How to eat well while travelling

I’ve just gotten back from a lovely little trip to Hawaii with a couple of friends and while I am a self-proclaimed seasoned traveller, I know quite well the difficulties of maintaining a healthy diet with so much eating out and exotic foods. While you may assume the sole purpose of maintaining some semblance of a good diet is to ward off the holiday kilo creep, there are other reasons. Providing your body with nutritious foods while travelling puts you in prime condition for handling long, stressful journeys including kilometers of walking while exploring new cities and helps your digestive system acclimatize to a new food culture (one particular story from a trip to Asia springs to mind, but I think you get the idea).

1. Stash your suitcase with a few shelf-stable (sealed) healthy snacks from home, such as raw nuts, wholegrain crackers, roasted chickpeas or muesli bars. Pop one in your handbag or backpack each day and you have an emergency snack to carry you through to the next meal.
2. Keep hydrated! I swear the air-conditioning on planes sucks the water from your skin 10x more than our home ACs. Judge your hydration by the colour of your urine- the scale being nearly clear= good job, keep it up, to dark orange= have some water NOW! Also, keep in mind that not every country has drinkable tap water as good as ours so you may need to buy the bottled stuff.
3. When booking accommodation, try to stay close to a supermarket or convenience store. This way you don’t have to lug grocery bags for kilometers and you’ll be more inclined to pick up a (cheaper) healthy meal or snack. Also, pre-washed salad bags, individual bread rolls, deli ham or tins of tuna and a tub of hummus make for a quick and easy lunch will little-no utensils required.
4. If possible, have a good breakfast before you set out for the day to keep you going. Pick up a box of muesli and some milk or yoghurt and pack a plastic bowl and spoon if you’re staying somewhere without a kitchen (because most places will still have at least a mini-bar fridge to store cold items in).
5. Seek out fruit as snacks throughout the day. Particularly the deliciously fresh stuff you can pick up at local markets, farm doors or vans on the side of the road! Aim for 2 a day to get much-needed vitamins and minerals, as well as fibre and fluid.
6. When you’re exploring your new surroundings be sure to take note of any good-looking cafes or restaurants for later on. And ask the locals for recommendations! Make a note on your phone, or mark it on your map, so you can actually find it later.
7. When going out for meals, ask for rich sauces and creamy dressings on the side so you can add your own. And remember, chefs tend to be more heavy-handed with things like oil and salt so go easy (or your body may pay you back with heartburn or reflux later on).
8. Watch your portions. It’s easy to overdo it when you’re eating something delicious but rather than eating as much as possible, practice the art of mindful eating and really savour your meal. That way you won’t feel the need to finish your plate just because there’s still food on it.

Yep, I went there!

      

       Happy travels!

Your guide to eating out (with all of the enjoyment and none of the guilt!)

Eating out can easily become your undoing when trying to lose weight or just eat healthily. Why? Because you get surrounded by delicious sights and smells and you tell yourself you MUST have all three courses AND finish each plate because, well, it would be a waste not to get your money's worth. But a few changed perceptions and a few different menu choices and eating out doesn't have to result in food comas, diet guilt or dwindling funds.


Problem 1: It all tastes so delicious so I can't help but keep eating.

Solution: Practice the art of mindful eating. Eat slowly and savour each bite of food. Put your knife and fork down between mouthfuls and take time to talk to your table guests. You'll find you'll  be satisfied with a smaller portion. Can't decide what to order? Order a few dishes amongst the table and share them- that way you'll get a taste of everything.


Problem 2: I cannot go to a restaurant without ordering dessert: it's my favourite part!

Solution: There's no need to go without dessert, especially if this is the part of the meal you most look forward to. But why not skip the main and go for an entree and dessert instead? Or share a main with a friend then both enjoy dessert? Another option? Choose a lighter, fruit-based dessert and hold the extra cream.

Problem 3: The meal was so expensive, I can't bear to see food go to waste.

Solution: There's no need for the food to go to waste, most restaurants will happily bag up your leftovers in a doggy bag for you to take home and enjoy the next day. You can also check with the waiter or waitress the size of the meal before you order it so you'll have an idea of whether it will be big enough to share (which also means a shared cost).


Problem 4: I'm often so hungry when I get there, I fill up on the complimentary bread and then regret it.

Solution: Avoid arriving to a restaurant so hungry you could eat a horse- this is when we tend to overeat. The aim is the eat when you are slightly hungry and stop when you are just feeling satisfied. Have a small snack such as a few nuts or a glass of milk before you go out so you can say no to the bread altogether and save room for the main event!


Problem 5: I enjoy the meal while I'm out but it tends to come back to bite me later on that night. 

Solution: Rich, fatty or surgery meals, carbonated drinks like soft drink and alcohol can result in reflux or heartburn. Order meals with creamy or oily sauces on the side, avoid the super sickly desserts or share them to halve their potency, and drink mostly water. And your Mum's old advice of wearing stretchy pants when eating out? Take it. Tight belts, stockings and pants that cut in around the stomach can also contribute to reflux.

Problem 6: I don't know how to control myself when faced with a buffet.

Solution: An 'all you can eat' buffet loses its appeal when you eat so much you feel physically ill. Have one plate, and one plate only (you wouldn't fill up your plate 3 or 4 times at home, so why would you when you're out?). Have a good long look at everything on offer before putting anything on your plate- that way you avoid the regret when you pile your plate with lasagne but then see the amazing looking souvlaki. Start with the salads or veggies. Fill half your plate with these and then just add a taste of each of the most delicious looking dishes.


Problem 7: I just don't know what the healthiest thing is to order.

Solution: As a general rule: avoid anything deep fried, with lots of cheese or processed meats such as bacon, ham or salami, creamy sauces or curries, fatty cuts of meat like pork belly, chicken wings or sausages. Instead, opt for: lean meats or seafood that have been grilled, baked, steamed, braised or stir-fried, tomato-based sauces, plenty of veggies and baked potatoes or grainy bread. Don't be afraid to ask the waiter or waitress to hold the chips, put the dressing on the side or have an extra side of vegetables.