by Jean Caton, JeanCaton.com

Jean Caton - Inspiring and Empowering the Women of the World... One Woman at a Time

Business Executives, Entrepreneurs and Road Warriors Eating Guide

Business executives and road warriors report eating anywhere from 30 to 90% of meals away from home. Entrepreneurs are busy networking and meeting clients in restaurants and coffee shops. What a challenge to a healthy lifestyle. Travel, client entertaining, business meetings and conferences, all require eating in restaurants, buffets, airports or grabbing food on the go to eat in the car or at your desk. Fear not! Each day it is getting a little easier to find healthy food away from home. Similar to the shift in attitudes toward smoking about 10 years ago, a healthy, fit lifestyle is now highly regarded in the business world. The landscape is changing. The days when heavy drinking, smoking and self-indulgent eating was the emblem of a successful executive are gone. Today, eating and drinking in moderation are more the rule than the exception. Regardless of the trends towards healthy lifestyles, the challenges of eating away from home presents a test to our knowledge and commitment to select and enjoy “good for me” foods. So if you are attracting business over lunch, closing deals over dinner, building relationships over latte, networking surrounded by dips, chips, and wine these ten tips are for you.

Ten tips for healthy eating and staying fit while eating away from home

Develop a Strategic Eating Plan: Planning is key. Design a game plan for eating when traveling and at special events. Set forgivable goals. Plan goals for mealtime; break time social time and the candy dish on the conference table such as: eat breakfast, consume 1/2 to 2/3 of each course, select a low calorie starter such as clear soup or shrimp cocktail, and eat bread with the meal instead of filling up on it ahead of time.

Resist the urge to splurge: Eating in fine restaurants, especially with a generous expense account can tempt you to splurge. Order sensibly because once the food is in front of you it is hard to resist. If you order dessert, eat a few bites to satisfy your sweet tooth and then ask your server to remove the dessert to prevent further nibbling

Keep healthy snacks available: A big factor contributing to overeating is excessive hunger. Don’t leave home without a supply of snacks such as fruit, protein bars,or other non-greasy, non-sweet portable snacks. Snacks can help curb your appetite or fill in when you are forced to miss a meal. Skipping meals or going long periods without food often results in rapid and excessive eating once food is available.

Alcohol gets a yellow light: Alcohol is OK in moderation but has 3 marks against it: one serving of alcohol may contain anywhere from 100-300 calories; liquid calories such as alcohol are not filling or satisfying and alcohol stimulates the appetite and reduces willpower.

Advertise your healthy habits: Going public with your plan to have a healthy lifestyle creates a little peer pressure to stick with it. The only reason not to make known your plan is lack of commitment or fear of failing. Talking about your healthy eating commitment does not have to sound self-righteous. Simply speak openly and candidly about your interest in your health.

Be a CFO (Chief Fitness Officer): Find times and places to get exercise. Be creative. Climb the stairs in the hotel for 30 minutes in the morning or evening. When possible select hotels with a fitness center. Get a group together to run, walk or workout before or after meetings. Keep your budget balanced by using exercise to offset those inevitable extra calories.

Portion Control: There are no forbidden foods. Enjoy and savor some of your favorite foods in moderation. You may chose to make a meal with one or 2 appetizers or starter portions along with a baked potato or salad. When served a very large portion, immediately divide it in half on your plate making clear your intention to eat only half.

Slow down: Mealtime should provide a brief respite in your hectic day. Don’t eat so fast that you unconsciously eat too much. Even if you are grabbing lunch on the go you should take small bites, chew, and savor your food. By eating slowly, you give your stomach time to get the message you are full so you are less likely to overeat.

What color is your plate? Many people need to add foods to their diet as much as they need to subtract unhealthy foods - especially when eating out. Be certain to include lots of fruits and vegetables to get vital nutrients your body requires. One simple way to evaluate your meals is to ask yourself , "How colorful is my meal?" If it is brown and beige (burger, bun, fries, cola) - think color - green, orange, red and yellow. (M&M’s don’t count.)

Reward yourself: In business there are recognitions based on performance. Set up an incentive compensation plan for you. Your “compensation” can be a small treat or large ‘bonus’ (non-food) depending on how well you met the goals in Your Strategic Eating Plan (Step 1)

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Jean Caton is a speaker, coach, and marketing strategist. She works with businesswomen in corporate America, Healthcare, and entrepreneurs to challenge and support them to attain their professional and personal goals and live a life full of achievement, self-acceptance, and serenity. Jean can be reached at: MyCoachJean@JeanCaton.com