The Devil Wears Red Velvet

Why does traveling for business or pleasure always seem to derail the great progress you make eating healthy at home? Just when you get a good streak going it gets broken!  Below is the picture of the red velvet cupcake (before I devoured it) that derailed me today while visiting my company's headquarters.  Those friendly co- workers, who bake and fill candy jars can really increase your calorie count and sabotage your diet.

The website RealAge states that
"What kills any regimen of healthy eating isn't the occasional slice of fudge cake or pizza; it's what happens after the initial indulgence...the harm isn't in the mistake; it's in not figuring out how to deal with it."

I think this statement couldn't be truer, if you fall off the wagon - don't give up and continue eating poorly, just make the next meal a good one.

Here are some tips that help me get through business travel without putting on too many pounds:

• Drastically reduce your calorie intake, cut them by 25-50% if you can.  Your body just doesn't seem to process your food as easily when you travel - I find a reduction in calories can help me feel better and my body doesn't seem to miss them
• Work out every morning no matter how crappy the gym - at least get on a treadmill for 30 minutes
• Drink a liquid protein shake for breakfast.  You can find them everywhere now and the calories are usually under 250 with lots of protein to keep you filled up.  If you can't do that, order an egg white omelette with vegetables, skip the toast there are plenty of calories to come 
• Eat the lightest lunch you can with protein- chicken, fish, meat and vegetables - save the inevitable wheel barrel full of calories coming when you take your client out for dinner and drinks
• At dinner, order fish, order fish, order fish!  You can usually order it prepared lightly and it's easier to digest then red meat and will make you feel better than pasta. It's probably late and you don't want to go to bed with a big full belly 
• Drink wine if you can, I find it doesn't make me as hungry as consuming hard liquor
• Don't beat yourself up if you fail and eat crappy, tomorrow offers another chance to get it right

Do I follow these rules every time I travel? Heck no! Last week I had tiramisu at lunch, chicken marsala for dinner, more tiramisu for desert and a terrific straight up manhattan.  But hey, I was going home the next day!