The holiday season is upon us and I, for one, am excited about it. I love this time of year and try to enjoy every minute of it. Although it seems like it flies by every year!
The one thing that’s seems to be guaranteed around this time, no matter who you are or where you live, is extended traveling. Most people will be traveling somewhere to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with family and friends.
Unfortunately, this is also a time where junk food and overeating run rampant. Now, I’m all for enjoying some treats during the holidays but if we’re honest with ourselves we indulge a little too much.
And it all starts with traveling.
Candice, Reagan, and I will be driving to Central Georgia to visit my parents. Fortunately for us, it’s a fairly simple trip and takes less than 3 hours. But for others, traveling may be an all-day affair.
When this is the case, gas stations and airport shops become feeding grounds. And with all the choices you have these days, it’s easy to pick treat-type foods to snack on.
On the flip side, with all the available options it’s also easy to build a healthy meal while on the go. You just need to know what to look for.
With that in mind, I want to share a simple template you can use as you’re traveling this holiday season that will help you keep your nutrition in check. There are only 3 things you need to look for when building a meal:
- Protein
- Healthy Fat
- Healthy Carbohydrate
Here are some sample meals so you can see what this looks like in action.
Meal 1: Beef Jerky + Almonds + Banana
Beef Jerky is an excellent source of protein. Brands like Krave pack 10 grams of protein per serving with only 90 calories to boot. You can find most types of nuts at any convenience store, so almonds would be your main source of fat. Then, you’d round out the meal with a fresh fruit like a banana.
Meal 2: Greek Yogurt + Peanut Butter + Apple
Greek yogurt is one high-protein food I recommend to all of my clients. Certain Chobani selections can contain up to 15 grams of protein per serving. Add a pack of Justin’s peanut butter, which has about 190 calories for your primary fat source. Then finish the meal with another fruit like an apple as your healthy carb source.
Meal 3: Tuna + String Cheese + Carrots
Tuna is another great option when it comes to protein. One pack of Starkist tuna in water has 17 grams of protein with only 70 calories. You can find stringed cheese at most convenience stores now too. This would be used as your fat source. Then, pick up a pack of baby carrots to balance your meal out with some fresh veggies.
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The best thing about these meals is they are high in protein. Not only are you getting protein from your main source, but each fat source I’ve listed contains some protein as well.
I’ve talked about protein time and time again on this site. It’s the single most important nutrient when it comes to fat loss and building muscle. It will help you stay fuller for longer and you’ll actually burn more calories digesting protein then you do carbs and fat.
A second thing I’d like to note about each meal is that they are low in calories. Each meal comes in at under 400 calories making them a great option for those trying to avoid overeating and lose weight.
So, if you’re worried about eating too much this holiday season, remember it all starts with traveling. You can set the tone here. If you make good choices while on the go, it will make eating better that much easier during your holiday meals.
