A few years back I wrote a few articles on nutrition, weight loss and my workout plan.  The Program was good in achieving those short term goals and helping me plan for the dynamics in my life at that time.  Fast forward three years and I am compelled to provide an update.  I am largely doing this as a reminder to myself and to keep myself accountable as I begin a new role with a new company.  I am also doing a different program now for health and fitness that is a little more strategic to my goals today.  I began a Ketogenic diet which is largely a high protein – low carb nutrition plan with an emphasis on low sugar.  I have heard people call it a high fat diet, but that is false.  You can have fat, but it is limited.  The goal is to get your body into “ketosis” which is a metabolic process to metabolize and burn stored fat plus water weight.  Without carbs and excess sugar to burn, our bodies will seek other sources (stored fat) to burn for energy.  God designed our bodies to store and process energy, so the ketogenic diet utilizes the design to promote weight loss by releasing stored fat while increasing lean muscle.  The high protein intake helps build muscle and repair damage done to our bodies in the course of life including working out.  I had hit a plateau in my former program and my schedule did not allow me to invest excess time to correct the course, but now I have been able to jump start the weight loss again and get off my plateau.  I can also see how the ketogenic approach can be sustained long term once my goals are achieved and move to maintenance later this year.

Whether you travel for work or on vacation, maintaining your fitness program on the road is all about planning.  This post goes over some of the things I do when traveling to help maintain what I’ve achieved.

So the first thing I do in planning is to find hotels that are in close proximity to my gyms.  This helps me if I am getting back to the hotel late after a long day of meetings.  I have also found that as I get more in shape, I crave the workout more than dread it, so having it close is helpful to overcome any excuses that might germinate in my mind.

Things I bring:  I travel with a resistance band which allows me to get some things done if I don’t have time for a full workout.  I find it good for shoulders, arms and some core exercises.  Get one with a door anchor and then you can really get creative.  I also pack my vitamins in an pill sorter and bring a scaled down version of my gym bag.

Next is food planning.  After I get my rental car, I find a market or a Costco and a GNC before going to the hotel.  If I know people in that city and I am there for a few days, I can get things at Costco and leave behind the surplus.  I prefer that because I know that Costco has what I need.  So this is my shopping list:

1. A case of Smart Water, some for the room and some for the car.  They are 33 ounces and my goal is 3 per day which is a challenge.  Smart Water provides additional electrolytes that I am not getting from normal carb intake, so it acts as a supplement.  I also drink Powerade Zero which provides the same benefit with a little more flavor.  Blue and purple are my favorites.

2. Power Crunch bars, some for the room and some for the car.  This is a good low carb, high protein option without about 13 grams of fat per serving.  Vanilla, Chocolate and Mint Cookie are the best.

3. I still like Muscle Milk, but for travel I get the Lean Shakes at GNC, two for each day.  Chocolate, Strawberry and Snickerdoodle are all good, not a fan of the vanilla, it’s a littel too vanilla for me.

4. Fruit, usually apples and bananas.  Red grapes if I can find them and cubed melon if it is priced reasonably.  Occasionally I will get a couple of oranges if I am feeling adventurous.  I do not eat fruit and Crunch bars on the same day, too much sugar. 

5. String Cheese if I have a frig in the room.  I also get cheddar or cheddar jack slices as a snack which takes the edge off hunger.

6. Gum for my room, the car and my workout bag.  Gum is still essential for me.

7. I also get liquid L-Carnitine at GNC on longer trips.  This helps the fat burning process.  I have heard some be skeptical about the science of L-Carnitine, but I believe it works and I tend to glisten more in a workout when I take it.

8. Almonds also provide a good snack to take the edge off and provide a good fat.  I don’t count them, but a small handful once a day provides a good snack.  I also put them on salads instead of croutons, though I really like garlic croutons.

Having these snacks handy helps maintain so I am not ravenous when eating out.  Also gets me the protein and fiber I need with minimal calories.

So that is it, pretty simple!  Just taking a little time to do the things I do at home.  As I said, I am mostly sharing this so that I can remember to make wise choices which doesn’t always happen when life gets busy.  I hope this is helpful!