Road trip without gaining weight

It's beginning to be that time of year again. The weather is (finally) beginning to warm up and more people are hitting the road to vacation destinations. With that in mind, how do you maintain your weight loss goals while on vacation? For me at least, I equate road trips with eating at greasy fast food places and eating junk food in the car because I get bored! So, what's the key? Following are some steps that will hopefully help out with road trip weight gain!

1 - Snack Smart
Although a thermos of coffee can do wonders, plenty of protein is the key to keeping your mind on the road and not on your growling stomach or next nap. “Make sure you have protein every 3 to 4 hours to [help you] stay alert and keep your energy levels steady,” says Stephanie Mansour, health and fitness expert, personal trainer, and owner of Step It Up with Steph, a Chicago-based personal training and body confidence coaching service. At rest stops or gas stations, grab a protein bar or a single-serving bag of nuts, or pack protein-rich smoothies in a cooler, she suggests.

But don’t munch at every mile marker just because you’re antsy or bored. “Any healthy snack can quickly turn unhealthy if you eat too much,” says Marjorie Nolan, RD, CPT, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. “Portion out all your snacks based on your time frame and if you are going to stop for a meal or drive straight through to your destination.”


2 - Reboot at Rest Stops
Do more than shake out your legs when you stop for a bathroom break. Stretch your hip flexors with low-standing lunges, then lean from side to side to stretch your midsection, says Mansour. Next, turn up the intensity. “Plan to do 15 to 20 squats and pushups at each driving break,” says Nolan. “You can even do the pushups off the hood of your car. You will be shocked at how much this will help you stay alert, even hours into your drive!”

Once you’re back in the car, keep your fitness routine going by working your core. “Focus on sitting up straight and contracting your abdominal muscles throughout the drive,” says Nolan.

If you experience back pain on long drives, place your hands on the steering wheel when you’re at a red light and round your back to stretch out your spine. If you’re sitting in the passenger’s seat or backseat, cross your right ankle over you left knee and learn forward to stretch your glutes, then repeat on the opposite side, suggests Mansour.

Another way to relieve stiffness: At a stoplight roll your shoulders front and back. Do this once an hour. Then do the same with your neck, says Nolan. Just don’t do this while you’re moving!

3 - Choose Light Menu Options
After another round of “Are we there yet?” it’s clear that finding a local produce stand is going to take a backseat to convenience. When eating out along the way, choose a chain restaurant or drive-thru that offers light menu options, and look for items that are lower in calories and fat and higher in filling fiber and protein. Jo Lichten, RD, PhD, a professional speaker and author of How to Stay Healthy & Fit on the Road, suggests the following food choices for your next trip.

Breakfast
Dunkin Donut’s DD Smart breakfast items, like an Egg White Turkey Sausage Flatbread (280 calories, 8 g fat, 19 g protein)
Simple & Fit breakfast items at IHOP, like a Veggie Omelet and the fresh fruit (320 calories, 10 g fat, 21 g protein)
Starbucks Perfect Oatmeal (140 calories, 2.5 g fat, 5 g protein) and a tall nonfat latte (100 calories, 0 g fat, 10 g protein)

Lunch
Subway’s 6-inch Black Forest Ham sub without oil, mayo, or cheese (290 calories, 4.5 g fat, 18 g protein) or a 6-inch Turkey Breast sub without oil, mayo, or cheese (280 calories, 3.5 g fat, 18 g protein)
Wendy’s small chili without cheese (220 calories, 7 g fat, 18 g protein) poured over a plain baked potato (270 calories, 0 g fat, 7 g protein)
Taco Bell Drive-Thru Diet item, like the Fresco Bean Burrito (350 calories, 8 g fat, 12 g protein)

Dinner
Applebee’s Under 550 Calorie entrées or Weight Watchers options
Chili’s Guiltless Grill items
Olive Garden’s Garden Fare entrées
Panda Express Wok Smart menu items
Red Lobster’s Lighthouse options
Ruby Tuesday’s Fit & Trim suggestions


4 - Plan Meals Ahead of Time
Once you arrive at your destination, sample the local cuisine, but don’t eat out for every meal. “Plan to indulge in one meal or dessert each day,” says Nolan. “Choose ahead if that is going to be dessert after dinner or a pancake breakfast, and keep the rest of your food consistent with your normal eating habits and schedule. You may need to plan ahead with restaurants and snacks, but it will be well worth it when you return home from your trip without extra ‘baggage.’”

At restaurants, ask for exactly what you want or make a few tweaks to the meal on your plate, says Lichten. Request no butter, ask for dressing or sauce on the side, limit fatty meats and cheese, and ask for extra vegetables when available. Also, trim visible fat from meat, remove skin from roasted chicken, scrape off breading, drain excess sauce into a small dish, and blot pizza with a paper napkin to remove excess oil, suggests Lichten.

To limit portions, pair a salad and a light appetizer, like shrimp cocktail, she adds. Ask for a lunch-size serving even if it’s not on the menu, or request a take-home container when your meal arrives and immediately pack half of it away.


5 - Be Healthy on the Highway
When you’re miles away from your gym and you feel like you’re getting exercise by hauling around a suitcase or keeping your overly energized kids in check, skipping workouts is tempting. But should you do it?

“Don’t use the excuse ‘Well, I will be walking all day, so I can skip my workout at the gym,’” says Mansour. “Walking is extra! If a gym workout is part of your life, make it a priority [on your trip]. You want to feel good, so why would you take a vacation from feel-good workouts?”

Make time for away-from-home workouts by getting them out of the way first thing in the morning, before you leave your hotel, says Mansour.

“Ten to 20 minutes of movement in the morning in your hotel room is enough to keep your metabolism revved for a couple of hours,” says Nolan, who suggests the following routine: Do a mini circuit of 25 jumping jacks, 25 pushups, 25 squats/lunges, 25 crunches, then 1 minute of rest. Repeat as many times as you can in 10 to 20 minutes. You will feel it and burn at least 150 to 200 calories.

Or take advantage of the ocean, lake, hiking trail, or bike path near you and squeeze in some sightseeing while you exercise. “Vacations and trips give you more innovative and new ways to work out,” says Mansour.

Hopefully these five tips will make your vacation an even better one!