Ten Commandments of the Road Warrior

Ultrasonic Testing NDT: Eating Healthy on the Road

(Or, why my pants still fit after all these years.)

By John Taylor

Being in the non-destructive testing business means that I spend a good deal of time on the road.  Now you would think with all the climbing in and around all manner of storage tanks and the like that this would burn off any given amount of calories that I cared to ingest on the job.  The problem is that when a job takes me out of town, this means that I could wind up falling into the great American conundrum of eating in restaurants and out of vending machines.  So to avoid adding needless padding to my frame, I have come up with a list of do’s and don’ts that I have come to refer to as the Ten Commandments of Road Warriors.

1. Thou shall avoid alcohol at all cost

2. Snack on fruits, nuts and raw vegetables instead of junk food

3. Frequent supermarkets instead of restaurants

4. Pack it in, pack it out

5. Remember the salad and keep it handy

6. Take the stairs and avoid the elevator

7. Read

8. Stay hydrated

9. Get a good night’s sleep

10. Try to schedule some relaxation time every day.

Let’s just discuss these options one at a time. First on the list is alcohol of course. It’s one of the benefits of an expense account. But alcohol is high in calories and it can be an appetite booster for many people. Mixed drinks, beer and wine are pretty empty nutritionally and can make the next morning a little more trying.

Speaking about nutrition, this brings up the next commandment: Fruits, nuts and vegetables. Have you ever seen an unhealthy gorilla? These foods are high in vitamins and minerals, easy to carry and come in a great variety of flavors, colors and textures. And preparation is just a crunch away.

This brings us to no on the restaurants and yes to the supermarkets. Particularly because you can’t buy apples and grapes at The Olive Garden (they do have salad but it comes with a deadly portion of bread sticks), you need to create your own.   Luckily, all supermarkets have prewashed, prepackaged salads that are ready to eat.  Just add the low-cal dressing.  They also have containers of precut carrot and celery sticks.

Buy a lunch box. Not a Little Mermaid or Angry Birds but a cheap $10.00 insulated fabric job. You put ice in the freezer bags you bought at the grocery store and fill the box with canned fruit, juice, a tuna sandwich or anything else you like. Use a little imagination and try different foods for a change.

Grazing is the best part. No time wasted at a fast food stop or waiting in traffic. Put your hand in your lunch box and pull out a surprise and munch it right down. You have 55 minutes that now belong to you.

Take the stairs, walk, run, strut, hop, skip, MOVE. If your hotel has an exercise room, use it. If not, try anything that keeps you from sitting around thinking about breaking commandment number 1.

Reading takes your mind off food unless you are reading a recipe book which is not recommended.  Since reading keeps your hands occupied you can’t use then to put junk food in your mouth, or break commandment number 1.

Don’t let your destination lead you to dehydration. Most of us do not drink enough water and this is especially true when we are out of town. Sometimes it is just not handy or it can be hard to keep beverages cold if you buy them by the bottle. This is another good reason to invest in that little lunch box. But a good way to remember to drink plenty of water is to stop drinking everything else. And did you know water has zero calories. Isn’t that cool?

Get plenty of sleep just like your mother said when she used to tuck you in at night. It takes some training to sleep in a room that’s totally alien from your own home. You can always bring a small item that reminds you of your own sleep chamber. A pillow, bathrobe or slippers, maybe even a teddy bear.  Anything that will add a touch of the familiar to an otherwise alien landscape is sure to reduce stress.

Finally learn to relax while you are on the road. Time will melt by if you concentrate on your assignment and focus on your goals. Give yourself permission to spend some quality time every day, even if it’s only thirty minutes spent reading a novel or magazine. With the right nutrition, hydration and rest those road trips will not lead to that other great American conundrum: the crash diet.

John Taylor is president of Nova Data Testing, a leading Ultrasonic Testing NDT firm.  For more information and helpful videos, visit his website at http://ultrasonictestingndt.com/