Eating On The Road

Eating when away on a business trip is crazy.  It has been years since I have had to do this.  I had forgotten just what a difficult experience it could be for someone who is trying to eat healthier.

First, I stressed out about the flight and airport/airline food and water, not to mention my potential lack of protein/vitamin supplements. That actually ended up being OK.  I was able to take vitamins and protein bars through security and onto the plane.  I also had a few supplemental protein bars and my standard vitamin supply packed in my checked bag for my stay in Dallas.  I was able to get a bottle of water and lunch just near my gate.  I arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare so that I could have lunch before my flight boarded.

As an aside, I just have to insert here what a joy it was to fit in the airline seat like a normal person and not need a buckle extender.  I was even able to cross my legs.  Of course, I’m 5’1″ and I have short lets, so I’m sure that helped.  I also managed to scam a seat in the third row of coach due to my upgraded “gold” status.  I have to somehow manage to get that every year because it made the whole airline experience much more pleasant.

Once I arrived at the hotel, the whole diet thing fell apart.  I got some chicken wings at the hotel restaurant.  They were the best wings I have had in a very long times, and I’ve had wings a couple of times since the surgery.  They give you ten of them, I could only eat 4 1/2 with the celery and carrots.  And the sauce that came on the side was phenomenal.  I ordered the sweet and spicy Thai wings, but I think they just brought me the regular buffalo, which was fine by me because they was scrumptious.

Then there was the breakfast buffet.  I did OK at first, I had a tiny bit of scrambled eggs with some spicy salsa on them and mixed fruit.  Then I had two pieces of bacon.  OMG!  What was I thinking!  Well, I came to my senses by lunch and got a small salad with cranberries, blue cheese, and chicken.  Then a side of cheese for my protein snack in the afternoon.

The sales rep took us out to dinner to this very nice Italian restaurant.  Of course I cannot have pasta, so I ordered the artichoke encrusted steak medallions with roasted vegetables and mashed potatoes.  I can’t have the mashed potatoes either.  I mean, I guess I could have a little bit of them now, but because they are starchy, they have been on the restricted list.  I ate most of the vegetables and one of the steak medallions.  They were 1 1/2 or maybe 2 inches around, but man they just seemed huge to me.  Then the server packed them up for me to take back to the hotel, but really, I’m not sure what I am going to do with them.  (yes, I have a refrigerator in the room)  I’m not sure I want to have red meat two days in a row.  That might be a bit much.  Plus, I’m going out to dinner tomorrow with a writer’s group friend who recently moved back to Texas for some Tex-Mex food.

Don’t even get me started on all of the decaf cappuccinos I’ve had today.  Well, OK one of them had caffeine!

I had to hit the exercise room after dinner tonight.  I rode the bike for 30 minutes and did another 5 minutes of cool down.

I am just not used to eating out this much.  OK, maybe once or twice a week I will got to the buffet place near my office for lunch.  But still, I usually get salmon and vegetables or the chicken with broccoli.  I stick to the plan, though.  Low fat foods.  Protein and veggies.  After my emotional binge eating last week, I have been very strict with myself about the food I eat.  The last thing I want to do after everything I have been through since October is go back to where I was before the surgery.

I have to do better tomorrow.  I sure will be glad to go home!