I need a diet while travelling...

[Primal Instinct]

Hey everyone. My job requires that I travel a lot during the week and I can't seem to keep any reasonable semblance of a healthy diet during this period. So as a result, I have been losing a decent amount of mass. Does anyone have any tips for keeping up a healthy nutritional regimen with the goal of mass building or at the minimum, retaining mass while on extended travel?

The main issue is that I usually do not have access to cook meals like I would if I was home-based and I'm usually out of the area most of the week. I do get many weekends at home (minus travel time to get home) but it isn't enough to overcome the losses from during the week and I don't want to yo-yo my diet either. Unfortunately, cooking a bunch of stuff ahead of time for travelling isn't a realistic option for me. Any advice?

[BBAddict]

Haha!! Welcome to my life--I travel a ton as well and have developed some methods for getting a reasonable amount of healthy food, so I at least don't lose mass. I typically travel with whey protein, casein protein, rolled oats and a MRP powder (Up Your Mass). I either buy packets of tuna and canned chicken/turkey before I go or buy them when I get to my destination. I will also use jerky as another form of protein.
If I'm staying at a cheaper hotel with a refrigerator/microwave, I will also buy sweet potatos and just nuke them. You can obviously also order larger quantities at dinner and use them as leftovers. In better hotels that don't have microwaves, I use the coffee maker to generate hot water that can be used to make oatmeal.
My typical eating on the road consists of:
6am: Whey protein, oatmeal
7am: Workout
8am: Whey protein, powerade, oats
10am: MRP
12:30: Lunch with clients or whatever
2:30: MRP
5:00: Tuna/Chicken, oats or sweet potato
7:00: Dinner-usually fish or steak, veggies
9:30: Casein protein

I also bring a bunch of my vitamins, including fish/flax oil to supplement with fats. It certainly isn't optimum but it usually keeps me from losing any hard-earned mass.

Everybody I travel with makes fun of me cause I have a workout/food bag and a separate clothes bag, so I always have to check luggage, but it's a small price to pay.

[Primal Instinct]

Thanks for your response, BBAddict! It's tougher than I thought it would be to maintain, let alone to bulk while on a heavy travel schedule. It looks like I'll be buying a new can opener and lots of salmon/chicken and more tuna. I had cut back eating so much tuna in the last year due to its high mercury content when eaten often. I know that our bodies can remove small amounts of mercury over time but 'll probably research exactly how much tuna could overstep the threshold of safety in a given timeframe.


I really appreciate that you wrote down your meal plan too. It helps to know others are in the same boat and dealing with it effectively. Thanks again for your support.

[slipshady]

i wouldnt really go for the jerky if i were you its alot of nitrates and sodium.

[Shibby]

I have known people to take there own seasonings and sauces. Then when they order out, get everything plain and dry. Then do some fixing in there rooms.

[Ashop]

Hey everyone. My job requires that I travel a lot during the week and I can't seem to keep any reasonable semblance of a healthy diet during this period. So as a result, I have been losing a decent amount of mass. Does anyone have any tips for keeping up a healthy nutritional regimen with the goal of mass building or at the minimum, retaining mass while on extended travel?

The main issue is that I usually do not have access to cook meals like I would if I was home-based and I'm usually out of the area most of the week. I do get many weekends at home (minus travel time to get home) but it isn't enough to overcome the losses from during the week and I don't want to yo-yo my diet either. Unfortunately, cooking a bunch of stuff ahead of time for travelling isn't a realistic option for me. Any advice?

MRP's, proteins shakes, nutrition bars are all handy while traveling.