How to avoid pound packing when traveling for business.

There aren't any healthy options.
The company is paying for it.
It's a tough life on the road. I deserve this.

Are you “pound packing”?

Extended Stay America released results of a survey of 2000 of their frequent travelers. Eighty-six percent (86%!!) gained an average of three pounds when away from home for two or more weeks. If you are a frequent business traveler, that adds up fast. When I first started my job as a Clinical Research Associate, I called it the Travel 20. Similar to the Freshman 15, but we have something different to blame it on.

Here are five things to be aware of that can make you pack more than clothes.

1. Limited access to healthy options. I'm not going to pretend for one minute that eating on the road is a breeze. It requires purpose and planning. Eating in airports is a crapshoot. Only 76% of the busiest airports even offer one low-fat, high-fiber, low cholesterol vegetarian entree with vegetables, fruit, whole grains or legumes (Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine).  When we eat near an airport or hotel, often it's one of a handful of same restaurants with different names – Ruby Tuesday's, Applebees, and Chili's. Restaurants are getting better and the requirements to report nutrition information is helpful, but it's still not easy to find ingredient lists. Who in that restaurant is determining that the meal is healthy enough to put an icon next to it? Someone that doesn't realize that soybean oil isn't a health food and that there is barely one serving of vegetables in the entire entree?
2. Fast Food. In airports, there isn't much of an option, which is why I try to bring my own food or stop at a grocery store on the way (yes, they still exist, even when you travel!)
3. I'll have what she's having. You eat what your spouse fixes you. I get it. Your spouse doesn't like vegetables. That doesn't mean that you can't prep some veggies on Sunday and throw on top of whatever is served. My husband makes grits on Sundays. I throw sauteed onions, spinach or whatever else I have prepped on Sunday on top. Voila. Vegetables added, and he didn't have to do anything.
4. No time for grocery shopping.  A gynecologist or grocery is pretty much a toss-up for me in the fun category. However, I make 75% of my meals, and most of them are from scratch. How do I handle my anti-love for the supermarket?
   1. Amazon Subscribe and Save –  I've turned several clients onto this beauty. I get all of my paper goods and a LOT of my dry goods here. I save at least 15% off the already low Amazon price, it comes to my door on a schedule I choose, and I can easily change it if needed. My next order consists of cayenne pepper, single-serve bags of almonds for Hangry snacks, Wild sockeye canned salmon, miracle shirataki noodles, Julia's organic grits, Kleenex, hemp hearts, toilet paper, Jyoti canned dal, chia seeds, nutritional yeast, tahini, pre-cooked individual servings of quinoa (great for mobile work and lunch-packing), coffee and supplements. Whew! It also saves me from buying unnecessary stuff that I always found ended up in my cart. I love it so much, I'm shocked when people don't use it once they know about it!
   2. Community Supported Agriculture – I use Papa Spuds, local to Raleigh-Durham. I consider them one of the best because I have full control over what comes in my box, delivered to my door every Wednesday. I can choose from a variety of fruits and veggies but can also get chicken, beef, fish, pork, eggs, cheese, milk, mushrooms, coffee, chocolate, honey, and condiments. There are even pasta, bread and pizza crust options.
   3. What's left? Frozen and refrigerated foods like fruit, yogurt, kefir, and my beloved rice flour tortilla shells. I order these online and pick up during a designated time or use Instacart and have them delivered to my door. Most stores now have this amenity.
5. I don't know what's healthy. There's too much conflicting information?!?!?!? Set aside time 1-2 days a week. I choose Sundays to turn on a timer and do as much food prepping, cooking, steaming and baking as I can. There are also assistants that you can hire to do this for you! Yes, it's true! I have an angel that comes in on Thursday and chops all my veggies from my CSA box. There are now even meal-prep services that make meals at your home, like FoodFairy.com or deliver food to your door, like myfoodprepper.com.

Are you willing to try any of these methods to improve your nutrition and avoid pound packing?