From Business Lunches to Airport Lounges: How to Stay Healthy While Traveling
Posted by Sara on Friday, June 13th, 2014 with 6 Comments
Airport concourses full of fast food, and executive lounges with free-flowing cocktails. Meeting tables stocked with snacks, and post-conference happy hours on the company card. Lavish business lunches. Little sleep. Red-eye flights. Stressful schedules.
It’s an understatement to say that business travel and healthy living do not go hand in hand. With long lines, long meetings, and long days, it’s easy for even the most health-conscious traveler to justify indulging in an extra cocktail or drool-worthy dessert — after all, you deserve a little comfort when you’re working nonstop and far away from home.
It can be hard to find time for healthy living when traveling for work.
Image source: Flickr user Francisco L. Franco
Unfortunately, tonight’s indulgence equals tomorrow’s headache, sluggish morning, or stomachache… and if you travel regularly, those late-night cheeseburgers or airport-lounge champagnes can add up to long-term weight gain. Rather than treat business travel as an excuse to let loose, look at it as an opportunity to prove to yourself that living better feels better, regardless of the circumstances. Here are a few strategies to help you stay healthy at work — even when you’re on the road:
At the airport
On travel days, take advantage of any chance to move. Bypass the moving sidewalks in the airport and take the stairs in the parking garage: since you’ll be crammed into a small airplane seat for hours, your body will appreciate the extra exercise. During a layover, don’t collapse into yet another chair while you wait; take a few laps around the concourse to get your heart pumping.
Stay hydrated by choosing water over wine or champagne on the airplane.
Image source: Flickr user Matt @ PEK
Skip the sugary beverages on the plane, whether that means complimentary wine in business class or sodas in coach. Drink water — plenty of water — on the plane, even if it means you have to squeeze by a seat mate to make frequent visits to the restroom. Dehydration can cause headaches and lead to fatigue, which you’ll already be fighting if you’re traveling across time zones.
After following a family of five through the security line for 45 minutes, it can be tempting to make a beeline for comfort food at the Cinnabon stand… but you’ll end up feeling bloated and overfed instead of happy and, well, comforted. Instead, find a small market and stock up on healthy snacks for the plane: nuts, string cheese, popcorn, fresh fruit, and even dark chocolate are all smart choices.
At the hotel
At the hotel breakfast bar, beware of sugar. You’ll likely be better off taking a plate of bacon and eggs than a DIY waffle, mini-donut, or even a sugary, fruit-flavored yogurt. Try to include some fiber — like a piece of whole-wheat toast or a little unsweetened oatmeal — to help you feel fuller longer.
Try to make time for at least 20 minutes of exercise daily: a short run on the fitness center’s treadmill, a few laps around the pool, or even just skipping the cab ride and the hotel elevator in favor of a long walk and few flights of stairs at the end of each day.
At meetings & conferences
Remember: just because food is free doesn’t mean you need to eat it. Ask yourself whether you’re actually hungry before you help yourself to the snack table.
Choose water or unsweetened iced tea instead of soda — whether diet or regular. Regular soda is full of empty calories all on its own, while sipping artificially-sweetened drinks can make you crave sugar and lead to higher calorie consumption when you eat.
Temptations abound at meetings and conferences.
Image source: Flickr user Milestone Management
At mealtimes & social hours
Opt for one glass of wine instead of beer or cocktails at post-meeting happy hours, then switch to club soda with lime to keep the party going without overindulging. No one will be the wiser — and you won’t end up chowing down an extra order of nachos at the end of the night!
Don’t be afraid to customize at catered business lunches. Ask for dressing on the side of your salad, fruit instead of chips with your sandwich, or steamed vegetables instead of bread or potatoes.
When dining out with colleagues, indulge by starting with a cup of broth-based soup or a lightly dressed salad — not by ordering the priciest (and biggest) steak on the menu.
Bottom line: plan ahead, and don’t be afraid to get creative
One of the best ways to prepare for a healthy business trip is by doing your homework. Pick out restaurants near your accommodations or meeting site with healthy options, and then you won’t end up defaulting to a burger at the hotel bar. And if there aren’t nutritious options nearby, or if you want to just relax in your room, have healthy takeout delivered! With online ordering and prompt delivery available in many cities across the U.S., Waiter.com makes it possible to order healthy business lunches and dinners… wherever your travels may take you.
When it comes to feeding employees and coworkers, make your company's food program really count! If your workplace dining plan needs to take it up a notch — or if you don't have one at all — Waiter.com is here to help. From Virtual Cafeteria Service to diverse menus to local takeout & delivery, Waiter.com offers customizable dining solutions for every business and budget. Contact us today to get started!
Dark chocolate and wine? That’s advice I can take!
But seriously, staying hydrated and taking the opportunity to walk around as often as I can makes a big difference in how I feel after a conference trip.
It’s all about moderation, right?!
“Remember: just because food is free doesn’t mean you need to eat it. Ask yourself whether you’re actually hungry before you help yourself to the snack table.” I so needed to hear this. I think everyone needs to hear this. I think that everyone kind of has a problem with turning down free food even if you’re on a diet. I’m so glad I read this blog maybe this will help me next time I see the free high sodium crackers with the cheese that will make me bloated :/
Or just take a little slice of cheese and a big plate of fruit to go with it! 🙂 Thanks for your thoughts!
I think that I’m definitely one of the people who is guilty of using the discomfort of traveling as an excuse to indulge in “comfort” food. I think I do this for many reasons but one of the main ones is because there is just so much tasty food around at airports and hotels! I think this article makes several great points but there is two that stand out in particular. For one, the article states (several times) that one should be careful to avoid sugary and high calorie drinks, may they be soda or beer. I think that when it comes to being healthy and avoiding unwanted weight gain, we too often focus on what we eat but this article rightly points out that it’s often what we drink, not just what we eat, which contributes to an unhealthy lifestyle. Second, at the end of the article, it encourages the reader to plan ahead. I think this is great advice because planning what I eat and drink before I travel isn’t something that has ever occurred to me. Yet, just as I plan my travel itinerary, I am definitely going to plan my meals and snacks when I travel and I’m sure thinking things about before hand will keep me from making unhealthy food and drink choices.
Indulging is perfectly fine – and healthy! – on occasion, but you’re so right that when you travel it’s easy to consider the trip a “free pass” to treat yourself nonstop to the tasty food available! I hope your plan-to-plan is helpful on your next trip!