Alarm clock went off at 4am, time to get rolling for my 6am flight from Los Angeles to Chicago. The family has no idea I'm coming into town which always makes for some great surprises! Whether you are an occasional flyer or spend more time on an airplane than you do at home, many want to use the excuse of traveling as the reason they are out of shape or overweight. The truth is, even the littlest decisions you make when traveling can have a huge impact on your health.
Eating healthy does not always mean you have to have chicken breast, egg whites and steamed broccoli. Sure these are great food choices but they are not always available. When traveling, it is important to focus on portion control and making "smarter" food choices.
Lets use my flight as an example. So breakfast is truly the most important meal of the day, we have all heard that saying before. Lets start there. You wake up with two choices: you can eat at home, most likely with healthier options than what is offered on the plane or you can choose to hold off and eat breakfast at the airport or on the plane. The first mistake people can make is to eat breakfast at home and eat breakfast on the plane. Overeating by consuming such a large amount of calories followed by a long duration of sitting on a plane is not the best way to kickstart your metabolism. Some healthy breakfast ideas when eating at home include egg whites, grapefruit and oatmeal or oatmeal with fresh berries or egg whites, lean protein and 1/2 cup of brown rice. These foods will help fuel the body without leaving you feeling tired and bloated all day. Breakfast foods to avoid consist of high sugary cereals, pastries, high sodium breakfast sandwiches and processed foods.
Now what about having breakfast on the plane? For those that fly quite a bit, you know even the healthiest options are not very healthy. Unless your flight is over 3.5 hours, your a la carte food options consist of Pringles, M&Ms, fruit chews, croissant or Chex Mix. Yikes! What about snack boxes: Tapas, Classic or Savory. What about a healthy snack box? Amongst other unhealthy items, chocolate covered fruit, candy, Oreos and Nutella are just some foods that come in the snack box. Each box ranges from $7.49 to $8.59, low in price but high in calories and fat.
So I was very fortunate to fly first class on my 3 hour 48 minute flight to Chicago which means breakfast is served! The flight attendant comes by offering two different options which are much different than the options others can choose from. Option 1 was corn flakes with a banana and option 2 was eggs, potatoes, sausage. Majority of people sitting around decided on option 2 and so did I since eggs were the better option over cereal. How about offering oatmeal with berries instead? Airlines have hot water for coffee and oatmeal can't weigh anymore than a box of cereal.
So when the food arrives it is much more than eggs, potatoes and sausage. We also get a bowl of fruit, a cup of strawberry yogurt and the option of a fresh croissant or cinnamon roll with butter and jelly. Talking about sending your body into caloric shock. Makes me bloated just thinking about it. So I hate to waste food but that is not a reason to over eat. So given the menu, what did I decide to eat and what did I pass on? I had my usual cup of coffee with skim milk! Switching from creamer or half and half to milk can make a big difference, especially if you drink multiple cups of coffee throughout the day or even a cup everyday. Calories are calories and at the end of the month they add up to pounds.
Before going into what I chose to eat, I should let you know I pulled out my phone to snap a quick picture of my meal. Sitting next to me a lady, probably late 30s, who told me there is a website out there where people post pictures of their airline food. I said I am taking the picture for my fitness blog. She immediately says, sweetie I fly over 200,000 miles a year, eating healthy and following any sort of fitness routine went out the window a long time ago. And there you have it... Excuse!
So the lady next to me also got the egg breakfast option. I ate the eggs, entire bowl of fruit, small portion of breakfast potatoes and about 3 spoonfuls of yogurt. I passed on the croissant and sausage since many breakfast meats are processed and loaded with sodium. I glanced over to see that the woman next to me was done pretty much before I chopped up my eggs. Holy cow, problem number 1, slow down when you eat, it is not a race. Also, over eating occurs because it takes 20 minutes for the stomach to tell the brain you are full, if you scoff down a meal in 10 minutes flat no wonder why a person keeps eating and still might be hungry after finishing an entire meal. Lady we have over 3.5 hours on this flight, slow down. Okay, problem number 2 is the two diet cokes with breakfast at 7 in the morning. Yikes again! Drinking water is an essential part of weight management yet many people do not drink even the minimum daily requirement. About a half hour in flight I was 4 waters in, if for not being a pest to the flight attendant I would be about 8 waters in.
When the flight attendant comes by offering hot croissants, what do you think happened next. Oh yes, right across my nose came this hot buttery croissant right onto the woman's plate. I looked right, looked left and like a magic trick that croissant disappeared. When the flight attendant came to pick up the trays, the two things left on the woman's plate included the fruit and yogurt, not even touched! Problem number 3, poor food choices.
A better option would have been start with the eggs and fruit, take your time eating and if you need a little more than have some yogurt. Adding the sausage increases your sodium intake which can make you feel bloated and the croissant, empty calories! Are you thinking this is not enough? If you cleared your plate and took every option offered, you definitely ate too much. Also, to maintain a healthy weight, it is smart to eat 5-6 small meals throughout the day to keep the metabolism running.
With this in mind, remember that you will be off the plane in a few hours. This is a great time for a second meal. Again, focus on portion control and be conscious on what you put in your body. No time to sit down and eat? Pack some raw almonds or a natural protein bar in your bag, grab yourself a water at the newsstand and fuel your body for the next few hours.
What else? Walk versus taking the moving walkway. Use the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator, walk around and navigate through the terminal rather than sitting for 30-40 minutes waiting for the plane to arrive.
I am not saying you have to do wall sits and walking lunges down the moving walkway to stay fit when you travel, even the smallest changes make for a healthier business trip.
Another tip to stay healthy on the go? Enzymes! Keep a small bag or pill case in your bag with some digestive enzymes and papaya enzyme chewables. Taking digestive enzymes with your meals will help your body break down the carbs, protein and fats in the foods you eat which will help the body use food as an energy source throughout the day. Also, chewing one papaya enzyme following meals is a great way to naturally reduce bloating, gas or heartburn following meals high in fat, sodium and calories.
So rather than making excuses or having to unbutton the top button of your jeans following the meal, know that the littlest changes can make a huge difference.
Be smart, travel light and live healthier. The choice is always yours!
Learn more about living a healthy lifestyle and tips to improve your overall health, visit: http://www.innerzyme.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Katie_Jodscheidt
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