Women's Corner December 2007
FIT and POWERFUL Executive Women
FOOD in the Office, On the Road, In a Plane
~How to eat healthy when you work and travel
High performance restaurant and foodservice executives are consistently challenged with eating healthy
while in their office or on the road. Clearly, the convenience of perfectly planned and proportioned meals
directly from your home refrigerator is not an option. But planning is the operative word regardless of the
specific circumstances when it comes to eating healthy for a FIT and POWERFUL life. The fact is…Health
conscious professionals eat well no matter where they work. The good news is that there are more
resources than ever available while traveling to maintain a nutritious diet. You too can overcome all the
potential road blocks to success and be assured that nothing will undermine your best efforts to establish
sound nutritional habits while in or out of town.
1. Stock up with water bottles.
Staying well hydrated helps maintain a higher energy level providing greater stamina throughout your day. Furthermore, studies have indicated that thirst is often confused with hunger, resulting in impetuous unwise food choices. Once a week bring a 12-pack of water to your office and keep one in the trunk of your car. Airports sell water bottles for your convenience; load up after passing through security. Your goal should be to have 8-10 glasses of water (64-80 ounces) conveniently at your disposal each day. Bring extra water bottles to your hotel room, keep a 6-pack in your car and have 16-oz. bottle handy in your briefcase at all times.
2. Supplements can save the day.
Experiment for taste preference with various energy and protein bars. They serve as a great back up when you are starving and healthy food options appear scarce. Some bars are packed with nutrients and calories to act as a complete meal replacement and some have a mere 100 calories intended for women to use as a quick in between meal snack. Many professionals opt for canned shakes for a mid-day snack in the office. The bars take up minimal space in your suitcase, so pack a few extras when traveling for emergency hunger attacks. It is best right now to avoid shakes while using air travel, due to recent restrictions of carrying liquids through security.
3. Create a strategic snack plan.
Become diligent when it comes to your snacks. Snacking is a critical factor relative to eating healthy. Feeling satiety to ward off hungry and depletion, will provide many benefits while increasing performance and productivity throughout your day. Create a strategic snack plan early in the week. Bring your arsenal to the office or pack it for the road. Fresh fruit, pretzels, low-fat cheese sticks, blanched almonds, energy bars and carrots sticks can supply you with easy to stash options. In your car, pack a small cooler. Use hotel mini-markets to purchase a few pieces of fresh fruit to keep in your room. Research has indicated countless times, that a conscious effort to avoid that starvation mode will also promote smart choices when dining at restaurants. You will discover when dining out that if you avoid pre-meal starvation you will exercise greater portion control, minimize bread basket consumption and make wiser menu choices.
4. Stop blaming the fast food industry.
While many would like to hold accountable the fast food industry and super size portions for the extra inches that keep growing around their waist, it is clearly becoming more difficult to lay all the responsibility for the American obesity epidemic on the restaurant industry. Healthy choices exist now on just about every fast food menu. Fresh fruit and healthy salads selections are more prevalent than ever as you travel, especially in airports and at highway rest stops. Casual sit down dining and finer restaurants also boast a greater selection of healthy meals on their menus. Many restaurants are more than willing to accommodate requests for healthy substitutions on the chef’s recipe. So get over it!
5. Work-out in the morning.
Whether you’re in your hotel gym or a local health club near by, it is always worth the extra effort to exercise even for 30 minutes in the morning before starting your day. Oftentimes this can require getting up before the sun rises, but not only will this time investment position you for increased energy and physical endurance during your day, but furthermore it is well documented that fitness is critical in reinforcing healthy eating habits. Recruiting a work-out partner is a great way to become accountable and consistently disciplined. Possibly you are traveling with someone that will meet to in the gym for a 30 minute rendezvous? It will help both of you become more accountable. The ROI (return on investment) will be plentiful; invest the time and effort in this proven tactic.
6. Bring along a health and fitness magazine.
The natural instinct while traveling for work is to read industry journals and plow through paperwork. However, if you can allow a few minutes a day for recreational reading during a brief down time then bring a health and fitness magazine that can serve to motivate and reinforce your FIT and POWERFUL Professional lifestyle choices. Airport newsstands offer a large assortment of health and fitness magazines, providing a diverse range, appealing to varied tastes.
7. Keep a food diary.
Maintaining a food diary is especially beneficial when you are deviating from your standard routine and traveling out of town. Many busy professional people shy away from keeping a food journal because the misconception is that it requires a great deal of work. This is definitely an erroneous belief. There is great flexibility on how much information you must include in a journal to be effective. Caloric calculations or jotting down the specific carbohydrate and fat grams are clearly not mandatory. Simply writing down the foods eaten throughout your day will cultivate an increased level of consciousness. It is now well documented, that the mere act of writing down the food choices will help keep you accountable and on task with your nutritional goals.
8. Simply adjust the meal prep.
The fact is if you eat clean, low fat food preparations can afford you a larger portion size. You can enjoy eating healthy, while maintaining your weight, even when restaurant dining in and out of town. Check out how your entrées are prepared. No one is holding a gun to your head forcing you to eat fried fish versus a steamed or broiled alternative. Broiled preparations can also be prepared without oil and/or butter. Ironically vegetable side dishes fall into the same category. Ask for a steamed version without the extra sauces and ask for condiments and salad dressings to be served on the side. Dipping your fork into salad dressings between bites can save 400 superfluous calories. Eat slowly allowing your brain to register the feeling of fullness. Substitute fresh berries for a high fat and sugar laden desert; or simply desert the table.
Many health conscious professionals travel for business and pleasure while maintaining a healthy and FIT lifestyle. Make the decision to place a higher value on your health and your future well-being, both for yourself and all those who love you. Be tenacious and tell yourself, “If others can do it – than I can too! As the restaurant industry continues stepping up to the plate to accommodate special nutritional needs, the responsibility to eat well away from home sits where it should – with you.
FIT and POWERFUL professionals live a smart and strategically planned lifestyle. They value their health and take ownership of their food and fitness regimes whether they are working in the office, in a car or on a plane. Visualize what being healthy means to you and take action today. Your health is the very foundation of all that you are and all that you are capable of becoming. Invest in yourself and live your best life.
Ilene Gershberg a former NBC executive that transformed from FAT to FIT, is author of the 2007 book release of “FIT and
POWERFUL Professionals”, now available at www.FITandPOWERFULcom. To view Ilene’s before and after pictures visit
http://www.ileneonhealth.com/ilene-physical-transformation.htm or click on http://www.ileneonhealth.com/subscribe.html to register
for FREE Health Smart e-Tips. Ilene provides corporate wellness solutions for fiscally fit businesses through powerful keynote
addresses, corporate seminars and management retreats for C-Teams, VP’s and high level executives. Additionally, Ilene consults
businesses on creating FIT and POWERFUL Teams in their workplace and at their conferences.