Hi there,
Welcome back to ‘Hey Coach Darren’ – the weekly advice column where I’ll be sharing my top three tips on a different topic each week, inspired by real-life scenarios from our current members (and you)!
This will be the second consecutive week that we talk about something that is a big part of many of our lives – work! Specifically, this member has been having a difficult time maintaining healthy eating because of their busy daily schedule and frequent traveling between job sites:
“Hey Coach Darren,
As you know, over the last few months I’ve made some great progress towards my fitness goals (I’ve lost 12lbs since starting with FitTRAC in January!). I want to keep progressing, but I’ve become a bit stagnant, and I think it is because of what I’ve been eating (or not eating) during the workday!
My job requires me to be constantly on the go and traveling between different work sites. In the winter I didn’t do near as much travel due to all of the rain. But over the last month or so, I’ve found it very challenging to maintain healthy eating habits during the workday because of my chaotic schedule.
For example, one day last week I started the day in San Francisco, had to go to Millbrae, then San Mateo, and ended the day in Livermore! I’m often grabbing meals on the go, which means I end up eating a lot of fast food or unhealthy snacks (during that crazy day I had Jack in the Box because I had 10 minutes to spare). Sometimes I skip eating for 5-6 hours at a time! I know this isn’t good for my health or my fitness goals, but I’m struggling to make it work with my busy schedule.
By the way, meal prepping stinks because I’m a pretty lousy cook. And because I’m on the road a lot, packing my lunch is hard because I can’t keep food fresh while on the job.
Do you have any tips on how I can maintain healthy eating habits even when I’m constantly on the go?”
Being busy with work is a big obstacle for many, and this can be made even more challenging when your work takes place all over! But being intentional with your nutrition not only helps with reaching fitness goals, but helps with making it through the workday. Here are the tips I gave this member:
- Pre-plan your trek – Since meal prepping isn’t a good option, plan the route that you’ll be taking for work and make sure to check out what other options are on it for meals. Stopping at a grocery store can be a great way to grab a quick, healthy meal instead of being reactive and finding the nearest fast food.
If you absolutely don’t have the time to park your car and go inside a store and have to opt for fast food, choose the healthiest options. Before heading to a new work site or location, research nearby healthy restaurants or cafes that offer healthy meal options. This way, you’ll know exactly where to go and what to order when you’re short on time.
Most fast food chains now offer salads, grilled chicken options, and even healthy alternative options for their most popular items too. Also make sure to skip the fries and soda and opt for a side salad and water! - Invest in a good cooler bag – Since you’re constantly on the go, investing in a good cooler bag can be a game-changer. You can store your meals and snacks in the bag and keep them cool throughout the day. This way, you can always have healthy options on hand, even when you’re away from home.
- Snack smart, and hire help – Instead of reaching for chips or candy, bring healthy snacks with you to work that don’t need to be refrigerated or microwaved, such as nuts, protein bars, or fruit. You may not be full right away, but you won’t also be introducing calorie bombs into your routine that offer no nutritional value.
You can also use the help of a meal delivery service. Many of them offer healthy, pre-made meals that don’t require refrigeration or microwaving. Look for ones that specialize in shelf-stable meals like jerky, tuna pouches, and nut butter packs.
Eating healthy on the go takes a little bit of planning and preparation, but it’s worth it in the long run. By making healthy eating a priority, you’ll feel better, have more energy, and be able to perform better at work (and everywhere).
Stay tuned for next week’s ‘Hey Coach Darren’ where I’ll be sharing more valuable tips to help you become happier, healthier, and stronger.
Stronger Together,
Coach Darren
P.S.
If you have a health or fitness topic you’d like me to cover just click ‘More Info’ on this page, and I’ll be sure to give you some tips in an upcoming ‘Hey Coach Darren’ post.