Do you subscribe to the philosophy that what you eat on a road trip doesn’t count?
I hate to be the one to break it to you – but calories and unhealthy food are bad for you whether they’re consumed at home, in the car, on the beach or at the top of a mountain.
Many people use a long car journey as an excuse to stock up on car snacks such as chips and lollies, washed down with a giant cup of syrupy soft drink and a side of greasy burgers and chips from the all-too-conveniently located fast food joints on the highway.
A great way to curb this habit is to imagine yourself 10 minutes after you’ve finished your greasy highway meal. Do you feel a little queasy? Full to bursting? A bit gassy and bloated? Feel like a little nap perhaps?
Now imagine how you feel after you’ve eaten a healthy meal such as a salad, stir fry or sandwich. Content, satisfied? Clear headed and ready to keep going? This is a really powerful tool to help you say ‘no thanks’ to the unhealthy foods.
Thinking even further about your future rather than just the here and now can be a great way to stay focused on your weight loss goals. You might think ‘but I just really want to eat this burger right now’, but if you think about your future self (say in 3 months time) do you think that burger will get you closer to your goal, or further away?
You might find that this little mantra helps: ‘My desire to lose weight in the future is stronger than my desire to eat a greasy burger today.’
Another way to stay focused is to think about the habits that your children are forming from your actions. Most parents want their kids to grow up making healthy food choices.
So if you don’t want your kids to eat junk every time they go on a car trip, now is the time to instil good habits in them.
So if you are heading off for a trip this weekend, the key is to plan ahead. Stock the car with plenty of bottle of water (what is it about the car that makes you so thirsty??); plus some car-friendly snacks in a cooler bag, such as:
- Fresh crispy apples
- Cashews
- Rice crackers
- Dried apricots
- Sandwiches
- Blueberries
- Steamed snow peas
- Bananas
- Cherry tomatoes
- Celery and carrot sticks
You can also take along a healthy picnic to enjoy at one of the many road side rest areas. Fresh sandwiches, a frittata, rice paper rolls, healthy home made biscuits and fresh fruit are a great way to refuel your body while also sticking to your weight loss goals.
So long as you have delicious food to fill up on you won’t feel as though you are missing out by not stopping to buy something to eat.
Sure you can still stop and grab some petrol, but you don’t have to eat your lunch from the strip of take away joints next to it. If you have the urge to buy something, perhaps you could buy yourself a cup of coffee to enjoy in the car.
If you do get stuck and have to make a purchase from a petrol station or convenience store, many of them have some fresh sandwiches, wraps and salads now.
You can also pick up healthy snacks such as: a pot of yoghurt, a small bag of nuts, fruit, a carton of milk, a coffee, or some sparkling water.
If you want to save some cash and have to feed a family, you can also buy a loaf of wholemeal bread plus a packet of ham and some cheese to make ‘car sandwiches’.
Save the ice cream for when you reach your holiday destination!
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