcal.

Chili - a small chili only has 220

Of course, if you go to a Subway you can eat healthy the whole time.

Good luck!

Thanks girls, tons of good sdvice here. I'll just have to take a cooler along.

By either of these books:

The Calorie King: Calorie, Fat & Carbohydrate Counter (200 Fast Food & Restaurant Chains) ($7.99)

Eat this NOT That by: David Zinczenko ($19.95)

Both books are very helpful. If your only going to need the book for 10 days, buy the first one @ $7.99

Any of the big chain books stores carry both books

I don't know where you are travelling, but if you are in California, there are Whole Foods markets everywhere- you could always go to their deli counter for lunch. They have all kinds of heathy options. If you go to Google maps and enter your current address and select "search nearby" you could search for "health food" or "deli" or "SoupPlantation" or some other such heathy option in your current vacinity. G'luck!

I just got back from an 8 day trip and ate healthy and lost weight too.  Here is what you do. Clear out the mini-bar fridge in your hotel room and hit a grocery store. Buy yogurt, deli meat, some fruits and veggies (baby carrots are fairly easy and portable) etc... Bring a cooler along w/ you so that you can carry food along w/ you from place to place.  If you have to eat out have salads w/ some lean protein and bring your own carbs....whole wheat crackers, pita etc.... It is a bit of work but it is worth it.  You can also bring along nuts, dried fruit, turkey jerky, low sodium V8, and high fiber cereal.

When I travel for business, usually I go to the grocery store and get to-go food, like soups or bagged salad, precut veggies, hummus, fruits.

I second the Whole Foods recommendation :)  But even regular grocery stores will have good options.

If you go to Outback Steakhouse, ask for everything with no butter. Even the chicken and fish. They dip the salmon and all fish and even chicken in butter before grilling it.

Also, the Tangy Tomato dressing may be fat free, but it's REALLY high in the sugar content and calories.

 

Things I've learned while working there!

Subway :)  different sandwich every day.  Most even have a lunch special.

Original Post by sherea:

By either of these books:

The Calorie King: Calorie, Fat & Carbohydrate Counter (200 Fast Food & Restaurant Chains) ($7.99)

Eat this NOT That by: David Zinczenko ($19.95)

Both books are very helpful. If your only going to need the book for 10 days, buy the first one @ $7.99

Any of the big chain books stores carry both books

 I was just going to tell you do get the same. But mines are going to be calorie king.. I never got the Eat this not that, by  David Zinczenko. How is it? Is it any help.

here's what i do when i'm traveling: i bring with me honey, high fiber granola/energy bars, i.e. Curve, Fiber One, apples (although it takes up space), and oatmeal (which doesn't take up space). i dine out whenever i have to, and when i don't, i eat what i bring. you'll be driven by a desire to literally lighten your load as you consume what you pack, and it saves money too.

"I was just going to tell you do get the same. But mines are going to be calorie king.. I never got the Eat this not that, by  David Zinczenko. How is it? Is it any help".

I LOVE all of his books. I think this one is very helpful. Even gives you "hidden danagers". Items like look healthy but are not, and why.

Here is another tip I wanted to post. I assume you are staying in a hotel?? You can make oatmeal from tea water (most hotels have at least coffee or tea in the morning, but not all) in your room. You can also make oatmeal in your hotel room coffee pot. Just add the water (however much the oatmeal calls for) like you were going to make coffee and put the oatmeal in the pot. Eat right out of the coffee pot. Saw this on the Food Network. Came in handy recently when I stayed in Disney. They did not even offer coffee or tea in the morning, certainly no free breakfast bar. I was very happy that I brought my own food cause the food there was outrangously expensive.

I travel a lot. I try to bring as much of my own food as possible.

Well no I'm actually going to see a friend and stay with her. They are not health conscience and don't really cook either. And don't get me wrong alot of time will be spent literally on the road because it's a 2 day drive to get there and then I plan to take off after a few days to see family and then back. I expect 5-6 days of it will be on the road. And whereas you wonderful ppl have given me lots of good advice that I know I can use but there will also be times where the friends say "Okay everybody wants pizza so lets order a pizza" and you just have to go with the flow. Thier idea of breakfast is donuts so I don't want to be a rude house guests and say "I dont eat that." And then also keep in mind my husband and kids will be traveling with me. My husband is the type to say "I'm not stopping 2 dif places because the kids won't eat Subway"...etc.

However, I do have a lil plan in action. Hitting the grocery store for one and asking my friend to clear a lil room in the fridge for me. And just make the best decision I can under the circumstances. Traveling with healthy snacks was a great idea. As for pizza night I'm sure I can ask to order a salad from there. There will be slip ups I suspect but I will just get back on my horse when I get back in town.

Not working out will be the hardest but I may just pack my free weights and do them when I can. Although I do already see a lot of alcohol in the pic. Lol.

But thanks everyone. There were so many things mentioned that I had not already thought of.

The easiest thing I can think of is to go for a jog every morning if you can to offset the extra calories you might be eating.

I hope that you have a BLAST on your trip and are able to enjoy the time with family and friends first and foremost!!!  All the tips here are awesome!  One more quick one, although you probably already know, stick with the white liquors and red wine/spritzers(and make room for those empty darn calories).....enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!!!!

Taco bell has a new "fresco" style menu with 9 things for 9grams of fat or less. I wouldn't make it a habit, but when i am in a rush or on the go get something of the fresco menu or go to subway.

One fresco style cruncy taco is 150cals, and sometimes i spring for the fresco fiesta chicken burrito for 330cals.. which is delis!