Busy B / Traveling B



So sorry for not posting lately. I have been one Busy B! It is a safe bet that I will never update this blog during end of the month. I work crazy hours(more-so than usual, if you can believe that) and I am under tons of stress. Add to end of the month traveling out of state for work and I just haven't had time to think! So my apologies. I will try to be better!

So, since I just got back from traveling my friend Cindy had the idea for me to do a post about clean eating on the go.

The only true way to eat clean while on the go or traveling is to plan ahead. While planning ahead is not always the most convenient it will save you from hunting through the airport looking for something decent to eat and then choosing the least evil (that lets face it, isn't a good choice either).

For my trip to California I had to get up at 3am to be ready and at the airport by 5am. My flight left at 6:40 and we got into Cali around 8. Our meeting went from 10am-2pm and then we were back at the airport by 4 to catch the plane back home. It was a long crazy day, but I made it through and ate clean!

This is what I packed in my carry-on cooler for my short trip:

• Apples & Peanut Butter
• Vegetables & Hummus (Costco sells hummus in individual cups, but I just portioned out 2 TBS in a little container)
• Protein Shake Mix w/ an Empty Blender Bottle (You can get water anywhere!)

Love these individual packets of Justin's Nut Butter

I was so glad that I had planned ahead and brought food, because the lunch served to us was anything but clean. So I skipped the lunch and ate my apples & PB and veg w/ hummus. That filled me up enough to get through the meetings, and then I had my protein shake while waiting for my flight back.

My on-the-go tips:

• Plan ahead.
• Think about your options once you get to where you are going and fill in the gaps with your own clean eats.
• Pack a cooler! Get a small cooler with reusable ice packs it will keep your food cool all day!

I use a cooler like this from Fit Fresh. It comes with the ice packs, so just freeze & jet set!

Travel Friendly Foods:

• Oatmeal- Just take your portioned out dry oatmeal and get a cup of hot water. Even Starbucks will sell you a cup of hot water! Add in a scoop of protein powder or peanut butter/almond butter for protein and you have a complete portable meal!
• Yogurt- Yogurt will stay cold in a cooler for several hours. Pack a container with fruit and/or granola to go with your yogurt and you are good to go!
• Apples & Peanut Butter- The love of my life, Apples & PB! I love the packs of individually cut & packaged apples from Costco. They make life so easy! Either get packets of PB or portion it out. This is a complete snack. Complex Carb &  Protein!
• Veggies  & Hummus- Baby carrots are amaze for travel! Just keep them cool and you are good to go. Hummus is also a great travel buddy. (For some added zip, toss your baby carrots in Mrs. Dash, then dip them in the hummus!)
• Protein Shake- I am not a huge protein shake fan. I would much rather eat my calories than drink them, but for portability factor alone, protein shake is king! It requires no refrigeration, no prep, only water!  I like the Advocare Chocolate Mocha. They are individually packaged and they have an equal amount of protein and carbs to keep you satisfied. (is it the cleanest protein powder? no. But you can't win every battle)
• Quinoa Salad- This bad boy will stay fresh in a cooler and with protein from the quinoa and complex carbs, it will keep you satisfied!
• Fruit & Nuts- Almonds are  a great on-the-go protein source. Couple them with a fruit such as  a banana and you have a complete clean snack. Trader Joe's sells almonds pre-portioned if you don't trust yourself to not over-indulge :)
• Lara Bars- If you haven't tried these, I HIGHLY suggest it. They are made with like 3 simple ingredients: Nuts, Dried Fruit & Salt. Their Peanut Butter Cookie & Peanut Butter & Jelly bar are my fav.
• Hard Boiled Eggs- A perfect on-the-go protein source! Peel them before if you know you won't have access to a sink to prep them. Eat with a complex carb and you have a complete mini meal/snack
• Mediterranean Veggie Wrap- This bad boy will hold up well in a cooler and with protein & carbs its a complete meal!
• Mini Quiche- These hold up really well in a cooler. When the Hubbs went away on business, I packed these for him and he loved them.

Don't go so long without eating that you are starved and make poor choices! If you fail to plan, all hope isn't lost. Just be smart. I always look up calories in the app My Fitness Pal BEFORE I make a choice to make sure its the right one. My usual go-to options if I forget to plan is either a Mediterranean Breakfast Wrap (yes, I eat them whenever not just at breakfast!) and Zesty Chicken & Black Bean Salad from Starbucks. They are calorie friendly, complete meals, and you can find a Starbucks ALMOST anywhere!

 

That's it loves! The secret is there is no secret. Just plan ahead and set yourself up for success!