Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Wellness Wednesdays: Eating Better When Traveling

I've been traveling a lot these days, both for work and personally.  With summer upon us you may have had a difficult time trying to figure out what to eat on the road and maintain a somewhat PCOS-friendly diet.  I have by no means perfected the art of eating on the go, and cravings sometimes over-power a much healthier option, but I think I'm getting better!  Here's some tips that have come in handy for me. 

  1. Pack food with you!
    It's so easy to run out the door without thinking ahead and bringing PCOS-friendly snacks with you.  If you take an extra 15 minutes the night before or in the morning, you can curb those last-minute bad decisions and keep your blood sugar level so you can perform better throughout the day.

    At work I usually bring my insulated soft-pack lunch bag with grapes, sliced apples and peanut butter (Trader Joe's with flax seed is my favorite!), celery with a nut butter and a couple whole almonds on top (SO GOOD!), mixed nuts or a nut of your choice, hummus and carrots or 1 serving of a multi-grain cracker, or even a hard-boiled egg. 

    When I am traveling it's a little more difficult to bring things that need to be kept cold. In that case, I always have a stash of nuts on me.  I also like to get KIND bars or Lara bars. I recently discovered Belvita breakfast biscuits that work in a pinch.  These are processed, but do a great job of keeping me satiated and keep my blood sugar where it should be so I can keep working without the shakes if lunch has to be postponed.
     
  2. Drink your water!
    One thing to always remember is to pack water!  This helps you to feel fuller longer as well and, of course, it's always important to stay hydrated.  I just bought a glass water bottle from Starbucks and I love it! No BPA leaching into my water, even when I accidentally leave it in the hot car.  :) 

    Another great travel water bottle is the Bobble.  It's a BPA-free water bottle with a carbon filter incorporated into it.  For me it's proven to be durable, and comes in handy when you don't have access to good clean water or water bottles. 

    Remember, 2/3rds of your body is made up of water so keeping hydrated is important to keep your body functioning properly.
  3.  Pick the Healthier ChoiceYou will have to eat out eventually, so when you are perusing the menu you can always make a better choice.  Choose non-fried and breaded items, substitute fries for a side salad, fresh fruit, or veggies.  Ask for dressing on the side.  If you are going to a cain restaraunt, look up their menu on your smart-phone if you have one or ask the waiter for nutrition information menu as most places offer these now.  This can help you select a meal that is within your calorie and carb limits.  Trust me, your body will thank you later when you aren't in a carb-coma.

    Something that I follow and I think is important is to give into your cravings....in MODERATION!  I have many cravings- ice cream, pie, cookies, chocolate...and if I didn't give in a little bit I know I would end up binging. If you are anything like me, it is far better to treat yourself every once ina while to your craving.  this does NOT mean eating a whole cake or pie, a heaping bowl of ice cream or a large blizzard.  I have learned to that having one cookie, a couple bites of cake, 1 serving (usually 1/2 cup) of ice cream satiates my craving and I feel like I'm not being totally deprived, thus curbing any looming binge.  I also don't scarf it down.  I make sure to enjoy each bite, each flavor and truly enjoy what I'm eating.  You deserve a little sweetness in your life, so treat yourself- just keep it in check.

Written by: Crystal Warren, Representative for Power Up for PCOS which provides support to women with PCOS through educational Power Up Groups, building connections with other PCOS women, calendar of upcoming PCOS events, professional referrals and reviews, PCOS store, and other specialized events to raise money for PCOS research.  To find our more, visit http://www.powerupforpcos.com, email info@powerupforpcos.com or by calling 810-545-PCOS (7267)

Power Up for PCOS - emPowering Women to Manage PCOS

*Please note that I am not a medical professional. I am not qualified to give out any medical advice. I am a woman with PCOS who is sharing my personal experiences in this blog and I advise you to consult a professional.* 

1 comment:

  1. I can't get enough of the Lara bars. So yummy and raw!

    ReplyDelete