This will be a short and sweet blog about one of my favorite issues that athletes normally have: what to eat while traveling. I recently traveled to Wisconsin to coach a few of my Junior athletes at a draft-legal triathlon. My oldest son accompanied me as he was racing. This is important because the Sport Dietitian in me must be on high alert to ensure he navigates his nutrition to support optimal performance.
When I travel, I make it a point to bring a few necessities with me which typically includes a light trail mix, Generation UCAN snack bars and a few packets of UCAN protein. These are what I refer to as my “emergency foods”. I am delayed in an airport, can’t find a grocery store immediately upon arriving at my hotel, or simply need an extra snack to control and optimize my blood sugar and support my Metabolic Efficiency. These snacks sometimes make it back home without ever being consumed but they are with me just in case.
I happened to stay at a hotel that did not have many amenities (restaurant food was not good) nor was it extremely close to a bigger city with the typical eating establishments. However, there was a grocery store, Piggly Wiggly nearby and I did have a refrigerator in my room. Whenever I travel, I ensure that I have a refrigerator in my room since my first stop is usually the grocery store to purchase some basics to build snacks and light meals.
This trip was no different. I visited the Piggly Wiggly and stocked up on a few essentials. My final bill was $23 (for two people and many snacks and light meals). Some items in my basket included blueberries, bananas, cherries, grapes, beef jerky, Greek yogurt, peanut butter, granola, and spoons. Can you pick out the foods that you can combine to improve Metabolic Efficiency? Yes, there is a reason for the foods that I purchased!
Planning and preparing is probably one of the most important things that you can do when it comes to remaining metabolically efficient while traveling. Take a little extra time on the front end of your trip to construct an “emergency food” list and pack them with you. Identify the nearby grocery stores and restaurants where you will be staying prior to leaving if possible and be sure to visit the grocery store first thing upon arriving at your destination.
As for the parfaits…well, that was one of our breakfast options. I grabbed the coffee cups that are always in hotel rooms and layered the Greek yogurt, fruit, and granola. Quick, easy and metabolically efficient!
Until next week…
Bob
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