TRAVEL EDITION: What to do when all options are a compromise?

Real life is flexible and your nutrition plan needs to be too. Following set-in-stone rules or restrictive diets isn’t sustainable and sets us up for failure in the long term. Traveling is one of those times restrictions and rules don’t do us much good. Instead, we can use our Foundational 5 habits, our nutrition decision guide, and what we know about choosing packaged foods to maintain metabolic balance (aka feed ourselves with less stress). Click the links if you haven’t read these yet!

Here are some scenarios you might find yourself in when you’re traveling and how to make the most of them.

Scenario 1: You’re on the go & stop at a coffee shop for breakfast on the way to the airport.

Your choices are: (a) a fluffy donut that looks delicious or (b) a sad bagel and egg sandwich that you aren’t excited about. The donut and bagel have similar amounts of fiber (little), and simple carbs (aka sugar, and there’s a lot). What’s best when you can’t cook yourself or don’t have time to go to a sit-down brunch spot?

Eat the thing you’re excited about and find another source of protein + fiber to round out the morning snack mix. In this case, the egg definitely has more protein than the donut. But if you aren’t excited about it, remember that each individual food makes up just one part of your whole diet. Is there a bodega, convenience store, or quick mart you could stop in? If so, grab some other source of protein like almonds (which also have fiber) or a low-sugar protein drink.

Scenario 2: You’re at the airport and now it’s time to look for lunch.

You made it through security so you can have liquids again. You grab a coffee, which will temporarily boost your cortisol levels & therefore cause a spike in blood glucose levels. Which is fine because you still have to run to your gate. On the way, you pass: (a) a pizza place with actually good pizza, (b) your favorite Chinese take-out chain, and (c) a burrito place where you can customize what goes in your order. What’s best for when you’re about to be stuck sitting still for hours on end (after you finish dashing to your gate)?

If you can, pack ahead with some source of protein (nuts, or hard-boiled eggs, or your fav low-sugar protein drink) and fiber (some berries, an apple). If you can’t, and you don’t have strong feelings about any of these airport options, then get the one that you can reduce the number of simple carbs. In this scenario, it’s probably the burrito since you can get it without rice (Maybe you’ll even be lucky enough to get it as a salad bowl, but maybe not. Airports are not known for their fresh produce options.)

If you can’t reduce the number of simple carbs, can you increase the amount of fiber or other nutrients? Is there a veggie pizza option with extra peppers (vitamin C), broccoli (fiber), or chicken (protein)? Are there stir-fry veggies that can be added to the Chinese take-out?

PRO-TIP: They will not let you bring Greek yogurt or peanut butter through security. Both yogurt and PB are considered “liquids” by the TSA and they will take your lunch from you.

Scenario 3: You’re at an airport snack & magazine kiosk and this is it. You’re eating whatever they have.

Again, look for snacks that will have protein and fiber. Since you’re about to be forced into sitting still for a while, choose snacks with the least amount of refined carbs. They will give you refined carbs on the plane. They will only give you refined carbs on the plane.

Sometimes there are kiosk salads and sometimes those kiosk salads look good. Sometimes they have yogurt with granola cups – I’m personally suspicious of the yogurts because they are often “low fat” aka “high sugar” and have granola that also has a lot of sugar on them. If there’s yogurt you can see the nutrition label for, great, but if it’s all pre-made, be aware that it probably has a lot more sugar than is obvious.

Tips for staying metabolically balanced and not spiking your blood glucose levels while traveling:

-       Plan ahead with some healthy, travel-friendly snacks!

-       When you are eating on the go, remember that each food is part of a larger plan. Enjoy the donut and add in something with more nutrition with your next snack/meal.

-       Remember that coffee - and being dehydrated from flying! - will both raise BGLs and cause glucose spikes. Try not to make it worse by also adding sugary snacks. Stay hydrated out there.