Going on travel... eeek!!!

I am leaving out of town next week for work and will be gone for two whole weeks!  The hotel I'm staying at only has a refrigerator and a microwave, but no stove... which means, I will probably be eating out every day =(   What would ya'll suggest I do (food wise) so that I don't mess up my "dieting" <~ eating too many calories?  The hotel does have an exercise room with cardio and weight machines, so getting my activity in won't be a challenge.  It's the food that's gonna kill me.  I plan on going to the grocery store when I get there to pick up some water and fruits and veggies and stuff for snacks, but there really isn't much I can do for meals.  Any good restaurants ya'll recommend that have pretty healthy foods?  Any help would be great!

Thanks!

~Nikki

Can you switch to a Marriott Residence Inn?  They have full kitchens and are usually comparable with most of the other hotel rooms in price especially if you get a "special" rate like GOV or AAA.  Extended Stay is another chain that has full kitchens.

I've been on extended travel for the last three weeks and I don't know what I would have done if not for my kitchen.

I think it might be too late.  I tried getting a room at the Homewood Suites, but the rates are too high (my company is paying for it, so I have to stay within per diem or else pay the difference).  I'm going for a conference and a training class, so I'm pretty sure all of the extended-stay-type hotels are all booked up.  I don't know why I didn't just get a room at one of those to begin with, ugh... I'm so ditsy sometimes, lol.  Thanks for the help though!

what do you normally eat?

i typically eat fruits and veggies (whole fruits, salads) or a sandwich, cereal or milk, and then only have one "warm" meal -- dinner.... hm....

I was out of town for work for almost 2 weeks last month, same situation, and I ended up doing great.  I did go out to eat for supper every night, but I ordered fairly healthy things off of the menu (chicken, fish, with steamed veggies, etc).  I only would eat 1/2 and then eat the other 1/2 for lunch the next day.  The hotel I was in offered breakfast and I ate oatmeal and yogurt and also took a piece of fresh fruit for a snack.  Good luck and have a great time!

hey im right there with ya! Ill be on travel status for the next 5 weeks...

Fortunatlly my hotels have fridges/mircowaves so if I really feel up to it on Sunday I can cook meals, plastic baggie them, and take them with me....I would also bring oatmeal, fruits, PB, etc etc etc

This week I wasnt up to it, so im just doing the best I can at restaurants....which in backwoods louisiana...means poboys and gumbo and crawfish...oh well :D

Hmm... I guess it's not as difficult as I thought.  To answer your question hgielrehtaeh, I typically eat frosted mini wheats with vitamin d milk for breakfast, a special k bar (or something similar) for a morning snack, either a healthy choice or campbell's microwavable bowl soup with some whole grain crackers and an apple or a roast beef sandwich with some pretzels (or something similar - usually try to stay within around 300 cals for lunch), low fat yogurt or fruit or veggies for an afternoon snack, maybe some juice or some protein (slice of ham or turkey) before I go workout, and then a "warm" dinner usually in the 600 cals range.  I may even drink my juice or eat some more fruit after dinner if I'm still under my 1400 cals.

I guess my biggest worry is just dinner.  The hotel I'm staying at does have continental breakfas t (i've stayed there before) with cereals and fruits and yogurts and even scrambled eggs and sausages.  When I get there, I'll probably go to the store to get some lunch meats to make my sandwiches, and some fruits and veggies I can just throw in my mini-fridge, maybe some peanut butter to go with my fruits, lol.  I am definately going to take your advice, cgolly, and just look for grilled or steamed (not fried) chicken and veggies when I go out to eat for dinner!  Mmm... I love chicken! 

WOW!  Now I don't feel totally helpless and out of control!  Thanks everybody for opening my eyes and making me realize that I CAN do this, lol.

Thanks!!!

Keep milk in the refrigerator and either bring or buy a box of good cereal and some bananas. That will take care of breakfast, and it will save you money too.

Get some yogurt and other fruit for snacks.  You should be able to find a place with good salads for lunch.  That leaves dinner to deal with.  Keep it simple if you can.  What used to mess me up was business meals where I was entertaining customers. 

Take a couple of plastic bowls and spoons, and a paring knife with you if the hotel doesn't provide dishes and utensils.  If you plan ahead you should be fine

QUESTION:

Do hotel work out rooms usually have a scale?  I'm part of the Biggest Loser Challenge and the May Weight Loss Challenge, and both require that I weigh in every week... BUT, I'm gonna be out of town for two weeks.

Hmmm..... I wonder.....

call and ask.  I've seen them in some better hotel rooms

when you do go out to restuarants never eat the full portion size. maybe seperate it into half or a quarter before you even begin eating, so wont overeat since restaurants have insane portion sizes...

and if your eating with co-workers focus on the conversation rather than the food. and drink alot of water pre-meal. and don't order appetizers or breads. and maybe start working out twice a day(morning and night) for these 2 wks to be on the safe side.

