Tips from folks who work out of town a lot?

Hey folkzes -

For those of you who work out of town for days n weeks, will yall share your helpful hints and what helps you to be successful when you live on perdiem and out of town a lot?

Thank you kindly for your share!

I'm not longer deployed but permanently at NAS Jacksonville. But I have been traveling on per Diem over the last few years until about a month ago.

One of the things I do is ask for a fridge for medical reasons and most hotels have small fridges they can put in my room so I can have my yogurt and milk for my shakes. While I don't drink shakes at home much on the road I tend to drink them. Some of the items I keep with me are:

nuts   - almonds and pecans mostly
Laughing cow cheese and baby bell ( no frig needed, good for long plane rides)
Low sodium Jerky
Pre measured protein powder. I can always get milk on a plane or in an airport.
small Peanut butter  - single servings.

Also in airports on in the car on my way someplace Starbucks has a great protein plate with an hard boiled egg, cheese, fruit  peanut butter and a small bagel ( I don't eat that yet).

I also bring 2 or three glass 5 oz Pyrex dishes for when I eat at a restaurant at night. Then back in  my room I divvy up the leftovers into the containers and I use them for lunches.

I'm sure I'll think of more..... But those are just off the top of my head before my first cop of coffee!! LOL

Thank you!

For your protein, do you just scoop it into baggies or do you carry a jug, or buy the individual powder packs? 

Thank you girlie!! 

To add to the above list....Some hotels offer a free breakfast.  I always get a plate to take back to my room for the rest of the day or that evening.  Bacon/sausage, boiled eggs, fruit, yogurt, skim milk, anything else that may work into my food plan. 

Good ideas!  Thank you!

 
Hey Brandilynn,

Here is what I travel with.

- Titanium knife, fork, spoon set.

- Condiment packets. Ketchup, mayo, soy, salt, pepper, splenda, tea bags, sugar free drink packets.

- Zip Lock Freezer bags. This is a #1 tip. This is what you portion out left over foods into than into the fridge. To heat.....run under ho****er in the sink if there is no micro.

- I now only carry one Tupperware type container...mainly to eat out of.

frisco

Edit: for Brandilynn.

Truth be known.... I only measured my food with instruments till about 4 months out. I use the "deck of cards" method. A deck of cards is about 3oz. of food. In my job I have to "eyeball" a lot of things, so I may be more accomplished to doing this than most. But once you measure it out a few times and compare.... It is very easy!

 

The veggies and less dense foods your going to have to use your imagination..... image what volume it's going to end up all chewed up.

 

It's easy once you get the hang of it..... I have used this method for over a year now and on several trips abroad. But I will say my friends have learned how much I can eat just by looking. I'll get served.... and one of my friend's will look at my plate and say...."about a third of that?" and I'll be damned.... he is dead on! I asked him how he knew...and he said you got about 3 decks of cards on your plate!

 

The key in all VSG eating is to go slow, 20 minutes is a good number and eat even slower towards the end and it's OK to not eat all your food.....Even though your mom always told you to do so ! Never eat till your full!

Do you have any more to offer about your eyeballing measure technique?

Do you feel very blahblahbalh Ginger? Do you have new and improved insight to add for brand newbies to share here, or shall I copy and paste from somewhere else?

Either is fine by me bubs!  Thank you!

MIkeyMike shared this..

When I'm out an about. I don't worry about measuring. It's not like you can control the portion that they bring out on your plate. Sometimes I will order off of the Kids or the Senior menu (whether or not they extend the pricing doesn't matter). What ever the size of the portion they bring out I eat until I'm satisfied. So to me the size of the portion is iirrelevant. I also make it a practice not to take a doggie bag. It just gives me the temptation to snack as I know it's there. I also give in, and order water as I get strange looks when I say "Nothing to drink for me". I just don't drink it. I'm a creature of habit. My usual dinner favorite is Cheese Qasedilla. Many times I will order off of the menu. Breakfast I'll ussually do eggs and/or sausage. If I'm in a hurry and need something on the run a Yogurt Parfait will do.

If it's an extended trip. I'll usually ask for a refrigerator in the room. Some Hotels are cool about giving it to you some want to charge a per day fee for it. The way I get around it is I usually say "Can I have a refrigerator for my room to keep my medicine in?". They always provide a fridge free of charge as they prefer that their guests don't pass out or die in their rooms. Then I'll go to the supper market and stock up on some Greek Yogurt, Cheese, and other snacks.

i would also add this link. Helpful if you are out and about and have no choice but to go the fast food route:

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/11-best-fast-food-post-w orkout-snacks-under-200-calories-2402237/#pollId-A4197A32E6E 611DF89ECFE3406BC3DF2

Thank yall for your input. 

Do you have any good things to share about the beginning of your journeys and eating out/on perdiem a lot? 

I was trying to see if we could get a comprehensive something together for folks just starting out who work out of town/away from home for extended periods of time from cradle to grave, as it were! 

Thank yall for your help!