Macro Manager, I rock in the nutrition department. I buy in bulk, prep in advance, and eat big to get big. However, I have some extended trips coming up, and I'll have limited access to food. I need your help to hit my muscle-building macros on the go! Any ideas?
Being successful on the road with your diet and nutrition is a key area for many people's physiques. Traveling poses many roadblocks to eating right and exercising. You'll run into barriers like high-carbohydrate, low-protein meals at restaurants, plus sparse hotel 'weight rooms' that only contain a treadmill and a single 20-pound dumbbell.
However, with a little planning, you can successfully navigate the travel cones and come back bigger and leaner than you left.
When you're deep in the mountains, desperately in need of muscle-building macros, use these three strategies!
Meal Replacement Packets
Pre-portioned MRPs are a key travel item. They are small and portable (unlike lugging around tubs of protein powder), convenient, and easy to use. You can just toss them in your bag. For years, MRP formulations were all the same: low fat and low fiber. These two characteristics aren't ideal, especially when replacing whole food.
Labrada has recently reformulated and upgraded their Lean Body shakes to make them more complete. Each MRP packet has 8 grams of fiber and 8 grams of fat, so they more closely resemble the nutrient make-up of a real meal, like meat 'n veggies. This new formulation is also devoid of maltodextrin, a carbohydrate commonly found in MRPs that is more suited for workout nutrition than a midmorning snack. Pack some of these in your bag when you travel.
Versatile Workout Nutrition
I'm sure you'll train while traveling. Even if you're just knocking out bodyweight exercises like lunges, sprints, or pull-ups, workout fuel is critical. Having a versatile supplement you can use during both weight training and cardio sessions is helpful when traveling light.
Take a container of Scivation Xtend with you on your trip. On weight training days, add it to a 32oz sports drink and sip while training. On cardio days, just add it to a 20oz bottle of water. This will allow you to get the proper nutrients you need at the right times without even having to bring your shaker bottle.
Make Your Own Snack Mix
Taking the time to prepare your own proportioned snack mix is time well spent. Combine enough beef or ostrich jerky, almonds, cashews and a small amount of unsweetened dried fruit to fill a snack-sized Ziploc bag for a perfectly-portioned, nutrient-packed, muscle-building snack that can go anywhere with you and doesn't require a refrigerator.
So, what are the take-home points that you should take traveling?
- Supplement your daily meals with a quality MRP.
- Fuel your workouts with the proper workout nutrition.
- Snack on a carb-controlled, protein-rich homemade snack mix.
Travel light, move fast, and maintain your mass!