Pinthin, that's a GREAT idea!  I never even though about working out twice a day... hmm.... I just might do that!

THANKS!

Honey, if you have a microwave, then dinner is not a problem. You can buy plenty of low cal frozen dinners, soups, and fake meats.

Boca makes some very good dinner meals. A huge slab of lasagne (300g) only costs you 270 calories - Infact, I always cut it in half, save the other half for the next day, and have the rest of my dinner be vegetables (popped in the microwave). So a meal of half a lasagne (135 cal) and a generous 2 cups of broccoli (60 cal) adds up to 325g of food and 200 cal.

Just throwing out ideas and saying that you can find healthy microwave meals. I'm not saying you should eat at home every night, but I know that my body needs a break from restaurant food after a few days. :D Subway is always a quick, lowcal, filling alternative, too! Hope you enjoy your trip.

I lived for 3 1/2 months last summer in a room with only a fridge and a microwave, and I was counting calories and lost 20 lbs.  Trust me, it is possible!

Soups are excellent, as are fresh veggies, nuts, cereals, oatmeal, fresh fruit, cheese, milk... all those fun things.  You can buy lunch meats and pre-cooked burgers too.  If you have a little freezer, you can buy frozen dinners too.  You can do it!

Yay!  Now, I'm not so afraid of this, lol.  I'm actually looking forward to it!  Hopefully I'll be able to drop a little more weight since I will have a better control over what I'm eating.  Since I still live at home, I usually just eat whatever my mom makes for dinner (I just don't eat a whole lot of it so that I stay within my cals limit)... and for the next two weeks, I'm gonna be completely on my own! Lol...

Everybody here is just SO great!

also did you know you can make things like fresh salmon and scrambled eggs in the microwave? ha

Scrambled eggs... Really!?  How!?

dont know if youve left already but..just stir all the yolk in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for about 5 minutes, or until they appear scrambled. completely tastes the same as regular ones.

Nope, haven't left yet.  I leave tomorrow morning, but (not to worry, lol) I'll have my laptop with me - so I'll still be on here, in the evenings!

And thanks for the tips!  I am definitely going to have to try the eggs in the microwave, lol.

Hey Nikki,

   I'm on the BL Challenge too - team 3.   One of the reasons I joined CC is because I usually spend several months out of the year away on business in all parts of the US.    Sometimes I'm stuck in a hotel for 8-9 weeks at a time!  This website will provide the portable support group and calculating tools I need the next time I go out.

    Of course the hotels with full kitchens are the best choices, but not always possible.   I've spent my share in rooms without even a microwave, in which I had to purchase a cheap one for the room.    One time I even borrowed one of those little alcohol fridges from the hotel and put extra ice in it.   I often have to purchase inexpensive appliances and kitchen supplies from Walmart when I get there, and leave them behind if I'm flying.  I never spend more than $50 and just write it off on taxes.  I also can fit a few small kitchen things in my suitcase, like those needed measuring spoons and a measuring cup.      So it's not impossible and you can easily continue your normal habits with just a microwave and small fridge.

    I think the biggest challenge is that while traveling we are not only out of our emotional comfort zone and routine, but we are tantalized by new places and new restaurants.   

   As to restaurants, if you have a choice you can take a survey of area restaurants, pick out the chain restaurants, and go on their websites for nutrition info.   That way you can decide what you'll order before you go.

   This website also has restaurants listed that are not located where I live but that I have eaten at while on the road.     If you can't find nutrition info ahead of time, then just practice all the things that were mentioned by the other posters.    If you've been losing weight, then you already have the skills to pick sensibly off the menu.

  And remember, you CAN have a special treat occasionally without gaining.   One of the percs for having to be gone has to be enjoying some new culinary experiences, so don't deny yourself that special treat or unique restaurant occasionally.  Just use common sense and make up for it the rest of the day.

  I managed to work in Vegas once for 7 weeks without gaining.   Some of the best food in the world.   So you can do it too!!!

Good luck,   Feel free to email me if you need support.   I'll add you to my friends list.

Sierra

I hope you're trip is going ok.  Some of the suggestions you already have gotten worked for me.  At this point, it's not too late to drop by a grocery store and buy some bananas and yogurt etc.  When you feel the urge to snack, have something good.  For those huge restaurant portions, take some 'home.'   Throw the stuff that goes bad in the trash.  At least it's not in your stomach.   Make a special effort to get some water during the day.   Heat it up for an interesting change and comfort.   I liked working out twice.   It's often difficult on the road, though.