Can you eat 21 meals on the road and be healthy?

I recently ate 21 healthy meals on the road.

Believe it or not, there are plenty of low-cal, low-sugar options found on the freeways, at airports, or fast-food chains.

This week, Health.com detailed numerous healthy eating options for both the road warrior or family vacationer. (I was pleasantly surprised that many of the suggestions were ideas I’ve used for many years.)

All Day Breakfast – A restaurant (at a hotel or close to a freeway) will usually serve an egg breakfast that is healthy. Just be sure to ask for—in advance—no butter on your toast (put on side) and for your scrambled eggs to be cooked dry (this eliminates greasy), and include a few vegetables. As for sides? Instead of potatoes, ask for tomatoes, fruit, or cottage cheese. (One afternoon in Manhattan, I fully enjoyed an avocado, tomato and feta cheese omelet, dry and well done. It was one of my favorite meals of the week.)

Oatmeal on the Run – Even restaurant chains, such as Starbucks, now offer a low-calorie, fiber-friendly snack or breakfast for travelers or businesspersons on the run. It’s a great and healthy alternative to a scone or muffin. It’s an especially healthy quick meal in many airports!

Coffee drinks are rarely calorie-free and often full of sugar. Opt for a non-fat latte or iced-coffee with organic, sugar free sweetener, rather than any combo of sugary coffee drink. Carrying your own organic calorie-free sweetener tabs makes any coffee drink taste great!

Gas station, convenience store or airport counters usually have a few healthy items such as yogurt in a carton, fresh fruit in a basket (apple or banana), or small packages of nuts or raisins. And most importantly, they usually provide a calorie count, which is helpful to know when you are eating out multiple days in a row.

Most fast food chains now offer healthy, salad options. Just hold off on using the pre-packaged dressing; instead ask for vinegar and oil. Avoid salads at Mexican food chains that are often prepared in fried tortilla shells and loaded with cheese (up to 1000 extra calories). Until you are familiar with the healthiest choices at your favorite fast food chains, carry a pocket-guide, such as The Flat Belly Diet to help determine your best options for healthy meals.

Many sandwich shops now offer calorie, sodium and fat counting menus. (In all honesty, I eat at Subway at least once a trip. Why? It’s usually convenient, quick, and I know what I’m ordering so I can enjoy it without feeling guilty. This last trip, I ate 4 out of 21 meals at Subway—on the streets of Manhattan, in a Walmart in Ohio, and in an airport in Chicago.)

You don't have to make big sweeping changes to see big results when you eat on the road. Big results--like not gaining weight after eating 21 meals on the road--can occur when you make little changes, such as planning ahead (calling restaurants or previewing menus online), pre-packaging “carry-along” snacks or meals, and accessing a pocket-guide to your favorite, fast food restaurants.

Be encouraged,

Becky