Putting on the Miles: Not the Pounds. Mitigating Holiday Travel.

Debbie Hatch  |  Family & F.I.T.

By the time the sun came up, we had driven from DC to Harrisburg, PA

Like many other people, my husband and I are traveling to see family for the upcoming holiday.  We were up at 3 o’clock this morning, and left the house by 4:30.  I spend a lot of time on the road, but today my ride was a Ford F-150 rather than the more typical Boeing 737.  Pros and cons.  Pro: I’m not limited to what will fit into a carry-on. Con: it’s going to be a 12-hour trip (maybe more depending on traffic and because we’re towing a trailer).

Staying healthy on the road can seem a formidable task for those not accustomed to it. We have a tendency to relax, eat whatever is available, not drink as much water as we typically would, and exercise considerable less.  Holiday travel is especially challenging because we take on the mentality of, “I’ll be eating a lot on Thursday anyway.  What difference does it make?”

Here’s the problem with that type of thinking.  When we start eating as if the holiday starts on Saturday (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, or even Wednesday), it will continue through Thursday night.  On Friday, there will be leftovers to take care of.  By then, we’ll be getting close to Christmas (Hanukkah, Boxing Day, Kwanzaa, Ramadan, or Festivus) – and then we’re getting close to New Year’s.  Ah, to heck with it, we might as well wait for January and start fresh at that point.  Right?

The holidays themselves aren’t the problem.  Unless you have an impending physical competition, enjoy a piece of your grandmother’s pecan pie or Challah French toast.  Try some of your sister’s cornbread stuffing, latkes, mincemeat, or potted cheese.  Those of us fortunate enough to be able to celebrate, should be grateful for the opportunity.  Enjoy family, friends, and yes, food.

Thanksgiving is on Thursday though.  Today is only Saturday.  If I were to start celebrating today and go through the start of the new year – what began as three days of celebration would have become two full months.

Many convenience stores are offering a wider array of options.

I had this in the back of my mind this morning. I also know that my husband doesn’t like to stop for anything except gas and potty breaks.  Both at the same time:  we stop for gas, go to the restroom, and also grab something to eat from the gas station or travel plaza.  Occasionally there’s a Subway or McDonalds but otherwise it’s convenience store food or whatever I brought with me.

I prefer to plan for my own success and I like options.  I know that eating nutritious food makes me feel better (more alert, less bloated, and just “lighter” overall).  Adding more salt and fat than I’m used to can upset my stomach.  Who wants that while traveling?

Lemon protein waffles with fresh raspberries & a coffee to go.

I started my morning, as I always do, with protein, carbohydrates, and some fat.  I also packed a small cooler with almonds, apples, ground turkey, sweet peppers, squash, salmon packets, hard-boiled eggs, protein powder, Quest bars, and water.

Mid-morning I had a Greek yogurt and water.

I also had a coffee at Starbucks.

Lattes and frappaccchinos can carry a huge wallop of calories, fat, and sugar.

I just get a tall coffee, with a shot of Christmas blend espresso and 1 pump of sugar free hazelnut.

How Often Should We Eat?  This is one of those questions that everybody has an opinion on. Some think we should eat 3 meals a day; some think 6; some advocate only 2. I think it requires a bit of personal experimentation. There are foods you like that I don’t.  There is a way of eating you may prefer and I might not. I do best with 4-5 small meals spaced throughout the day.

For lunch, my husband decided to stop at McDonald’s.  I contemplated getting something there as well (fish or chicken sandwich, scrambled eggs, or a salad) but nothing particularly appealed to me so I had spinach, squash, chicken, and cranberries from the cooler.

How Could I be a Health Coach and “Allow” my Husband to Eat This Way?  Some people act as though my husband should eat and exercise the way that I do.  We’re different people.  We like different things – from hobbies to food.  My husband is a grown man. He makes his choices and I make mine. That’s the way it always has to be with adults.

I know it doesn’t always seem like it.  I have many female clients tell me, “I’d like to watch what I eat but, my husband expects me to eat with him. He expects me to have what he’s having.”

That’s an excuse.

That might seem harsh but I’m not one to sugar-coat.  We might not want to hear it, but…

That’s an excuse.

We are responsible for our own decisions.  I’m not saying make two options at every meal. I’m just saying we can decide – from whatever has been prepared – what and how much to put on our own plate. We can decide whether we want to snack or not.

We can decide to say, “No. I’m not really hungry right now. You go ahead and have some ice cream. I don’t think I’m going to have any.”  It’s hard because the truth is we really want the ice cream. If we don’t have any but he does, we feel like we’re missing out. Oh my gosh, what if he eats all the ice cream and there’s none left? (The answer, of course, is that we can buy some more tomorrow – or, heck, even later today).

Blaming my husband for having ice cream and therefore “making me have it too” is much easier.  Eating a Big Mac with fries and then saying, “I wouldn’t have gone to McDonald’s but that’s what my husband chose, so…” takes the responsibility away from myself.

To be clear, I’m not villainizing ice cream – or McDonald’s.

If you want it, have it.

I’m saying

• Don’t have it just because somebody else is.
• Don’t complain about your food choices.
• Don’t play the “poor me, I can’t have that” card.
• Don’t die-t!!
• Make consistent nutritional choices for YOU – and own that decision.

As the sun sat, we were still on the road but had made it to Maine.

Dinner was a quick stop at Panera.

fuji chicken apple salad with dressing on the side, apple, and a glass of water.