I often get asked about eating on the road.
If it’s a vacation or break, I do NOT track or even watch what I eat. But I don’t binge or go out of my way to eat “junk,” either.
Mostly I try to be in the moment.
That means focusing more on WHERE I am and WHO I’m with and letting food be a part of my day.
However, if it’s more of a business trip or if I have a goal looming, I’m much more actionable and follow a few simple rules:
* TRAIN PER SCHEDULE
While diet is the big player in body composition, training is the initial spark AND the glue that holds everything together.
I find it much easier to maintain a rhythm in terms of diet, sleep, cravings, and mood if I stick to my training schedule. I also tend to eat healthier foods and find junk less tantalizing.
Though I don’t obsess about training “perfectly” on the road.
If I can find a great gym, awesome. If not, I’ll try to get a good pump or a good sweat or a good “something.”
Maintaining the day-to-day rhythm is the big thing.
* EAT FEWER MEALS
I’ll typically eat 2 large meals, often skipping breakfast in favor of a larger lunch and dinner.
These meals have a large (usually double) portion of “white” protein (chicken, fish, shrimp, egg whites) and an equal portion of clean starch—OR—an average-sized portion of “red” protein (beef, salmon, eggs) and as many veggies as I can get.
Beyond that I have 1-2 small, high-protein snacks and/or a piece of fruit, pound plenty of water, and limit alcohol to one drink a day.
* ANTICIPATE WEIGHT SWINGS.
Travel (especially flying) is stressful, and the disruption causes the body to naturally hold water. So even if I’m a robot on the road, I always pack on a couple pounds of water bloat.
The good news is that anything I gain tends to vanish once I’m home on my regular routine, especially if I was in a groove leading up to the trip.
The one thing I NEVER do is stress about it.
Much like how the days between New Year and Xmas are far more impactful to our physiques than the days between Xmas and New Year:
It’s not how we eat for a few days on the road that matters most, but rather the MANY days spent at home in between.
– Coach Bryan