Some people say losing weight and traveling are diametrically opposed. I beg to differ! I lost over 170 lbs. in a year and a half while traveling weekly. I got on a plane each week at 5 am and left for home on Friday after five. That year, I lost 3 lbs. or more a week, despite traveling weekly and getting stuck several times over the weekend due to plane delays or twice because of blizzards! Channeling my inner David Letterman, here are my top ten weight-loss travel tricks!
- Get a refrigerator when registering! When registering and later checking in to a hotel, I always ensure I have a fridge. I can shop for healthy snacks or meals or get some from the breakfast buffet or the concierge lounge spread. That way, I have a healthy snack if I’m working late. You may already have a refrigerator in an extended-stay hotel like a Residence Inn. But other business hotels may not have them in the room unless you request them. Get one and get healthy!
- Check-in with the Concierge Lounge. While traveling for work, I had access to a concierge lounge back due to my status as a frequent traveler. I would hit the concierge lounge and load up on vegetables before going to a restaurant for dinner. I even would skip dinner and eat in the concierge lounge. The approach still applies even with limited or no travel. Eat some vegetables or small appetizers at home before ordering or eating out. Fill up on veggies instead of filling out on steak and burgers! When you travel often, you usually get access to a concierge lounge. You can use this access to your advantage if you make the correct choices. Here is the approach. For breakfast, fill up on lean protein (hard-boiled eggs, nonfat Greek yogurt, etc.), oatmeal, and fruit. Also, grab at least two bananas and two apples for your snacks throughout the day. Lastly, stay hydrated by taking a few bottles of water. Nine times out of ten, when you are hungry, it is just a substitution for being thirsty!
- Walk to Work. No Uber for me! I walk to work unless it is pouring or ten below (sometimes in the Midwest). I also picked a hotel about a mile away, so you get 2 miles in no matter what. This at least gets you up and going. Remember to bring a book on tape (Podcasts and Libby, which, if you are a library member, is free!) or time your walk with a work call. It gets you outside, and you barely notice the activity.
- Coffee Cups are not just for Coffee. I have a secret weight loss weapon when traveling the road – coffee cups. This remarkable tool is ubiquitous at hotels. Here are three simple weight loss hacks related to coffee cups:
- The first is the obvious one – use it for coffee. Nothing gets the constitution working better than coffee. I drink one cup, and you are ready for the restroom. But stop at one or two, or you will have the opposite result since coffee is a diuretic. Also, if you are walking to the office, you may not make it in time for the restroom!
- They are the perfect hard-boiled egg container. Hard-boiled eggs are almost as ubiquitous as coffee cups at the hotel breakfast counter. They are an ideal source of protein and a great way to satisfy a mid-morning snack or lunch. A standard coffee cup can hold three large, hard-boiled eggs. Place a lid on it and label it, and now you have a ready-made free lunch to stick in the office refrigerator! Coffee cups can also serve as containers for the fresh fruit often set up on the breakfast buffet (don’t forget bananas and apples in your backpack). You could also use coffee cups for oatmeal. All three are wholesome snacks or lunch on the run. You can also save money if not on an expense account.
- Larger cups for infused water. I love that many hotels are now providing fruit-infused water at the hotel. But I do not love the little dinky plastic cups with no lids. Answer – use coffee cups with lids and get 16 ounces of delicious water (to wipe away the effects of the second coffee).
- Box it and Bring it To Boots. Portion control is the key to keeping your weight down and your friends happy. In my case, my friend is a bear/dog named Boots, as shown below. I always think of my buddy Boots when craving a big steak. I then make a conscious choice. I eat 5 oz. Instead of 10 oz of a steak, I cut my calories in half and make my dog leap in delight! This trick also works for a later meal in your trusty fridge but is more fun to give to your dog. Half your plate and make your friend feel great!
- Eat like a plebe. The faster you eat, the more you repeat (think Buffet). When I eat out, I return to my training at West Point and eat like a Plebe! We learned to eat slowly at West Pont by squaring our meals so we would not wolf down food. Here is how you square a meal. You lift your fork straight, bend your fork at 90 degrees to your mouth, straighten your arm back out, and then bring your fork entirely down. You do not return your fork until you have thoroughly chewed your food. On top of this, you needed to take small bites to recite knowledge to senior cadets without your mouth full. All served to slow how fast we ate and cut down on food intake while practicing good manners. Over thirty-five years later, I still eat like a Plebe, especially when traveling.
- Don’t stress; catch up on your rest! If you let it, missing your flight home due to the weather can be stressful. But it also can be an opportunity to catch up on your rest. If you can’t leave your hotel, catch up on your snooze time. Most of us are sleep-deprived anyway, and a few extra hours of rest can do wonders for your metabolism. On the flip side, overly worrying can lead to stress eating.
- When late, Meditate. You do not have to get caught up in the noise and bustle when stuck in an airport. Most airports have a chapel, lounge, or quiet space where you can meditate or pray according to your practice to clear your head. Here is a guide that can help you out. https://www.sleepinginairports.net/. One of my favorite places is the chapel at DFW. But you can also find one of the gates that does not have a flight for an hour. I keep meditation applications Headspace, Calm, or Hallow for these delays on my iPhone. A plane delay or cancellation does not need to be a reason to go off the wagon.
- When it Snows, Find a Skywalk. Getting stuck overnight in a hotel because of a blizzard can curtail your weekend exercise routine. I do not know about you, but walking on a treadmill does not get it. I like my walks with some scenery and adventure. One way to switch it up if you can’t get outside is to find a mall or indoor Skywalk. Once, I was stuck in Des Moines, Iowa, when my plane was canceled. Luckily, I did not have to miss my Saturday Morning walk. I found an entry to the downtown Skywalk about a block away. After a brief bout with the sub-zero wind chill, I soon walked and got lost in the Skywalk. It was quite an adventure trying to find my way back through the maze of corridors. Also, it felt a bit like Maxwell Smart with all the automatic opening doors. When I was finally done, I had five miles in while braving the cold for only a few minutes.
- Remember, Three out of Five Ain’t Bad. I cannot claim this last rule since I learned it from a colleague. Every meal at a restaurant usually includes five options: bread, appetizer, entrée, dessert, and alcohol. The simple rule is to keep it to three! Either Bread, Drink, and an Entrée or some other combination. Remember, scrap two and keep 3! While I can’t claim this idea, I can confirm it works and claim the below song parody to emphasize it. Make like Meatloaf and remember.
I want you, But I don’t need you, And there ain’t no way I am ever going to eat you, Now, don’t be sad, Because 3 out of 5 ain’t bad!
Because 3 out of 5 ain’t bad! In closing, you can lose weight while traveling. These are ten, but you may have others. If so, please feel free to comment. To listen to this and other content on our Change Well podcast, click this link.
