Starving Foodie

Last week, I was in Washington D.C. for a 3 day conference. I stayed-on after the conference to visit with my Aunt and Uncle. Traveling while trying to make lifestyle adjustments is like playing Pitfall. There are plenty of obstacles to set you back, but you have to keep trying.

What Can you Take To the Airport?
Know the rules! The TSA (Transportation Security Administration) should really be renamed STA (Security Theater Administration) since most of what happens at the security screenings if for show. If the liquids were a real threat, do you think they would not inspect them and simply throw them in a bin to be collected later? I digress.

The guidelines for food items are as follows:

All food must go through the X-ray machine. Do NOT bring food to the security checkpoint unwrapped … Food must be wrapped or in a container. Unpeeled natural foods like fruit are okay, but half-eaten fruits must be wrapped.
Source: http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1667.shtm

So you can bring apples and other vegetables. If you have something like carrot sticks, stick them in a zip lock bag or buy the pre-portioned sizes. In my experience, I’ve only had bottles of liquid confiscated. At worse, they toss your food in the trash forcing you to buy inside the airport.

Avoid Airport Food
If at all possible, avoid airport food. Eat before you leave to the airport. If it is not possible see out fruit or other alternatives. Stay away from airport smoothies. I found in many cases they use sweeteners or frozen fruits. I have found a few kiosks that serve salads or lighter wraps. Pretty much anything you buy cooked at a airport is going to be loaded with fat. Airports have to churn out the food quickly, so they load up the pans and grill tops with oil and crank up the heat.

Just because it looks healthy it probably isn’t. Airports are stuffed with bad foods. So that chicken salad may look like a better option, but you really have to read the labels or ask about ingredients. To my surprise, a “Grilled Chicken Salad” sandwich was actually a Mayo-based chicken salad made from grilled chicken.

Dealing with Relatives
Fortunately, my relatives are starting to eat healthier. An unfortunate event pushed them onto this path, but nobody offered pizza while I was there. I highly recommend letting your relatives/friends know in advance that you are making a lifestyle change. My Aunt asked what I wanted to eat and picked up some extra fruit for me. This prevented me from eating the cookies and other treats that are often available.

If you plan to eat out, research restaurants ahead of time. If there’s a common place your relatives like to gnosh, do some research and see if there are healthy alternatives. Though I did not control my portion well at Lauriol Plaza, I selected a grilled fish and avoided fat filled enchiladas. Though, I did fail to have the chip bowl placed on the other side of the table.

Soup, Salad and Apps
On two occasions, I found myself at a restaurant with mediocre entree choices. So, I opted for an app and salad or soup and salad combo. The food portions were on target. I had the wait staff bring both of my items at the same time as the entrees.

Post-Trip Weigh In
I’ve purposefully delayed my post-trip weigh in until today. I wanted to get my body back to a normal schedule so I can assure my hydration and day is on par to the weigh-in prior to leaving. Will update tomorrow with the results. Given a conference, a dinner party and a birthday party on this trip, if I’m +2lbs or under, I consider that a success.

UPDATE!

I weighed in on my trusty Wii-Fit last night, and to my delight I was down 3.2 lbs last week.  Given the +/- 2lb accuracy I get with the Wii that means I at least did not gain any weight on my trip.  I may have even lost a pound.