Eating for fat loss while traveling is a lot easier than you think. So don’t use travel as an excuse to eat junk when it’s not in line with your goals.

Now it’s not your fault that you have struggled with nutrition on the road. It’s just that no one has give you good advice before. So to help you with that, I’ve put together a list of the 9 fat loss nutrition rules you need to follow…

1) Pack for the plane

You can take apples, raw almonds (and other nuts), jerky, peanut butter sandwiches, and other “easy to carry” foods on the plane. Security does not stop you from taking food on a plane – its only liquids that you can’t carry on.

If necessary, almost every airport in North America offers raw almonds at one of the newsstand kiosks, and you can get fruit in almost every airport I’ve been through in the world.

For flights of 4 hours and less, you really shouldn’t need to buy any food in an airport or on a plane. It’s that simple. And take something to read or watch to the airport so you don’t get bored and end up passing time in a restaurant.

2) Publicly record your food intake (using Facebook, Twitter, TT Member’s forum, etc.).

It is a research proven fact that the more you write down what you eat the more weight you will lose. Plus, when you get accountability and social support through those sites I just mentioned, you’ll think twice before going into McDonald’s for lunch.

3) Just say NO to ALL liquid calories while traveling

This is something you should do at home, but if you make a rule that you aren’t going to drink any calories while traveling for business, then you’ll cut thousands of calories from your diet.

If not drinking alcohol at a business dinner is considered a crime against humanity in your industry, then stick to wine or beer and drink it slow.

Avoid all juices, sodas, etc., just as you would at home.

4) Plan your day

If you are traveling and have a busy day, plan when and what you are going to eat and stick to that. Most people simply get into trouble when they haven’t thought ahead. It’s that simple. Know what you are going to do and stick to it.

5) Realize you are going to “offend someone”

It’s either going to be you or them. What I mean is this…

If you are traveling for business and your host wants you to eat a big steak, have lots of wine, and then dessert, you have two choices.

a) You can go along with their plan and offend yourself (ending up feeling guilty all night and the next day)

b) You can politely say “No, thanks” and you might have to put up with some peer pressure but at least you won’t feel like you screwed up

6) Reward yourself

Remember, you do get some reward meals each week…so plan ahead, and stick to rewarding yourself at one meal…not every meal. And save it for something good. Don’t eat crappy hotel danishes and croissants in the morning when you could save your reward for an amazing steak dinner at night.

7) Choose wisely at dinner

If you want to have a nice steak, glass of wine, and some dessert, then skip the bread and the giant potato that most places offer. That way, you stick the three things you want – and make sure to fill up on sides of broccoli and asparagus that most steak houses will offer.

We’ll call this “Strategic Rewards” eating. You get to have what you want without blowing your calorie-needs limit.

8] Eat fruits and vegetables at every opportunity.

Last week I was at a meeting and it severely cut my fruit and vegetable intake – well, mostly my vegetable intake. So whenever you get fruits or vegetables offered at breakfast, lunch, or dinner, make sure to focus your meal around those.

9) Avoid mindless eating

If you are heading to a cocktail reception before dinner, make a plan and stick to it. If you must drink, fine, keep it to a minimum, and stick to the raw vegetables rather than the high-calorie meat-filled pastries on the appetizer bar.

Remember – just like with bread at a restaurant, don’t let the hors d’oeuvres ruin your dinner, your trip, or your fat loss diet.

Hope those help.

Here’s what I’ll be doing this week in Miami on holiday.

Thursday morning I’ll get up early, do some stretching, and have a blender smoothie drink and a couple of eggs before I hit the airport. On the flight, I’ll have almonds and an apple. And when I get to Miami and meet up with my friends, I’ll have a big salad for lunch, and probably a cold drink by the pool in the afternoon.

At night, dinner, sticking to meat-free eating because October is World Vegetarian Month.

Friday and Saturday, I’ll probably get up early and exercise, then meet my friends for brunch (omelet with vegetables) and then tour around the city with the guys while the girls go shopping. I’m sure I’ll have no problem finding some amazing rice and beans, and then we’ll probably have to go somewhere fancy for dinner each night.

Sunday, early flight back so I’ll repeat Thursday morning. I always take enough apples and almonds for the trip there and back, plus for snacks in my hotel room. It’s pretty simple.

To be honest, I don’t think that eating on the road is as hard as folks make it out to be…the real difficulty and problems simply come from our mindsets.

Traveling = an excuse for many folks to break from their nutrition plan

Just don’t make that mistake and you won’t stumble on your fat loss program.

Safe travels,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

PS – For more help…

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=> The Fat Burning Kitchen