Dave Patania
Personal trainer

Question: I am constantly traveling and eat out a lot. It is impossible to follow your healthy meal recommendations while traveling. Do you have any other ideas?

Answer: It is only impossible to eat healthy while traveling if you make it that way. You are in control of what you put in your body and if you are serious about eating nutritiously, you will make healthy selections while eating out.

First, be prepared. This means that while you are packing things for your trip or day at the office, you can also be packing healthy things to take with you such as protein bars. I like taking bars with me because they are easy to carry and they really come in handy if I miss a meal or need something to hold me over until I can get a solid food meal. I take a few different flavors with me for variation, which goes a long way in avoiding "bar burnout."

Not on menu? Ask

As for eating out, you can make almost all dining experiences healthy if you are truly committed to doing so. At breakfast places, ask for egg whites instead of whole eggs; oatmeal or dry wheat toast instead of sugary cereals, pancakes or waffles. Instead of loading up on high-sugar fruit juices and sodas, order unsweetened iced tea or a tall glass of ice water.

Keep things simple and don't be too quick to say to yourself that "there is nothing healthy on the menu so I will just take what they give me," because that is just an excuse. If you ask nicely and explain that you are on a special diet, you will be surprised at how helpful servers, cooks or chefs will be.

Don't be afraid to order off the menu and create your own dishes. If I am away and eating lunch, I will usually ask for a plain romaine lettuce salad with onion and cucumber (no croutons, cheese, etc.) with a low-cal dressing on the side. If they don't have a low-cal dressing, I still order a small amount of dressing on the side and add a little bit for flavor. I will then order two grilled chicken breasts and some steamed veggies. If they don't have steamed veggies, I am OK because I already had my green salad.

Grilled is good

For most of your lunches and dinners, any place that has a grill is primed for healthy selections. Just keep in mind that you want to order a lean piece of grilled protein, lots of veggies or salad and moderate carbs. Eat the protein first so that you get a satisfied feeling which will curb the traveling hunger for carbs.

Steakhouses are actually really good because you can almost always get a grilled piece of chicken or fish, steamed veggies and a plain baked or sweet potato. If you are on a lower carb diet, nix the potato and order extra veggies and a salad like the one I mentioned earlier.

Before going to business luncheons, dinners and gatherings, try to eat a bar and drink a bottle of water so that you don't go in with a polar-bear appetite. The quality of meals may not be as good as what you have at home, but you can get through travel and vacation time if you are focused on your goals and disciplined.

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Contact personal trainer Dave Patania by e-mail: davpatania@aol.com.