Tips for Eating on the Go

It’s an inevitable situation that sooner or later you’re going to be out and about when it comes time to eat and you don’t have a protein shake or a whole food meal with you for meal time. What to do? Do you run to the nearest fast food joint? Should you opt for a makeshift meal from a gas station? What about a sit down meal in a nice restaurant? By following these tips, you can save yourself from ruining your diet when you’re stuck with little options.

If you go the fast food route, if they offer a grilled chicken sandwich, get that. My advice is to throw out the bun, as it’s usually white bread and that’s not a very good choice. The general condiments that come with a fast food sandwich are ok, other than mayonnaise. Ketchup isn’t too bad and it’s generally in a small enough amount to be ok. Mustard is fine, and the general lettuce and tomato toppings are good as well. Of course, you want to skip the fries and opt for the salad, provided it’s not doused in a fatty dressing. For your beverage, the obvious choice should be good old water.

If a gas station is the nearest location for sustenance, they generally carry a wide variety of food choices which won’t wreak havoc on your meal plan. Packs of peanuts and cashews make a great snack, and there are plenty of flavor options there as well. Water is obviously the best beverage choice, but I would steer clear of beef jerkey. It’s usually loaded with sodium, MSG and other products that we want to avoid. Many gas stations carry protein bars, and these make good choices also.

If you have a nice enough restaurant to eat at, they usually provide plenty of food options so you can make smart meal choices. A salad (again, without the heavy-fat dressing) makes a great appetizer, and often times there are plenty of meals that offer good food sources such as fish, steak or chicken. If your only option is a pizza parlor or something similar, the trick is to keep your portions under control. Eating one or two pieces of pizza is much easier for your body to digest than five or six, and will not do too much damage to your meal plan.

While sometimes you are left a victim to your circumstances, that does not mean your meal plan has to fall apart. By making smart choices for both food and beverages, being stuck without your typical meal options does not mean your nutrition has to fall apart.